WTD 1/700 Ikara Launchers

Thorvic · July 31, 2009, 12:04:47 AM

Any of the 1/700 ship modellers who have the Pitroad or Dragon USS Charles F Adams kit (with the Australian option) willing to donate the Ikara launchers included as extras in these kits ?

G

Joe C-P · August 13, 2009, 07:28:07 PM

Thorvic,

I'll take a peek in my kit. I don't remember if I have one.

I'm looking for the Mk 11 twin launcher from the early USN version. I have one, but it has the single arm and I'm going to do USS Towers, DDG-9, which had the twin.

JoeP

Thorvic · August 13, 2009, 11:25:14 PM

Quote from: JoeP on August 13, 2009, 07:28:07 PM
Thorvic,

I'll take a peek in my kit. I don't remember if I have one.

I'm looking for the Mk 11 twin launcher from the early USN version. I have one, but it has the single arm and I'm going to do USS Towers, DDG-9, which had the twin.

JoeP

Joe

The Ikara Option is only in those kits supplied with RAN decals, other issues have the alternative Rommel parts for the West German ships.

The MK13 single arm launcher comes on the standard pitroad weapon sprue included in the kit with the Guns etc, but the MK11 Twin arm launcher is actually included on the ship sprue parts A10-A12.

Cheers

Geoff

Weaver · September 03, 2009, 03:03:48 AM

Just been having a look at this review of the Dragon kit, and the Ikara launchers don't look very accurate to be honest:

http://www.steelnavy.com/DMLAdamsPrem700.htm

Thorvic · September 03, 2009, 04:52:05 AM

Quote from: Weaver on September 03, 2009, 03:03:48 AM
Just been having a look at this review of the Dragon kit, and the Ikara launchers don't look very accurate to be honest:

http://www.steelnavy.com/DMLAdamsPrem700.htm

In 1/700 thay aint too bad, having the base fixed to the deck is a pain but the arm with the Ikara is OK. Would have been nice it they had done a seperate base then the launchers could be positioned where wanted.

Don't forget mine will be mounted in the launcher pit so will do for my needs.

Cheers

Geoff

Weaver · September 20, 2009, 03:01:34 AM

Found these pics on my PC while I was looking for something else. This the Ikara installation on HMAS Perth:

There's a Dragon Charlie Adams on ebay at the moment (search for "Adams": it doesn't come up in all-ships searches for some reason), but I don't fancy paying £17 + postage when I only want three bits of it.

The Aussie launcher was different to the Brit one although it looked similar. The Aussies took the view that since Ikara was essential a radio-controlled aeroplane that was always launched at 45 deg elevation and could be steered onto any bearing, it didn't need to be pointed precisely for launch. They therefore made the launcher electrically-powered, with fixed azimuth stops at 45 deg intervals, so from the Perth's right-hand launcher for instance, you could launch it at 045, 090 or 135 deg.

For some reason, the RN decided this wasn't good enough, and so paid Vickers a small fortune to design a hydraulic launcher that could be pointed precisely to within minutes of arc. Not only was this completely pointless, but it actually carried a disadvantage in that the hydraulic pumps were very noisy: submariners told Ikara Leander crews that they knew when they were about to fire Ikara because they could actually hear the pumps spin up!

Thorvic · September 20, 2009, 03:33:41 AM

Weaver

You can always do one of the other CFM's in the kit, US with either launcher, the German Rommel class, Perth in Gulf war fit (with Ikara removed) or maybe an up dated or NATO standard Adams with perhaps the a bit of mix and matching US/JMSDF sprues with NATO sprue from Type42 etc.

Nato Sea Sparrow or maybe Sea Wolf in B position, change of guns to suit country etc for whiffing, SSM aft on super structure some where.

BTW i spotted an Adams at Bolton Model Mart a couple of weeks ago after i had already got one on line !!!!

Cheers

Geoff

Weaver · September 20, 2009, 10:11:19 AM

Quote from: Thorvic on September 20, 2009, 03:33:41 AM
Weaver

You can always do one of the other CFM's in the kit, US with either launcher, the German Rommel class, Perth in Gulf war fit (with Ikara removed) or maybe an up dated or NATO standard Adams with perhaps the a bit of mix and matching US/JMSDF sprues with NATO sprue from Type42 etc.

Nato Sea Sparrow or maybe Sea Wolf in B position, change of guns to suit country etc for whiffing, SSM aft on super structure some where.

BTW i spotted an Adams at Bolton Model Mart a couple of weeks ago after i had already got one on line !!!!

Cheers

Geoff

Fair point, although a Charlie Adams isn't particularly on my wish list. Could always do a super-updated version with 5" Mk.45 guns. Don't think there's room for anything much in B-position is there? On the other hand, dumping the Standard launcher would free up a lot of space because the radar trackers would go with it.....

When did the Perths lose Ikara? I've got a picture of Brisbane in the 1991 Gulf War with Ikara still in place and Phalanx guns on the corners of the handling room roofs (which looks pretty good BTW).

Another thing that's just come back to me: those "paddles" inside the launcher that grip the top of the missile do so with four large pins that fit into conical holes in the missile body. According to a Leander veteran, sometime the missile wouldn't slide quite far enough back onto the launcher, and the pins would punch four neat holes in the rocket motor! No volunteers for extracting that one from the rail, partuclarly since, on a Leander or Bristol, the only place it had to go was back into the handling room.....