GWS-30 Sea Dart and GWS-25 Sea Wolf questions

[RegEsb]

Dear British Colleagues,
I am currently building this very special system and I cannot decide between two very different paint schemes for the rocket.
- GWS-30: Please tell me the difference between the function of the red and white painted rockets (training or live weapon?). The plan is to make a Falklands era.
- Also question the light grey colour of the launcher stand - relatively accurately. If you can help with a FS code (this is available, but perhaps another paint code would be suitable), thanks!
- GWS-25 and 30: I understand that the area around the launcher stand (dark grey?) is an anti-slip (ruffled) surface?
Thanks for your expert help!
Best regards, Istvan

[Wafu]

Hi Istvan,

 

You are correct, the two colours represent a training/display missiles (these are red with a blue rocket base) and the white that are the real live missiles. When the ship visits a port of another country the sea dart missile launcher had the red missiles fitted. When live firing, then the whites are used.

 

The best paint for the launcher is from https://www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk/collections/colourcoats-sea/products/colourcoats-narn52-m01-rn-light-weatherwork-grey-bs-381c-676

I used this on mine along with a dark sea grey base for the deck, with this I mixed very fine sand/chinchilla dust from my local pet supplies. 
 

Hope this helps.

[RegEsb]

Thank you for the information Wafu,
I found out all the important things I was missing,
getting ready for the weekend painting

Many thanks for the quick help!

[Julien]

Some good footage here right up until it blows up!

 

https://www.military.com/video/guided-missiles/sea-launched/sea-dart-gone-wrong/658292598001

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

2 hours ago, Julien said:

Some good footage here right up until it blows up!

 

https://www.military.com/video/guided-missiles/sea-launched/sea-dart-gone-wrong/658292598001

Im guessing like most anti air rockets its a solid propellant booster. Looks like the rocket propellant was fractured and caused the explosion. If it were solid you’d get a clean launch. With cracked or fractured propellant the igniting flame gets between all the pieces and explodes. Ive had it happen with model rockets when the rocket motors have sat for too long and dried out and cracked.

[Julien]

12 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Im guessing like most anti air rockets its a solid propellant booster. Looks like the rocket propellant was fractured and caused the explosion. If it were solid you’d get a clean launch. With cracked or fractured propellant the igniting flame gets between all the pieces and explodes. Ive had it happen with model rockets when the rocket motors have sat for too long and dried out and cracked.

Yes solid fuel booster then a ram jet sustainer.

[junglierating]

18 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Im guessing like most anti air rockets its a solid propellant booster. Looks like the rocket propellant was fractured and caused the explosion. If it were solid you’d get a clean launch. With cracked or fractured propellant the igniting flame gets between all the pieces and explodes. Ive had it happen with model rockets when the rocket motors have sat for too long and dried out and cracked.

Ooh the buffer and his dabbers must have been harry threaders 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

1 hour ago, junglierating said:

Ooh the buffer and his dabbers must have been harry threaders 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Not familiar with the slang ? 

[junglierating]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jackspeak-guide-British-Naval-slang/dp/1844861449

You need this 

[gengriz]

Here is the area around my fwd GWS 25 launcher on a Batch 1 (BRILLIANT).  The Takom kit is a Batch 2/3 as it sits on its own slightly raised platform.

 

The little fellow had stopped for a rest (we were in the NAG - note guardrails lowered) and I think he was either confused by the yellow and black hazard markings, or trying to hide in them ! 

 

The deck is painted with Camrex - Polyurethane non-slip paint (with a sandy finish).  As you can see, it got pretty rusty up forward.  Nothing compared to the midden beneath my Exocet launcher though.   

 

Note that the launcher "barrels" did not rust as they are made from GRP.  The hinges/pivots in the middle of the barrel doors did though, as did the hinges and locks on the main structure.  

 

 

 

[Chewbacca]

On 30/10/2022 at 20:35, gengriz said:

we were in the NAG - note guardrails lowered

 

 

 

Just curious, which particular Gulf deployment was that?  I was in BRAVE which deployed with BRILLIANT in 91.

[gengriz]

On 12/3/2022 at 8:04 AM, Chewbacca said:

Just curious, which particular Gulf deployment was that?  I was in BRAVE which deployed with BRILLIANT in 91.

1995-96.  We were on our own for that one (following the BRILLIANT TV series, no one wanted to play with us any more ).