discussion Help!

[Guest]

I'm new to the forum - this is 1st post - asking for help.

Does anyone out there in cyberspace have any info, links, photo's or 'owt on the Thor missile in RAF service.

Call me mad but I would like to make a diorama of a launch pad in 1/72 - I haven't seen one done so I guess its because of a lack of info.

I have tried all the regular search engines with a combination of keywords but just get all the same stuff.

I would love to find aerial photos of the pads in use, not just overgrown with weeds or chicken sheds!

:knight:Thunderchild

 

[Guest]

Howdy Guy,

First off, let me welcome you to the forum. We are glad you found us, feel free to look around, post on any topic you may be interested in, give advice, seek advice or look at galleries. Also, we love to see photos here so if you have any photos of your work to share, we want to see it.

Now, onto your "problem". You have touched on a topic (missiles) that I really enjoy, so, I have got alot of links for you. Some are just informative links with photos, while others are links to sites with free downloadable cardmodels. You simply save the file you want to your computer then print it out, cut out the various parts and glue them together with white glue or superglue. Cardstock or photo paper works best with these models.

And these arent like the models you would get on cereal boxes, these are really well designed models that are suitable for display, some even make it into musems.

So get ready cause here are the links with a brief description of whats located on each:

The 6555th, Chapter III, Section 5, The Atlas Ballistic Missile Program - Thor /Atlas missile info in US.

Thor missile - Google Image Search - 39,000 images of thor missile some on pad.

http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/models/boxtops/itc3662.jpg - photo of model kit by ITC model craft (shown in thread)

http://home.earthlink.net/~markinthepacific/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/burnedpad01.jpg - photo of actual thor launch pad wherein the missile exploded on launch in the pacific.

Virtual Globetrotting: PGM-17 Thor missile launch site - Breighton - Photos and links to Google earth maps as well as some info on Thor launch pad in Breighton UK.

Operation Emily Thor rockets - Op Emily surveying of The Thor ICBM Missile sites situated in Eastern England 1958-1960 with history and maps, as well as location of UK Thor Sites.

Niels papermodels - Models to download - Free download of Thor-Able rockect paper cardmodel (really nice) as well as UK's first nuclear Missile the "Bluesteak" cardmodel Save file, print out, cut and assemble.

Home - Resin kits of various rockets and missiles at reasonable prices with online ordering. I bought the 172 Titan II....great model. I Dont think they have a Thor though .

Volkssterrenwacht Philippus Lansbergen - Free downloadable card models of several Missiles and rockets, not sure but i believe they have a thor model there.

Internet Archive Wayback Machine - Click on most any of the dates listed to go to free downloads of card models of various Missiles and rockets, there should be a Thor Model there somewhere.

http://jleslie48.com/gallery_models_real.html - Cardmodel rockets and missiles including a 7 to 8 ft tall Saturn V Apollo launch vehicle model.

Now I tried to find as many links as I could which had Thor missiles in them. The Atlas missile as well as the UK's "Bluestreak" are all related to the Thor missile.

I hope these help,and again, welcome to the forum,

Greg aka GEEDUBBYA (GW)

 

[Guest]

Howdy again Guy,

I found you a Thor missile in RAF markings, the only trouble is that its 1:96th scale instead of 1:72, and its a card model. However, the current heighth of this model is 8 and 1/8th inches tall, but, if you could print it out at 10 and 3/4 inches long you would have a 1:72 scale model of it. So, basically if you could print it at 125% i believe that should give the the proper size. Its a .pdf file in a zipped file.

I know the guy that designed this model, his name is Eric Truax and he has done alof of Rocket and missile models in card. Below is a photo of the model:

The stand comes with the model and can be used if you so desire.

There is also a USAF version there too as seen below:

Now both of these models can be found here:

http://www.dpileggispicks.com/thor-irbm/ This Is Dave pileggi's website and he is hosting the models. The are free downloads and you can find many other missile models on his home page located here:

The webmaster of this page has permission of the designer to post this model in his website

Have a good day and i hope this is helpful to you,

Greg aka GEEDUBBYA (GW)

 

[Guest]

Adams did a Thor in 1/72nd. Keep trying flea-bay and see if you can win one there. This isn't a scale I model or I know much about though there are a couple in 48th

Sharkit home page

I think Matt has a Mach2? Model of the Thor in 48th.

This is the listing on Flea-bay:

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?sofocus=so&sbrftog=1&dfsp=1&from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=Thor+missile&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&floc=1&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sabfmts=1&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1&fsoo=1

A little aside the Pegasus A4 in 48th is a nice little kit even the freaky decals are fun and it scrubs up into a nice model after the extensive rivets have been filled and sanded!!! Matt's is the green one and mine is Black and White.

Grossenschlag!



:lol:

 

[Guest]

Matching A4's? I thought it was matching rings or matching knitted cardigans that young couples had...

 

[Guest]

We just want to be different. Don't they look great though *giggles*

 

[Guest]

I especially like the black and white (and northamptom) painted one...

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all the info - just working my way through it now.

Thunderchild is go!

 

[Guest]

I'm new to the forum - this is 1st post - asking for help.Does anyone out there in cyberspace have any info, links, photo's or 'owt on the Thor missile in RAF service.

Call me mad but I would like to make a diorama of a launch pad in 1/72 - I haven't seen one done so I guess its because of a lack of info.

I have tried all the regular search engines with a combination of keywords but just get all the same stuff.

I would love to find aerial photos of the pads in use, not just overgrown with weeds or chicken sheds!

Thunderchild

BW Models made a 1/76 (HO) scale model, it was complete with Leyland tractor and trailer - given the trailer forms part of the launch gantry it is a good start for a diorama. The missile body was a vacform, the rest of the kit is white metal and the mouldings are absolutely exquisite, the white metal is some the best I have seen and the vac is smooth as a babys bottom. The kit includes detailed instructions, but no decals - no great shakes as the missile only needs a couple of RAF roundels and some black Microscale decal striping. The tractor and trailer can be decaled from the spares box.

I'm not sure if the kit is still available, I got my kit [which is still unmade] about 4/5 years through a BW Models agent in Manchester. I'm not sure BW sold direct to the public and less sure that BW are still a going concern - they majored on UK military Vechiles, hence the 1/76 scale . I can't remember the precise cost, but I recall is was around the forty quid mark, but well worth searching out.

Mach 2 still have a quarter scale (1/48) RAF Thor in thier Lift Off series on catalogue. The decals are a bit naff and need replacing, but as above no great shakes. The Mach 2 offering only have a black base ala the old Airfix space kits.

Period reference are not plentiful, but are out there, have you seen this fascinating period footage:

Other recomended references are :

The below is the de-facto reference source for RAF nuclear deterrent during the cold war, there are two chapter on Thor as well as number of images including some in colour of Thor on station on UK soil.

TSO Online Bookshop - The Raf Nuclear Deterrent Forces Their Origins, Roles And Deployment 1946-1969 A Documentary History

More required reading on Thor can be found here:

Project Emily: Thor IRBM and the RAF, by John Boyes.

TSO Online Bookshop - Bookshop

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Project-Emily-Thor-IRBM-RAF/dp/images/0752446118

More background reading can be found here:

Amazon.co.uk: A Vertical Empire: The History of the UK Rocket and Space Programme, 1950-1971: C.N. Hill: Books

There is also a number of period images on the 'net for the determined reseacher. Furthermore more information can be obtained from the National Archive as part of FOI act.

National Archives

I hope that helps.

Marty...

 

[Guest]

Info on Thor IRBMs

It was good to see your interest in the RAF's Thors and your wish to build a model of the launch emplacement. You may have seen reference to my recently published book on 'Project Emily' - the RAF Thor programme. I have drawn a fairly detailed site layout plan and having visited all the 20 former missile sites know the layout quite well. Let me know if I can help.

 

[Guest]

If you are willing to wait a bit, I have heard that a 1/72 Thor [including the RAF option] may feature in the Anigrand Craftswork catalogue, in the not to distant future.

Marty...