Russian Scud-b R-17 Missle System 1:48th PMC w/ Working Launcher

[Micromeister]

Over a decade ago I saw and purchased two 1/48th scale Desert Storm Missile systems Plastic Model Kits. The First a MIM-104 Patriot Missile system: a minimum diameter MMX missile built to launch from One of the four stacked missile tubes on the transport trailer. The Patriot build thread is posted in the Micro Maxx forum.

Deciding my micro Patriot needed an thearter missile Target threat. I found and bought a ARII 1/48th Russian Scud-B R-17 Missile System including the HUGE 8-Wheel Transporter/Erector/Launcher. Like the 1/48th Patriot the Scud-B system will be mounted on a Tri-pod mounting Wooden base board. Because The Scud-B is a much larger missile then the Patriot I was able to convert our Scud to fly on 13mm motors. and fly from a base mounted 1/8" x 19" stainless steel launch rod with a rod exit speed of 32 to 48 ft/sec. This Rod is mounted along side the Transport/Launcher base pad. To help protect the styrene Pad & deflector from the A3 or A10 motor exhaust the contact part have been covered with 3- .020" Layers of Stainless Steel Adhesive backed Tape. It is understood this will only protect the models Styrene plastic Launch pad for a flight or two but that should be more then enough.

Most of the Missile and Transporter construction was pretty straight forward so I didn't take a lot of assembly photos other then the internal flight conversion materials. Most of the photos are captioned showing some of the details.
instead of using standard 1/8" straw type Launch lugs I formed .020" Stainless Wire into "Antenna Lugs".
More on the Launcher base and Clear Acrylic cover much later.

 

[Micromeister]

A few more photos of the Scud-B R-17 Transport/Erector/Launcher being converted into a working 13mm motor model rocket launcher.

Making this model into a working launcher did have a few minor problems. Since the actual Launch Pad never actually reaches the ground I had to make a decision to permanently fix it's position in the down and Locked "ready for loading" position. the Missile and Erector gantry frame work as normal. However the erector can't actually be used to load the model on the pad because we need a 1/8" launch rod.
To set the mood of Desert Storm this particular Scud-B R17 combination will be set on real Beach sand with tire tracks preformed and set with clear Polyurethane rather then water based Matte medium (lesson learned with the Patriot system).
It was decided to reduce the over all footprint size of the Wood Poplar Base to 8.5 x 12.0" just to lower the mass atop our tri-pod.
More on the "diorama" feature in the next post.

 

[Tonimus]

Looks great! I love it.

 

[tightwad]

Outstanding!

 

[Micromeister]

Thanks it and the Patriot system were both fun & challenging conversion projects.

So the Plastic Model and Transporter/Launcher are finished. Now it's time to make the Tri-pod Launcher attachment "Diorama" base and permanently mount the model.
As mentioned in the last post to help reduce some of the mass I've reduced the Overall size of the Poplar Wood base plate to 8" x 12". Our 1" board is first coated with clear Polyurethane to seal the raw wood edges and grain against swelling and warping. To this first coat a thin layer of real Chincoteague Beach sand is applied to help give the later thick layer of "Desert" sand a bit more to cling to. Before applying the Polyurethan and sand the center bottom is Drilled for a 1/4-20 Brass Threaded insert that will accept any standard Camera or Video Tri-pod attachement screw. Each Short 8" baseboard edge is drill for 8-32" Brass Threaded inserts to handle our 8-32" x 1/2" Thumbscrew fasteners. These 3 fasteners will fix the custom 8.25" x 12.25" x 5" Clear Acrylic Plastic Display/Storage/Dust cover. Actually these dust covers take more time to bring back to optically clear then the time taken to build the entire model and diorama base LOL! But I think the end result is worth the effort.
Once our poplar wood baseboard has had overnight to cure we mask off all the edges with 1-1/4" wide cardboard edging lined with Wax paper to prevent our setting material (Clear Polyurethane) from gluing the edge liner to the side of our base. About 1/4" of Chincoteague Beach sand is then poured on-into the baseboard. Setting the Transporter wheels at one end we press the model down into the sand slightly then roll it forward to get the tracks we want. After removing the Transporter we use a pipette to carefully apply full strength clear Polyurethane to the entire surface without disturbing the sand or Tracks. Set this wet assembly aside for 2-3 days to allow the Sand/Polyurethane to completely cure. (Just so you guys know; On the Patriot Diorama base I used Water based Matte Medium as I've done many times over the years on various personal and Museum dioramas. To my horror (and I should have known better) Sand holds water very very well. Because I Did NOT wet the underside(By placeing a Soaked Towel under) that baseboard WARPPED very badly, taking more the a week to fix. You may want to take a look at that build thread in the Micro-Maxx forum to see the effect and after fix. Anyway using clear Polyurethane solves most of that problem provided the entire surface of the board has been coated. Still Sand holds liquids quite well so allow plenty of undisturbed time for the Ground scene to cure.
Now we can set the Transporter in place and mark the location for our permanent Launch Rod Hole. As mentioned earlier I've run sims for all the intended 13mm motors our Scud-B will fly with. Keeping our 30ft/sec Launch rod exit speed rule of thumb in mind the model will fly from a 1/8" diameter x 19" long stainless steel Launch rod threaded into a 6-32 Brass threaded insert hole centered on and directly beside the inside outer ring of the models provided Launch Pad. Agian this styrene plastic parts have been covered with 3 layers of .020" stainless steel tape.
Launch rod speed for this little beasty look like this 1/2A-2T = 32.9ft/sec., achived alt.=88.4ft, delay 2.5sec. A3-4T = 36.7ft/sec., achieved Alt =254.2ft, delay=4.14sec. A10-3T = 43.4 ft/sec., achieved Alt= 237.3ft, delay= 3.98sec. which should give me a Straight and stable flight for a 6-32" threaded 1/8" x 19" long rod I can keep in my range box
For display purposes I have a 1/8" x 4.5" long Stainless Rod in place which just catches the lower antenna ring Launch lug allowing the model to stand securely on the launch pad while on display.
Two smaller holes are drill in the base and a bottoms side recess is routed out deep enough to house two #4 Pan head screws to which 22ga copper wires are solders with standard micro clips which will be hidden under the Transporter but with enough wire to allow long extended 30ga Ni-Chrome igniters with sleeving to extend from the model motor to connect with any standard two wire Launch controll system. Sorry I totally forgot to take a photo of the underside of the diorama base board. I'll try to remember to take one sometime in the near future and post it later.
With all these things done, the Transporter/Erector/Launcher are Epoxy mounted with a little extra sand applied to help hide the epoxy.
That's it she's ready for the Launch Range. My plan is to have the Scud-B on one side of the Range with the Patriot on the other side. Launch the Scud-B first then the Patriot to chase it. Since the MMX powered Patriot will only get about 150feet I don't expect to have any problem with unintended interceptions LOL!

Edit: Since both Scud-B and Patriot Missile systems are intended to be flown at the same time I bundled both models into a single stack for easier transport to the field. Making a 2oz Blacksmith hide leather 1-1/2" wide velcor binder strap and a 6oz 4.5" wide to 1-1/4" punched leather Thumbscrew shank carry handle both models are easily and securely carried to the out to the site. The Carry Handle use the same attachment technique as on Guitar Strap bottom pegs with two point(ThumbScrew) contact per end.

Sometimes we combine all kinds of Hobby/interest skills without even thinking about it.