Snark, RSM-62 Snark *finished*

[sandiego89]

Sneaky Snark, RSM-62 Snark, strategic reconnaissance missile.

1/48 Lindburg, a real "classic"

in late 1958 the SM-62 Snark missile was nearing operational service, but as with other systems of the era, operational service and obsolescence were often used in the same sentence.  Its highly sophisticated guidance system with a state-of-the-art celestial navigation system which even allowed use in broad daylight, was very impressive...when it worked.....

The Snark got a new lease on life when the U.S. Air Force examined the Snark as a deep penetration reconnaissance platform.  The program got another boost with the dowing of the U-2 spyplane in May 1960, and an un-manned system became more attractive for safety's sake, and to avoid the embarrassment and political fall out of a captured pilot being put on another show trial in Moscow.

The RSM-62 became quasi-operational in 1961 and is thought to have made several penetration missions deep into Soviet territory, but is perhaps best remembered for it's role in the Cuban Missle crisis....   

Standing by for Snarky comments from my fellow whiffers!......Glad to be back for a GB!

-Dave 

[Caveman]

ooo interesting!

[tigercat]

They gave you your money's worth look at all the extras

[Dizzyfugu]

Ah, those ancient times when you even got decent pilot figures with a model kit...

[NARSES2]

I had one of those as a kid, mind you I'm not sure it was Lindberg ? Did Revell do one ?

[sandiego89]

Ah, those ancient times when you even got decent pilot figures with a model kit...

Yes quite the complement of ground crew and support equipment in this kit.  I especially like the guy with the bottle fire extinguisher- nothing gets the adrenalin going like putting out a fire near a fully fueled missile with a several megaton warhead! 

[sandiego89]

I had one of those as a kid, mind you I'm not sure it was Lindberg ? Did Revell do one ?

Yes, both Revell and Monogram released a Snark in 1/80 scale.  Both Revell and Monogram were based on the same mold from 1957 and it also had the support tractor and launcher.  The Lindberg 1/48 came later, with stalemates indicating a 1988 date for the first release.

There were a variety of other off brand releases. The Snark has enjoyed a much more successful career as a model than a missile!

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION%5B%5D=All&q=Northrop+Snark+SM-62

[loupgarou]

I had one of those as a kid, mind you I'm not sure it was Lindberg ? Did Revell do one ?

Yes, both Revell and Monogram released a Snark in 1/80 scale.  Both Revell and Monogram were based on the same mold from 1957 and it also had the support tractor and launcher.  The Lindberg 1/48 came later, with stalemates indicating a 1988 date for the first release.

There were a variety of other off brand releases. The Snark has enjoyed a much more successful career as a model than a missile!

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION%5B%5D=All&q=Northrop+Snark+SM-62

Ahem...sorry,  but Revell and Monogram were 2 different moulds. And only Monogram had the tractor and launch trailer. Revell had a fixed launch ramp.
I had built both when I was a kid,  and a Revell one for this forum not too long  ago. And have more unbuilt ones, both Revell and Monogram.

[Rheged]

For those wishing to understand the etymology of the word SNARK, here is the Lewis Carroll original poem

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43909/the-hunting-of-the-snark


The Gulf of Mexico test area was, obviously, known as "Snark Infested Waters"

[sandiego89]

Ahem...sorry,  but Revell and Monogram were 2 different moulds. And only Monogram had the tractor and launch trailer. Revell had a fixed launch ramp.
I had built both when I was a kid,  and a Revell one for this forum not too long  ago. And have more unbuilt ones, both Revell and Monogram.

I stand corrected, thank you,  Assumed they had been a common mold as Monogram and Revell often had different boxings of the same mold, but I hadn't read the timeline deep enough.  Those kids in 1957 had lots of neat stuff to choose from!   

[loupgarou]

Ahem...sorry,  but Revell and Monogram were 2 different moulds. And only Monogram had the tractor and launch trailer. Revell had a fixed launch ramp.
I had built both when I was a kid,  and a Revell one for this forum not too long  ago. And have more unbuilt ones, both Revell and Monogram.

I stand corrected, thank you,  Assumed they had been a common mold as Monogram and Revell often had different boxings of the same mold, but I hadn't read the timeline deep enough.  Those kids in 1957 had lots of neat stuff to choose from!   

That was much later, when Monogram had been bought. In the good old days, Revell and Monogram were rivals.

[sandiego89]

box opened for initial impressions and evaluation

It's going to be a big one!  I very rarely build in 1/48.

1/72 scale F-104 for size reference





Our heroic ground crew ready to put out any fire on our fully fueled, 3.8 Megaton missile!

[PR19_Kit]

Those kids in 1957 had lots of neat stuff to choose from!   

That would have been me then. 

[loupgarou]

Those kids in 1957 had lots of neat stuff to choose from!   

That would have been me then. 

Me too! 

[ChernayaAkula]

<...> Our heroic ground crew ready to put out any fire on our fully fueled, 3.8 Megaton missile!

Poor sod. You can almost hear him: "They want me to extinguish a fire on THAT ? ? ? With THIS? ? ?"