M65 280mm Atomic Cannon Design Challenge - Page 2

**Fishcarver** · #11 02-07-2011, 12:37 AM

Aww, come on: I'll beta build it in 1:35 for you guys!!
Seriously!
Jim

**Lex** · #12 02-07-2011, 12:53 AM

Seriously only is a designer is willing enough to throw the time and effort into this design... Would be an amazing model

**John Wagenseil** · #13 02-08-2011, 11:15 AM

Some thoughts for a potential designer to consider.

An Atomic Canon paper model with Halinski or Modelik level detail would be only for master builders with lots of time on their hands and big purses to pay for the required designer time to pull off such a model.

However, an Atomic Canon at Fiddlers Green level detail would be a project any one could tackle and end up having a decent looking model, and leave lots of opportunity for the super builders to add details.

Fiddler's Green latest WWI tank models, unlike a lot of previous models of these tanks (Modelik and GPM) have the hull and chassis details printed on rather then built up. Makes for a relatively easy build that still captures the essence of the real thing.

A "Fiddlers Green" level atomic canon would be made up of a lot of boxes and tubes and cylenders with most of the surface features printed rather than built up.

This type of model has a long tradition in simplified display models of early 20th century ships, especially passenger ships, where large scale display models of passenger ships with printed on detail were mass produced for display in travel offices, both as advertisement, and so the travel agents could show where state rooms were located.

Chip??
Chip???
Chip????

( or Chris for that matter)

Are you or one of your designers reading this?

There lots of your baby boomer customers who missed out on building an Atomic canon kit in the '50's and '60's, and who would love to have a go at one now, but are put off by the prices of pl*sti*c kits.

Could someone produce a paper model 1/35th or 1/48th Atomic Canon (scalable to 1/72 for those of us without unlimited display space) for under $15.00? Is that reasonable pricing, would a significant number of purchasers be willing to pay more for a large scale Fiddlers Green style model of a desirable subject?

Of course I would be overjoyed if someone did it and posted it as a free download.

Comments?

**Gil** · #14 02-08-2011, 08:24 PM

This might help:

Zathros · #15 02-08-2011, 08:36 PM

Imagine if there is an argument, "Let's go this way", "No, I wanna go this way"!!

**The_Conqueror_Worm** · #16 02-08-2011, 11:15 PM

I would love to have a model of this. Here are a few more pics - Miniaturization Image Gallery : History @ Los Alamos: Los Alamos National Lab

**Fishcarver** · #17 02-09-2011, 01:49 AM

Design it! I'll build it for ya!!
Jim

**goodduck** · #18 02-09-2011, 02:11 AM

After read up on the history of the cannon. I just have to LOL!. It is so amazing somebody think it is a good idea to shoot a nuke, off a cannon, to someplace close by. LOL! But hey, they sure give us some great subjects to make model from. I would go for a 1:35 scale. That model worth making room for.

**Gil** · #19 02-09-2011, 02:59 AM

Shooting a neutron bomb type weapon doesn't yield a massive blast. Just kills every living thing within the kill radius which is limited but still strategically large. They weren't available in the time frame of Atomic Annie.

What did the M65 in was its plain clumsiness. In a hot war things have to move and move fast. Annie proved to be a real pain in this perspective but put on a great show of force.

These were the wild west days of nuclear armament where the effects of radiation exposure weren't that well understood.

Sam Cohen, inventor of the neutron bomb, passed away recently...,

+Gil

**casca** · #20 02-09-2011, 10:10 AM

Without getting too far into the weeds here, a comment on battlefield considerations may be in order. It was assumed the Warsaw pact could come through the Fulda Gap in overwhelming numbers. They only way to combat this tactic was to "whittle them down". Tactical nukes were seen as a way to do that. They were a force multiplier.

The Honest John missle was designed for the same purpose along with it's successor the Lance.

One must also take into account the "me too" factor. Once smaller nuclear weapons became available all the services wanted to get into the act. Both the Army and Navy wanted their own nukes. The "Atomic Cannon" was clumsy but, it was a way to get into the game.