Fixed/land based Blowpipe system

[Roland55]

Ive seen the Blowpipe in its original configuration the one mounted on land rovers (as well as the submarine one), but this..? its a bit unusual!
Could be just a concept/proposal, or even a prototype?

The image was taken out of the MACH 1 magazine, where an article detailed the operation of the missile and some of its characteristics (but from the missile alone, not this...towed thing)

 

[starviking]

Nice find!

Can’t see any optronics or radar there. I’m assuming the housing on the left of the traversable mounting largely contains motors to move the mounting and elevate the missiles - so some off-trailer guidance?

By the way, what’s the date of the magazine?

 

[Roland55]

Nice find!

Can’t see any optronics or radar there. I’m assuming the housing on the left of the traversable mounting largely contains motors to move the mounting and elevate the missiles - so some off-trailer guidance?

By the way, what’s the date of the magazine?

Considering that the Blowpipe were manually guided...im asuming there could be someone with an optic or a joystick controlling it?

The magazine is from 1982 (or 83).

 

[Dilandu]

Considering that the Blowpipe were manually guided...im asuming there could be someone with an optic or a joystick controlling it?

In theory, it wouldn't be too hard to create semi-automatic guidance for trailer-based Blowpipe; operator tracked target with optical sight, and control system track the missile flare with photocells around the sight, automatically holding missile on the line-of-sight.

 

[Roland55]

Considering that the Blowpipe were manually guided...im asuming there could be someone with an optic or a joystick controlling it?

In theory, it wouldn't be too hard to create semi-automatic guidance for trailer-based Blowpipe; operator tracked target with optical sight, and control system track the missile flare with photocells around the sight, automatically holding missile on the line-of-sight.

That was actually done with the Javelin (but required a man to hold it or aim with it). Still pretty interesting to see the blowpipe in that config, a bit similar to the one used in the TigerCat or Rapier. (i guess why something like that would be a bit redundant)

 

[Hood]

Another Blowpipe trailer concept, this one from circa 1983.

 

[kocovgoce]

I think why didn't they make bluepipe with two operators
one who will direct the entire launcher to the target (airplane or helicopter) and the other operator will steer the rocket precisely to the target.
much like the German system of World War II

 

[Dilandu]

I think why didn't they make bluepipe with two operators
one who will direct the entire launcher to the target (airplane or helicopter) and the other operator will steer the rocket precisely to the target.
much like the German system of World War II

The whole set would become rather bulky and clumsy. Just imagine; one operator is trying to hold rather lond and clumsy pipe pointed on target, while other operator is trying to look into the sight to control the missile. It would be just a matter of seconds before first operator would move the pipe a bit too rough and the second one got hit in eye.

German WW2 system used a rigid frame, on which both operators were sitting. The first operator aimed the whole frame on target, so the second operator was immobile in relation to the sight.

 

[kocovgoce]

that's what I mean for the two operators to sit in a tank dome that one operator will rotate with the help of electric motors, hydraulics or gears
and just to direct the missile operator to the target

 

[Scott Kenny]

that's what I mean for the two operators to sit in a tank dome that one operator will rotate with the help of electric motors, hydraulics or gears
and just to direct the missile operator to the target

That's bigger and heavier and more expensive to do.

 

[Dilandu]

that's what I mean for the two operators to sit in a tank dome that one operator will rotate with the help of electric motors, hydraulics or gears
and just to direct the missile operator to the target

But the whole idea of Blowpipe is to be used by infantry, not armor units. Armor units have self-propelled "Rapier" units, which were several orders of magnitude more capable.

 

[Dilandu]

That's bigger and heavier and more expensive to do.

And frankly, for trailer-based system it would be simpler to switch on semi-automatic (i.e. operatro track the target, while automatic track the missile - most likely with photocells, detecting missile flare - and generate control commands to keep missile on line-of-sight)

 

[kocovgoce]

And frankly, for trailer-based system it would be simpler to switch on semi-automatic (i.e. operatro track the target, while automatic track the missile - most likely with photocells, detecting missile flare - and generate control commands to keep missile on line-of-sight)

Later they do it with a Jevelin. my idea was that blowpipe it was difficult for the operator to track the target and steer it to the target, rather, my idea was to put the blowpipe on something like a carriage from an 20mm anti-aircraft cannon instead of cannons they had rockets and the entire chassis of the carriage was made of aluminum

Like zpu-1 but with rockets and for two operators

​

 

[Dilandu]

Later they do it with a Jevelin. my idea was that blowpipe it was difficult for the operator to track the target and steer it to the target, rather, my idea was to put the blowpipe on something like a carriage from an 20mm anti-aircraft cannon instead of cannons they had rockets and the entire chassis of the carriage was made of aluminum

But it wouldn't be man-portable anymore. And for trailer or self-propelled role, "Rapier" is just better.

 

[kocovgoce]

what I could quickly draw in paint.
one operator launches a rocket on the launcher itself, they had a camera that directly transmits a signal on the TV screen to the other operator who precisely directs the rocket

 

[Dilandu]

what I could quickly draw in paint.
one operator launches a rocket on the launcher itself, they had a camera that directly transmits a signal on the TV screen to the other operator who precisely directs the rocket

Far too many complex electronic. On such level it would be simpler - and more reliable - to just include the semi-auto control system (i.e. operator track the target, automatic steer the rocket to the line-of-sight)

 

[Zoo Tycoon]

Interesting video

View: https://youtu.be/pUy42VTpzRQ?si=fqV0MhYPUHAvolPl

The tricky bit with Blowpipe was acquiring the missile in the optics given the natural human reaction to the weight of the missile being near instantaneously being removed from your shoulder. The fixed mount helped in this respect and the Javelin/Starburst/Starstreak did the missile acquisition into the optics automatically.

 

[kocovgoce]

Interesting video

View: https://youtu.be/pUy42VTpzRQ?si=fqV0MhYPUHAvolPl

The tricky bit with Blowpipe was acquiring the missile in the optics given the natural human reaction to the weight of the missile being near instantaneously being removed from your shoulder. The fixed mount helped in this respect and the Javelin/Starburst/Starstreak did the missile acquisition into the optics automatically.

They had a small computer inside the tripod itself that makes calculations about the rocket and the whole thing and two commands how to move the rocket

 

[kocovgoce]

one of the reasons for the development of the blowpipe in the mid-60swas that the ordinary soldier had the opportunity to act on tanks but also on attack helicopters up to some 1.5 km height and distance

 

[Kiltonge]

The tricky bit with Blowpipe was acquiring the missile in the optics given the natural human reaction to the weight of the missile being near instantaneously being removed from your shoulder. The fixed mount helped in this respect and the Javelin/Starburst/Starstreak did the missile acquisition into the optics automatically.

The Blowpipe firing simulator used a series of wires and pulleys on a gantry to remove the perceived weight of the missile from the trainee's shoulder at the moment of 'launch'. Typical Shorts over-engineering!

 

[Scott Kenny]

The Blowpipe firing simulator used a series of wires and pulleys on a gantry to remove the perceived weight of the missile from the trainee's shoulder at the moment of 'launch'. Typical Shorts over-engineering!

but no splodeys, so easier to set up and work with.

It's a time that just using an ejector charge on a dummy missile would probably have been simpler.

 

[SeaslugMk2]

The Blowpipe firing simulator used a series of wires and pulleys on a gantry to remove the perceived weight of the missile from the trainee's shoulder at the moment of 'launch'. Typical Shorts over-engineering!

I remember (many years ago) a Blowpipe demonstrator at the Farnborough Display; it used a spring attached to a rope which had a coloured mark on it. The sergeant showing members of the public how to use it simply put his foot on the mark and pushed it down on to the ground. When the person 'fired' the Blowpipe he simply removed his foot, and the extra down-force disappeared.

SRJ.