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sidewinder protective covers


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Can anyone tell me what is the best way to build the protective covers for the sidewinder seeker head. Thanks

you probably want to ask in the Jet Forum as it would get more view most likely - this is for In Progress builds.

But to try and answer your question, I think people take plastic tube and add an end cap and small handle

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The way I've always done it is use what's called "Heat Shrink" that you can get at just about any electronics repair store, it used to shield wires when you splice them together.

Get a size that is slightly larger in diameter then the missile, slide it over the nose and make sure you leave enough hanging off the front to make the rounded part. You can use a hot air dryer or if your really careful a lighter to shrink the heat shrink down to conform to the nose of the missile and while it is still warm smash the end part that is over the nose of the missile flat, then once it's cooled and harden you can trim the flat part to form the round part of the nose cone.

That is how I make my Winder covers and they look like the real thing.

HTH

Reddog

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The way I've always done it is use what's called "Heat Shrink" that you can get at just about any electronics repair store, it used to shield wires when you splice them together.

Get a size that is slightly larger in diameter then the missile, slide it over the nose and make sure you leave enough hanging off the front to make the rounded part. You can use a hot air dryer or if your really careful a lighter to shrink the heat shrink down to conform to the nose of the missile and while it is still warm smash the end part that is over the nose of the missile flat, then once it's cooled and harden you can trim the flat part to form the round part of the nose cone.

That is how I make my Winder covers and they look like the real thing.

HTH

Reddog

Sounds like a great method Reddog, you wouldn't have any pictures by chance?

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Sorry I don't. I started using this method over 25 years ago for my 1/48 scale A-7 and have done it a few times since then. It works great for 1/48 scale and larger but kind of dicey for 1/72 scale (which I mainly do). I have done it a few times for 1/72 scale but like I said, it's a little tricky and if you are not careful you will have a melted Sidewinder on your hands.

One of these days I will get around to taking a few pics of my A-7, I did it right after I left A-7's and it has every detail, right down to the arming wires for the CBU's.

Reddog

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IIRC,the is also a wrap around cover to protect some sensor windows on the side of the seaker head as well.A friend made some with a drinking straw & putty.fill the end of the straw with the putty,insert missile & allow to harden,then cut & shape.

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IIRC,the is also a wrap around cover to protect some sensor windows on the side of the seaker head as well.A friend made some with a drinking straw & putty.fill the end of the straw with the putty,insert missile & allow to harden,then cut & shape.

I believe you are talking about the TDD Window cover, which is located just aft of the guidance section. For USN we usually took this cover off prior to loading but have seen tons of photos of Air Force planes with winders loaded and the cover still installed. All you have to do to replicate this cover is use tape, cover the area and paint it red then hang a RBF from it.

As for the nose cone, if you are doing a late 50's/early 60's bird with a early winder, the nose cones where different from what they are today. Just take a straw, slide it on the nose, fill the end with putty and sand flat, the cones where shaped just like a coffee can that fit on the nose. Some time in the mid to late 60's IIRC is when the "newer" cones came out.

Reddog

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I believe you are talking about the TDD Window cover, which is located just aft of the guidance section. For USN we usually took this cover off prior to loading but have seen tons of photos of Air Force planes with winders loaded and the cover still installed. All you have to do to replicate this cover is use tape, cover the area and paint it red then hang a RBF from it.

As for the nose cone, if you are doing a late 50's/early 60's bird with a early winder, the nose cones where different from what they are today. Just take a straw, slide it on the nose, fill the end with putty and sand flat, the cones where shaped just like a coffee can that fit on the nose. Some time in the mid to late 60's IIRC is when the "newer" cones came out.

Reddog

Here's a few shots I took back in the day of USAF AIM-9P-3 Sidewinders that shows the proximity fuse cover (TDD? what's that stand for?).

First, some live AIM-9P-3s on an F-4E that was just coming off Zulu Alert, aka QRA, Quick Reaction Alert. While the airplane was on alert status, the dome covers were installed but the fuse covers were removed. The dome covers were tied together with one cord so during a launch the crew chief could grab the cord and give it a yank to pull both dome covers. Of course the cord wasn't wrapped around the missiles's fins like the normal day-to-day dome covers you see here were.

AIM-9P-3missileson68-0440April27198.jpg

Here's a closeup I took of an AIM-9P-3 in a TAB-V Shelter. I took the fuse cover and dome cover off for the photo. The fuse cover is laying on the ground under the missile. As you can see, it was just red vinyl backed with cloth, with Velcro to fasten it around the fuse section. The dome cover is sitting on the ledge just above the guidance section of the missile. It was made of yellow rubber.

AIM-9P-3seekerwarheadproxfuseRam-1.jpg

Here's an overall view of that same missile, plus the one in the rack above it. Note the strings across the rear of the missiles that held the rollerons in place until the missile fired and its exhaust burned through the strings, freeing the rollerons to let them help stabilize the missile while it was inflight.

AIM-9P-3pairRamsteinSeptember181-1.jpg

Closeup of the seeker and rear. The strings are more visible here.

AIM-9P-3seekerandexhaustRamstein-1.jpg

Here's a shot I took of some AIM-9P-3s and AIM-7Fs stored in a French TAB-V, showing the various mis-matched colors on some of the Sidewinders when they started changing over from white to light ghost gray. Again I took the dome cover off the AIM-9 in the foreground for the photo. Note the exhausts on the AIM-7Fs. They were quite different from the exhausts on AIM-7Es (next photo after this one)

AIM-9P-3andAIM-7FoncartSept181985Sc.jpg

A set of AIM-9P-3s and AIM-7E-2s. Note the exhaust on the AIM-7E is plugged with white styrofoam almost flush with the rear of the missile. Stenciled on the styrofoam in red was "DO NOT REMOVE". All AIM-7Es we had at Ramstein that I saw were the same way. I'll bet if you model the milssiles like this people will think you forgot to drill out the exhausts and paint them black!

AIM-7E-2andAIM-9P-3RamsteinSept1-1.jpg

Hope these photos help.

Scott Wilson

Edited by Scott R Wilson
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TDD = Target Detecting Device, ie prox fuze.

Also note, USN/USMC Sidewinders (AIM-9G, H, L and M's) do not have those stringers in the exhuast area and use the new style nose cones.

Reddog

EDIT: Also, the TDD on the USN/USMC Sidewinders are different, they are slightly longer and have round windows.

Edited by Reddog
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I believe you are talking about the TDD Window cover, which is located just aft of the guidance section. For USN we usually took this cover off prior to loading but have seen tons of photos of Air Force planes with winders loaded and the cover still installed. All you have to do to replicate this cover is use tape, cover the area and paint it red then hang a RBF from it.

As for the nose cone, if you are doing a late 50's/early 60's bird with a early winder, the nose cones where different from what they are today. Just take a straw, slide it on the nose, fill the end with putty and sand flat, the cones where shaped just like a coffee can that fit on the nose. Some time in the mid to late 60's IIRC is when the "newer" cones came out.

Reddog

Our's were left on until loading due to them being convoyed out from the ESA.

Some RAF Aqui rounds...

DSCF1284.jpg

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