Bizarre question

anthonyp · December 12, 2006, 09:58:00 PM

Does any company out there make a 1/72 (or 1/144, or 1/48) RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)?

Reason is, I was wondering what if the USN adopted this missile as their AIM-7 replacement instead of the AIM-120? The ESSM looks like a mini SM-3, and I'm all for mounting more Standards and their variants on planes (I'm weird that way).

I'm already into custom decal creation, please don't tell me I need to learn how to sculpt then master and caste a missile just so I can have "AIM-162's!" I'm lazy, and don't want to learn resin casting...

elmayerle · December 12, 2006, 11:20:10 PM

Well, you may just need to do lots of cutting for the fins. It appears that the RIM-182 incorporates a Sparrow III forebody (actually, most of the fuselage, without fins) and the rocket motor of the HARM with the fins added. Using Sparrow and HARM missiles, you can model the basic fuselage, but you'll still need to do all the fins.

Edit: I did a check on the basic data, length-wise, the ESSM is a tad shorter than either Sparrow III or HARM while it is the same length as an AMRAAM. I'm afraid you may have to scratchbuild one using HARM and either Sparrow III or AMRAAM bits and custom-made fins and then do a lot of casting.

Jschmus · December 13, 2006, 12:23:13 AM

Looks more like a Sparrow crossed with a Standard:

anthonyp · December 13, 2006, 07:00:59 AM

Heh, yeah, I meant it looks like a mini SM-2, not an mini SM-3 (I got low orbit interceptors on the brain, apparently...).

Anyways, I think an F/A-18E loaded up with these things would just look bad-@$$!

Plus I want them for my Naval F-15's, but that's another story.

I have plenty of "I'm not an animal" mutated AIM-120's from various kits, so I guess I could start there, and make the fins out of sheet styrene or something. Somewhere I found a side-profile comparison of the RIM-162 and RIM-7, and it showed a small bulge in the ESSM's fuselage, reminded me of a ramjet intake structure similar to the artwork that depicted some of the older AAAM's the USN was looking at replacing the AIM-54 with.

Here's an image that kind of illustrates the fuselage bulge:

OK, so maybe it's just the angle, but I saw a side-by-side pic of both missiles, where there was a definite fuselage bulge!

This is maddening because I can't seem to find the comparison picture! I swear I had it on my hard drive, now, it's disappeared into the ether.

No, wait, I know where I saw it... In Jane's online database. Now I know why I haven't found it yet, it's on my work computer :dum: (never mind me, just mumbling to myself like a crazy man today)

elmayerle · December 13, 2006, 10:21:44 AM

I'd say it looks like a rocket motor that's larger in diameter than the seeker/warhead/guidance portion of the missile. It wouldn't take too much, though, to add inlets such as Vought used on the LVRJ vehicles. That could look wicked.

anthonyp · December 15, 2006, 12:39:18 PM

FOUND IT!!! I knew I wasn't (totally) nuts.

From Janes.com's entry on the RIM-7/RIM-162 missile family (I'd link it, but I don't have a subscription here at home):

Notice the bulge in the fuselage behind the warhead section.

I'm gonna build me a set of these! I think the AMRAAM-esque shapes that come with the ESCI/ERTL/AMT EFA-2000's would make good starting points. They're the same length as AIM-120's, but would be considered "husky" if they were looking at suits. The tricky part will be modeling the fuselage strakes, as they're long, thin, and shallow.

Jschmus · December 15, 2006, 03:11:47 PM

Anthony, I have that EFA kit, if you want some more of those AIM-120 lookalikes.

You can't have the whole kit, because I actually have plans for it.

anthonyp · December 15, 2006, 08:26:36 PM

Thanks! I'll take whatever AIM-120-ish shapes I can get, as I know I'll screw up more than a few. PM inbound!

elmayerle · December 16, 2006, 09:34:40 PM

QuoteFOUND IT!!! I knew I wasn't (totally) nuts.

From Janes.com's entry on the RIM-7/RIM-162 missile family (I'd link it, but I don't have a subscription here at home):

Notice the bulge in the fuselage behind the warhead section.

I'm gonna build me some a set of these! I think the AMRAAM-esque shapes that come with the ESCI/ERTL/AMT EFA-2000's would make good starting points. They're the same length as AIM-120's, but would be considered "husky" if they were looking at suits. The tricky part will be modeling the fuselage strakes, as they're long, thin, and shallow.

Now that does like prime for doing an ER (Extended Range) version with an IRRJ (Integral Rocket-Ramjet) motor replacing the rocket motor.

anthonyp · January 04, 2007, 11:56:14 AM

While not really pertaining to the exact subject of this thread, I came across an article on Defensenews.com today that is in the exact same vein! Someone's been getting drunk at LM and browsing these boards at night for ideas

QuoteU.S. Tries Putting Patriots on F-15s
By KRIS OSBORN

U.S. fighter jets laden with Patriot missiles may one day help shoot down incoming ballistic missiles, Lockheed Martin officials said.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is working with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency to put Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles under the wing of an F-15 fighter, said Mike Trotsky, the division's vice president.

The firm is working under a contract from 2005 worth roughly $2 million. A new contract, expected to be worth about $3 million, will start work with other fighter planes.
"We're looking at the F-16. F-22, F-35, F-15," said Trotsky.

Developers say the PAC-3, which is normally fired from ground launch tubes, could be fitted on fighter jets, whose speed and maneuverability can put them in a better position to fire upon incoming missiles. Trotsky outlined various threat scenarios under which "a PAC-3 on an aircraft would be in a position to take the shot."

Another advantage, Lockheed officials say, is that PAC-3-equipped tactical aircraft could intercept an approaching threat in a much less expensive fashion than diverting Aegis ships or Patriot battalions for the mission.

The program, called Air-Launch Hit-to-Kill (ALHTK), is being developed for boost phase intercepts as well as for homeland defense against cruise missiles or tactical ballistic missiles.

A statement from Lockheed developers said "the weight of the PAC-3 and any associated launch container will be well within the capabilities of the aircraft mentioned."

The plane's sensors would feed fire-control data to the missile, developers said.

The article on Defensenews.com

And pics of the PAC-3: