Missile Help- what do I have?

[Forgotten Field]

Hi,
I am helping a friend with an estate. I will not get to inspect this item more thoroughly until I get it from storage next week, but I did get these photographs. Does anybody have any insight into the pedigree of this item? It seems to resemble the Fairchild/Convair SAM-N-2 Lark:

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusr ... m-n-2.html

But as you can see below, it is not exactly the same. I am hoping to find markings and some type of data plate on it when I make a closer inspection, but any guidance (hey, bad pun!) would be welcome.

[Clifford Bossie]

It somewhat resembles a SSM-A-23 Dart, but even that is not quite right.

https://www.wsmr.army.mil/PAO/WSHist/Mn ... /Dart.aspx

What are the dimensions of this artifact?

[quemerford]

Looks more like a (towed?) target to me.

[JohnB]

I believe it's an ACME ARRM, as frequency used by one Wile E. Coyote.

[airnutz]

I believe it's an ACME ARRM, as frequency used by one Wile E. Coyote.

Not one of his more successful ACME choices, it often sputtered out of fuel just out of reach of the edge over a canyon or he'd blast past the Runner and smack a canyon wall... then there those times when it exploded as soon as he flicked the go button.

[Pogmusic]

Judging its length in the first photo against the truck, I would estimate it to be about 10' long. All of the fins have control surfaces (Aft vertical fins are missing theirs). Is it possible that there is a break in the fuselage between the fore and aft wing sets and it is assembled 45 degrees off? All of the images I have found of similar devices all have the aft fins 45 degrees off set from the forward set.

[Pogmusic]

Duplicate post

[Tulio]

Knowing nothing at all about missiles, I would like to make a couple of observations:

I do not see any (evident, that is) attachment point for a towable kind of missile.

I do see what look like either rocket exhaust structures at the missile's rear, and what could possibly -repeat, possibly- could be a wire-deploying mechanism, for something that could resemble a TOW?

Saludos,


Tulio

[JohnB]

Awfully big for a TOW. If it is 10 feet, it would require a huge launching system and be too big for attack helicopters.
But given its wing configuration and resemblance to the Dart, I'd guess it was ground launched.

BTW.Anyone else remember the old Monogram...or was it Adams?...plastic armor kit series which included a kit with Darts and crews?

Last edited by JohnB on Tue Apr 16, 2019 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Tulio]

It is not a Shillelagh, is it?


Saludos,


Tuluo

[Clifford Bossie]

It is not a Shillelagh, is it?


Saludos,


Tuluo

No, the Shillelagh had folding fins and a different body shape.

I am leaning towards a Dart, as there were several test articles that varied in details before the program was cancelled.

Dimensions would really help. I suspect it is about 5 feet long.

[shrike]

The 'tabs' at the aft end, following the same pattern as the nose cone, suggest that this may be the upper stage of a larger whole. Possibly a short sounding rocket or a subscale test model of something larger in it;s final form.

Just speculating

[wendovertom]

Knowing nothing at all about missiles - it looks like an upper stage for something. I just don't recall seeing anything that looks quite like that in the main exhaust area - you wouldn't want the exhaust to change the shape of the missile in anyway to effect its accuracy. This looks like not a lot of thought was put into that section - of course that kills my thought of a multi-stage piece too. . . .

Tom P.

[Forgotten Field]

Hi,
Thanks for all the thoughts. There is definitely linkage to where I think thrust adjusters would be for a guided item. It could be an earlier version of the Dart, but I think it is longer than the specifications listed for that missile. I will have it in my possession after tomorrow and will make more investigations into its panels. I will post what I find here. I appreciate all the help.

[Chris Brame]

Hi John - looking forward to those photos!

(Remember my updates for your "UFOs" section - No. 2507 is a control unit from a Northrop YC-125, and No. 3619 is a rudder trim tab for a Cessna Bamboo Bomber.)