In the interest of furthering my Cold War experiences collection, has anyone ever seen models of the Rapier, Bloodhound, Corporal, or Thor Missiles and their launchers? I know they were all available at some time in plastic, but I've never seen any of them in paper or card. So much easier to rescale card, ennit?
Recalling a Thor test launch at the Hebrides Missile Range ... the whole area went on lockdown for a day until after they successfully launched it. We all had to stay indoors as no one could be sure it wouldn't blow up on launching, or where it would land if it actually flew. Needless to say, us pongos were "safely" tucked out of sight on our workshop roof, watching the whole fiasco unfold.
Fortunately it successfully flew off to drop in the sea near St. Kilda. There were a lot of 'observer' ships out there who must have had their fingers crossed that it didn't come too close.
The Rapier crews always deployed several heavy machine guns when live firing ... 'cos it wasn't rare for a rogue missile to turn back on the launcher, and the old point five was man enough to knock it out.