Hello All,

India's Agni-V road-mobile, three-stage solid propellant ICBM would make a very simple, yet colorful, scale model subject due to its simple lines, and the fact that its first stage nozzle doesn't protrude from the lower end of the first stage. An Agni-V flying scale model could be finless just like the real thing, by utilizing M. Dean Black's air-ducted finless model rocket stabilization technique (see: http://www.apogeerockets.com/educat...wsletter379.pdf ). Below are links to articles, images, and videos on/of the Agni-V:

Agni-V articles: www.google.com/#q=Agni-5

Agni-V images: http://www.google.com/search?q=agni...WdnBv4Q_AUIBygC

Agni-V videos: www.google.com/#q=agni-5&tbm=vid

I hope this material will be helpful.

__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
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All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR

It makes me think of a Pershing II with the fins knocked off. Obviously a much more potent missile, though.

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I love sanding.

The article on finless stabilization is interesting ... however, I'd just prefer that all countries revert to putting fins back on their rockets! Look at the Saturn 1B. We just had it so right back then. The Saturn V was amazing, certainly, but the 1B with 8 fins, and those alternating tanks in black and white -- heavenly!

And the paint pattern at the aft end and on the fins, well, he was just messing with future modelers.

__________________
Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp

Absolutely!



.

__________________
I love sanding.

Actually I think the Agni II is a much more visually interesting model. Modern ICBM's tend to just be a giant toilet paper roll with a rolled paper cone on top (modeling-wise). Where's the fun in that, even going finless as blackshire suggests??

The Agni II though looks more like what an ICBM (IRBM) SHOULD look like... IMHO it looks like someone took the top off a Pershing II and put it on top of a Scout... Agni I is shorter and without the upper (stage?) fins, which they added for Agni II... (not sure it's a propulsion stage-- India has been working on MARV's (Maneuvering Reentry Vehicles) capable of defeating ABM defenses, so it may be a "terminal vehicle" with fins to maneuver during the final descent to the target to avoid defenses.

Later! OL J R

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The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!

I thank you all for your replies! Also:

The Agni-II's (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni-II and www.google.com/#q=Agni-II ) finned upper portion is indeed a MARV (MAneuverable Re-entry Vehicle), and its resemblance to the LTV Scout is no coincidence. India's first satellite launch vehicle, the SLV-3 (see: http://www.b14643.de/Spacerockets_1/India/India.htm and www.google.com/#q=India+SLV-3+launch+vehicle ), was patterned after the LTV Scout. I'm 99% certain that the boosters of their Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, the PSLV-G and PSLV-XL (with "stretched" boosters--the PSLV CA ["Core Alone"] flies without any boosters), are SLV-3 first stage motors--I'll have to check their diameters to make sure. In addition:

Concerning the "finned versus finless" matter, I like rockets of ^both^ types. The Vanguard, Polaris, Poseidon, Agni-V, PSLV, Minuteman, Jupiter, Titan II, and Peacekeeper would look strange *with* fins...and the LTV Scout, Blue Scout, Agni-II, SLV-3, Pershing IA, Saturn V, and especially the Saturn IB would look utterly incomplete *without* fins. (The Thor IRBM and many Thor-based launch vehicles "straddled that divide," as some had fins and some didn't.)

__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR