| Revell Nike Hercules kit 1804
50 K bytes, from
Peter Wurzbach
|
| Sent by Robert C. Campbell 314 654-1379 - "The no-lone-zone on my bookshelf." |
Nike Herculas kits for about $15 +s.h - posted May 27, 2008
Full Scale Nike - I'm not krazy, its them other guys - added October 1, 2007, thanks to Grant Saviers
More kit activity added July 2007
Wind Tunnel Model of Ajax added May 2007
Missile oriented information
Launch area oriented information
Wedge Oldham's Nike Project
a 1/3 scale model (14.400 feet) to fly Nov 2000? (off site)
Apogee Rocket Plans
Unit Markings
Kit News
added July 2007
More kit activity July 2007
A Nike Herc scale balsa wood kit is available. Check http://forums.rocketshoppe.com
under "Plans". "Sandman" is the person custom kitting these units. "Sandman" is a longtime rocket kit maker designing the scale and components for all the rockets he sells. They are flyable and several pictures under "Plans, Nike Hercules" show this. The kits are expensive, $140.00 but well worth it. These kits are not "quick and easy" to build but if one does, they look so gooood! If you're NH nut, you'll want one...well at least I think you might. Your web site visitors may want a look at the rocket model web site....as "Nike Ajax and Nike Hercules move more and more into the past, this kit shows it's still alive and they may want to build one.
I'm trying to find information and pictures regarding all the paint variations for Nike Hercules and Ajax missiles. I've seen OD, white and red boosters. White, red and OD missiles. I want to confirm whether or not if the booster was also painted black.
A Nike Hercules kit is available on www.roachwerksmachining.com
These kits are balsa,fiber,card stock and are for experienced model builders. The kit has 4 rocket motors. Yes, this kit, when completed can be launched! the cost of the kit currently is $140.00 but when completed is fabulous! The kit designer has been in the model rocket business for many years and is respected by those in the model rocket industry.The kit instructions are on a DVD. The kit includes a custom made non rip nylon parachute. The kit is in limited availability as each are custom made.
Wind Tunnel Model of Ajax May 2007
I bought the missile model from Superior Space Auctions in Los Angeles, CA, in the mid 1990s.
The previous owner was not identified at the time of purchase, but I assume he lived local to the auction,
as shipping the model proved fairly involved and there was no shipping container at the auction end.
The Nike is a pretty machine – it looks like a missile is supposed to look. I think I first became aware
of the Nike Ajax when a battery was trained on Fred MacMurray in “The Absent Minded Professor” movie.
I was a kid at the time, but that became the ideal missile in my mind as a consequence.
I would like to find out what I can about it: Who made it, when, where was it used,
are there any documents that reference it or show photos of it under test?
Tim Scott, 1523 Kirsch Lane, Springfield, KY 40069
Missile oriented information
Answers:
I have four entries so far, with committments from several others to
enter as soon as they finish their models.
Two manufacturers of scale model rockets have donated prizes to make the
contest interesting and more fun.
http://www.fament.com/jimball/nike-hercules/index.htm
and download the zipped file for free. It has
many pages of scale drawings that include markings with locations, to
fins with angles and all are true scale measurements of the actual
missle.
Brian wrote Jan 2003, and says he is still buying Revell Nike model
kits whenever and wherever he finds them, and has some for sale.
Dan Joyce
said "My father served at a Nike site in Homewood, IL in the
60's. My interest started young. I did an article in the early 80's
with extreme scale detail on the Herc for the National Association of
Rocketry's magazine (nar.org). I noticed that some people were looking
for info."
Recent e-mail with National Association of Rocketry indicates that
I cannot reproduce the article on this website, but that the article is
available from their "NAR BACK ISSUES" as seen on their webpage
http://www.nar.org/backissues.html
Look for the "Nike-Hercules" and "8-84". As indicated, the price is $3 plus $3 postage,
and return delivery was prompt (8 days after sending order via post office.)
Chuck (above) says he has a Nike Ajax kit, 55 inches long, that flies as a single stage,
missiles only, no ground support equipment.
There IS a commercially available model rocket of the Nike-Hercules
and the Nike-Ajax. Probably the quickest answer for the uninformed
modelers requesting at your site would be THE LAUNCH PAD website.
See if this link gets you what you think would be a good link to
include on your webpage.
THE LAUNCH PAD website http://www.the-launch-pad.com/
There are other links for historical information, un-dimensioned
drawings, books, and actual blueprints and color prints.
There is also alot of data not 'compiled' into a useful drawing
yet on many, many rockets and missiles and space launch vehicles
as well.
I don't have alot of hi-power commercial contacts, but I do know
quite a few hi-power model rocketeers who are usually helpful.
Bud Halsey emailed me with the needed dimensions for the Ajax.
Now I can forward that info to the guy who's doing the CAD
drawing for the magazine article. I have a really nice
copy of a newsletter drawing from the mid 70's on the Ajax and
this is what the article and drawing will be based on. The
drawing WAS missing the two dimensions I requested.
If you are really getting inundated, the 'plans' section could also have
a set of URL's or a disclaimer ("We can't help you with modeling requests,
but here's a few other spots to try:
rec.models.rockets, or rec.models.scale ... (whatever newsgroups are OK)
By the way, I do VRML modeling and can do some web-page design. I might
be able to help out in a small way with some VRML models given some good
scale data, but my time is pretty limited. Still, this means I could
repay any plans assistance I
got. It would be pretty cool to offer a real walkthrough of the site!
Also please Send e-mail
to Ed Thelen so that we can all know.
Answers:
Bill Evans
evanswc@erols.com
Are you aware of the plans on the Apogee Rockets site to build a 1/30 sport scale
model of the Nike Hercules? Here is the link....
http://www.apogeerockets.com/rocket_plans.asp.
I'm sure there are people out there who would love to try
this kit. It's a four mini engine cluster first stage followed by a
"regular" engine second stage.
The vehicles we had in Chicago in the 1956 era had no fancy decals.
They did have painted unit number markings on the bumpers.
Decals or paint are easily covered by a quick paint job to
conceal the original "ownership" of the property.
I remember the tales of intra-unit theft problems
that guys returning from Korea told. There if you were short
of vehicles "ya did what ya had to do" and acquired what
you needed - from anyone or thing. The tales involved drilling
distinctive hole patterns in visible parts of vehicles such as
tail gates, side walls, bumpers, ?doors?, and ... to make
vehicles and equipment more traceable. A bit like branding
cattle and equipment in the Wild West. (Yes, of course you
can weld in the holes and smooth things over and repaint
- but that is a more serious effort -
- - - - related item - - - -
Our missiles (Chicago, 1955) did NOT have unit markings
that are displayed in some kits. As best I know,
they looked totally undecorated - just as shipped from
the factory or depot. I have no knowledge of happenings
in different places or times.
Chuck Zellers
If you have comments or suggestions, Send e-mail
to Ed Thelen
Return to Home Page
Updated May 27, 2008
Chuck Zellers sent -
Here is a picture of my 55" Nike Ajax with a smaller 30". I'm in the process of building a Nike Her.
Tim Scott sent -
"Some years ago, I bought a nicely-machined steel Nike Ajax wind tunnel model at an aerospace auction.
All of the control surfaces move. There are manometer orfices in various places around the fuselage.
The missile is attached to its booster and measures 88-1/2 inches from nose to tail of booster.
I sent Tim the URLs for my HTML version of
the Nike Ajax Monograph manual
side view with yard stick
missile & booster side view, -
missile side, -
nose on, -
nose fins, -
main fins, -
booster end
Questions from Martin Visnak
& Frank Milanese
& wurzbach
& others
Question:
I really would like to get some profile photos and or
drawings of the missle so that I could go about scaling it down to about
4 feet tall. A set of very simple drawings would work. If the drawings
had actual dimensions of the fins, body, boosters, nose etc. all the
better. Any Ideas as to where I could get such information? I have
been to the Redstone archives page but, sadly the photos are mostly at
angles and it is very hard to determin dimensions.
" ... I am writing to you regarding the entry "Are there models to make?" I am
building at the moment a 1/9.5 (scale) flyable two stage Nike Herc. It is
challenging but impressive. The upper stage is 29 inches tall by it's self.
The company is called the Launch Pad. They have a web site and quite a
selection of scale missiles.
Just thought I'd share another source for a display piece of a larger
size"
I had such positive response to the Nike-Hercules data on my Scale
Library page at
http://www.yellowjacketsystems.com/jimball/scale-data/scale.htm that
I have started a Nike-Hercules model photo contest.
Originally spotted by J.P.
Moore
Hi Ed:
I found another great source for plans for the Herc. Chuck Barndt at
The Launch Pad (Mfg of rocket kits, specializing in military missles)
has plans for a sport-scale 48" tall two-stage Herc. It uses 4) "D"
motors in the booster and 1) in the sustainer. His email is
vamidpowr@aol.com and his phone# is 703-455-8418. The company address
is 8470 Misty Blue Ct. in Springfield, VA 22153. The plans cost $16.75
including shipping.
Anyone looking to build a scale model or flying rocket of the herc
should go to this site
Hello Ed,
If anyone should ask for the Revell Nike Missile kit send them to me. I've
got one or two laying around. Thanks.
-Brian WLBBLW@aol.com
Ed White at vamidpowr@aol.com & Chuck Barndt
"The Launch Pad"
477 N. Carolina Rd., Manquin, VA 23106 (804)769-9758
I called and he has plans for a "sport scale" (pretty close) Nike Hercules about
48 inches tall
that uses 4 "D" motors for the booster and a "D" motor for the missile. The plans
are $12.95. He said that he entered one in a contest and got 7th in the static
judging (accuracy, ....) and lots of flight points brought in 4th prize.
Tom Beach 71540.722@compuserve.com at Sport Rocketry Magazine
(505) 672-0249 as a possible source of Nike dimensions.
Tom found that "Rockets of the World" by Peter Alway
gives only civilian rocket dimensions. There is
National Association of Rocketry at http://www.nar.org/
A good station diagram (dimensioned drawing)can be found in TM
9-5012-1. This manual also contains full painting and stenciling data
for the M1 missile. An excellent cutaway is in TM 9-5013-1. The best
dimensional/stenciling info on the booster is in the N-H manual - they
used the same motor.
It perfectly okay with me if you bounce modeling requests my way.
I'd be happy to inform the seekers with either a commercially
available model kit or information on where they may obtain
drawings and prints for whatever vehicle they're interested in.
Or at least to the best of my knowledge.
a simple set of plans might suffice; you've got
some wonderfully detailed pictures out of the tech manuals, but they don't
have dimensions (I copied all of them anyway
Launcher area oriented information
Question from Andrew D. Phillips
i am currently building the Revell
model kit of the Hercules missile. the information that i have received
in making this model has been from your web site and i must thank you for
that. my problem stems from my desire to make this model as accurate as
possible. Most of the information in which i have been able to find has
helped greatly in the construction of the missile, but i am having
difficulty in detailing the launcher. the launcher it self for the lack
of a better word is a farce and when they designed the kit in 1958 it is
possible that the army was only going to allow the Revell model company
only so much lee way to copy the system. I'm looking for any detail
photos of the launcher particularly the main trunnion and erecting
cylinders or any drawings that show more details. I've found some
drawings in the Nike missile explenation-5 site, but is just does not
have the angles and details i need to construct that part of the
launcher. if you could help me, please contact me by e-mail or call me
at (704) 336-8291
http://www.nikenuke.net/nike/text/nikefrm1.html
the 'Herc at Ft Meade' pic (and others I have of that
missile/launcher) may have some detail you can use.
If the one on the Web looks promising let me know and
I can look at the others and maybe post a couple more
if they have lchr details.
Apogee Rocket Plans
From Larry V
Unit Markings
(in response to questions about unit marking for trucks
used by BU-52 near Buffalo, N.Y.)
----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Morgan
> although I doubt the emblems would've been placed on any of the battalion
> vehicles. Current Army practice is limited to bumper markings, ie, the left
> rear/right front bumper would display D-465, D-2-62 or something similar,
> while the right rear/left front would have the vehicle number (D-10, HQ-32,
> whatever).
(And I (Ed Thelen) added:)
Kit News
For those folks who may be interested, a Nike Ajax kit, scaled, is 55 inches long and made by "The Launch Pad"
is available but hard to find. This kit is a missile that can be launched. Can be found at greatlanding.com.
Two left as I purchased one. I've seen the finished kit. Wow, looks fantastic.
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