UK Missile pics
 

Thor, Fireflash, and others.

Seacat, SeaSlug, and other.

Chris, thank you for posting these! The Fireflash (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Fireflash ) is different than the Centuri Mini-Line kit (see: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/no...a/73cen00c.html ) suggested. The forward "fuel tanks" were actually "tractor" rocket motors that separated from the missile after burnout, leaving it to glide to its target. At the time, it was believed that ionized rocket exhaust plumes would prevent the beam-riding missile from receiving the guiding radar pulses from the launch aircraft behind it (which was later proved incorrect), which resulted in the Fireflash's unusual configuration.

"Blue Water" missile
 

Continuing the theme of this thread, here are links to photos and information on the English Electric Blue Water nuclear-capable battlefield ballistic missile (see: http://www.skomer.u-net.com/projects/bluewater.htm , http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarch...20-%202516.html , and http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/bluwater.htm ).

Powered by a Cuckoo solid propellant rocket motor, it had a range of 55 miles, but despite its promising tests the British government bought the shorter-range US Honest John instead. The book "Project Cancelled" by Derek Wood (see: http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.c.../references.php ) includes 3-view drawings of two *air-launched* variants of the Blue Water that were intended to be carried by the cancelled TSR2 (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAC_TSR-2 ) tactical strike aircraft.

The "other" missile (far right image) is a Bloodhound SAM (Surface-to-Air-Missile, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodhound_missile ). Its acceleration was tremendous, as this description from the Wikipedia article indicates:

[The acceleration of the Mk. II can be gauged from the data on an information board at the Bristol Aeroplane Company Museum at Kemble Airfield, Kemble, Gloucestershire, where a complete Bloodhound can be seen. The Mark of Bloodhound this data refers to is not given but is presumably the Mark II since the top speed of the Mk. I is Mach 2.2:
"By the time the missile has just cleared the launcher it is doing 400 mph. By the time the missile is 25 feet from the launcher it has reached the speed of sound (around 720 mph). Three seconds after launch, as the four boost rockets fall away, it has reached Mach 2.5 which is roughly 1800 mph"]

That Bloodhound is one of the coolest missles I have ever seen. Thanks for the reference. Looks like one could kitbash (or 'modify') a Fliskits Thunderbird and be pretty close.
I see a project.....

to go along with my other umpteen ones in the fire! :rolleyes:

Allen

You're welcome. It would make a very "sporty" R/C model, with the four parallel-staged "wrap-around" Gosling boost motors recovered by streamer and two D12 motors in ducted motor mounts to simulate the sustainer's two Thor ramjet engines!