Welcome! If you have more on the Casseur SSBT, I'd love to see it! Thank you!

Tacite #4

I have attached to this file a color photo of the last Tacite. Unfortunately, we can't see the top part of the rocket.
So I also attached a black and white photo where we see the whole rocket.
Finally, the last image compares the upper part of Tacite #1 and Tacite #4 to show the additional cylindrical part.

Attached Thumbnails

     

With the color version, the middle (whole rocket) one is well color-documented, for a Scale data pack (and for Sport Scale, both of those photos are adequate decor scheme documentation--in Sport Scale, the model is not measured by the contest judge(s) as it is in the Scale category, and it is judged [on workmanship, decor scheme accuracy, etc.] from a distance of 1 meter). In the Super Scale category, scale models of both a vehicle *and* its launcher are measured for accuracy, and are judged on workmanship, etc. Also:

The rounds #1 & #4 upper sections comparison shot show not only the added cylindrical section, but that--based on the uppermost and lowermost umbilical connections--round #4's payload section was apparently also rotated a few degrees (to place them in line with each other vertically), as on round #1 they weren't in line. That's no problem for creating a scale model of either round, though; it's simply another detail that the pictures make it possible to depict correctly.

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

Here is what I wrote for an article presented to the IAC in 2005 ("French Solid Motors for Missiles and Rockets from WWII to the Sixties"):

« In 1959, General Charles de Gaulle decided that France should develop a
deterrent force based on free-fall nuclear weapons released from Mirage IV
bombers, and ground based (SSBS) and submarine launched (MSBS) ballistic
missiles. This decision went together with the cancellation of two tactical nuclear
missiles programs: SE 4500 ramjet missile and Sud Aviation SSBT Casseur solid-
rocket missile. At that time, the 800 mm diameter Casseur motor (NA801,
with a 1,800 kg Mammouth Plastolite grain) was in the development phase, with
Mammouth ground tests to begin in July 1960.
The design and manufacture of long-range nuclear missiles required the
development of propulsion, control, guidance, and reentry techniques that were
not fully available in France. A specific industrial structure was established in
September 1959, SEREB, as well as a state control structure, the GEB (Groupe
des Engins Balistiques), within the DTIA. A basic ballistic studies (EBB, Etudes
Balistiques de Base) program was to be carried out with the VE series, the names
of which, except for the first ones, were those of precious stones.

Agate
After the VE 9 and VE 10 vehicles that used 550 mm diameter grains as
mentioned above, the first Precious Stone, the VE 110 Agate, was powered by a
much more powerful motor, the Nord Aviation NA801 Mammouth. This motor
inherited from the SSBT program, of 800 mm diameter, had a 15CDV6 Vascojet
90 steel case. It was loaded with 1,900 kg of Plastolite—two 1.4 m long grains
bonded together—and delivered 3,420 kNs during 18 seconds. This single nozzle
vehicle was neither controlled nor guided, but stabilized by four fins. It was primarily
used to test a recoverable nose cones and equipment bay of the future strategic
missiles. Eight VE 110s were launched successfully in 1961–1963 from
CIEES. A shortened version (VE 110RR) was then used to develop sea recovery
techniques: four launches were carried out in 1963–1964 from the Mediterranean
CERES test range in Ile du Levant. »

So the SSBT Casseur never flew, but its motor was used several times for technological tests.

The drawing posted by frognbuff seems to be the last SSBT version before the cancellation of the project.

More pics . . .

Attached Thumbnails

           

Thank you (as well as for the preceding historical information on policy and the chosen weapon system development paths--it's not uncommon for rocket and jet engines [such as Rolls-Royce's Conway "bypass turbojet," an early turbofan--incidentally, it's a little-known fact that the first turbofan to power an aircraft was French, the Turbomeca Aspin] developed for ultimately-cancelled vehicles to continue, and to ultimately power other vehicles) for confirming this about the Casseur. Also:

The fact that the Casseur was cancelled before it ever flew does not--as strange as this may sound--prevent it from being depicted as scale model rockets, or even ones that are entered and judged in scale model rocket competitions, even at the highest international level competition--here's how:

In model rocketry--which is also called space modeling, especially in Europe--there are four main categories of scale modeling: [1] Scale (measured scale); [2] Sport Scale (similar to scale, but with relaxed requirements, such as no measuring of the model, needing only a color photograph [or--if memory serves--officially documented colors with a black-and-white photograph]); [3] Super Scale (measured scale, involving both a rocket vehicle and its launcher), and [4] Concept Scale (also called Future/Fiction Scale; this category is for models of cancelled vehicles, proposed-but-never-built ones, existing-but-not-yet-flown ones, and science fiction rockets, spaceships, and missiles). In addition:

I don't know offhand if Concept Scale is a measured Scale-type event or a non-measured, Sport Scale-type one (it could be done either way, as even many science fiction vehicles have published dimensions). Also, I've never heard of a Super Scale-type Concept Scale contest (involving eligible vehicle types *and* their launchers), but there is no fundamental reason why such contests couldn't be held (and they too could be done in either measured Scale or non-measured Sport Scale fashion). As well:

In addition to these four main categories, there are variations that--while they may not be recognized at the national and/or international level in such competitions--can certainly be enjoyed at club, local, and perhaps even regional (hamlet, village, town, city, county, parish, borough, state, province, prefecture, oblast, etc.) level competitions. For instance:

As in model aviation, scale space modeling contests can be had in sub-categories such as Peanut Scale (for small models of some maximum size or smaller ["peanut" is common American--and perhaps also Canadian, British, Australian, New Zealand, etc.--slang for something or someone very small, including one's child or pet, in which case it's also a term of affection]) and Giant Scale (for models above some minimum size). Rather similar category variations are also used in other club or local contests, such as for boost-gliders; for example, contests involving low-performance boost-gliders, such as the lifting body-type ones, are sometimes held, for which every second gained in the air while gliding is quite a challenge to acquire! :-)

__________________
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

Thank you! That "new" first one (on the left) shows more of the nose section of Tacite #4 (details on its rear portion, with the normally-covered internal instrumentation visible. I don't know if, "per the 'pink book'" (the NAR--National Association of Rocketry--contest rule book), it would add any static judging points, but being able to depict the interior, under-the-nose-cone equipment is a nice option nonetheless...

__________________
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

Sorry, blackshire, but the first photo on the left shows Tacite #2 (CEA payload) which will be equiped with a conical nosecone.

Thank you blackshire. In this case, the project initiated in 1957 was cancelled in 1959. So little progress had been made and we do not know what the final configuration would have been.
Different versions had been envisaged, with ranges of 100 km or 300 km. One of the 300 km range version took up the 100 km missile by adding lateral boosters. But the most likely 300 km version was that of a stretched missile such as the drawing I enclose.
Note: the fins were offset by 45 °.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Thank you--I have several pictures of other vehicles that are like that--without definitive information, they're difficult if not impossible to not accidentally misapprehend.

__________________
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