Talk:3M6 Shmel

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[edit] Accuracy of reference data

I can't find a reliable source of reference data for this missile. Does anyone have access to a copy of Janes to confirm the :

• Speed - I see it ranging from 70 m/s to 120 m/s.
• Range - I see this from 2.5 km to 2.0 km depending on the source I look at.
• Guidance - I see this as wire is most places and radio in a few.
• Service dates - which seems to be all over the place.

I've tried to put in reasonable numbers - but I can't be sure they are correct. This missile is just too old to find good numbers on.

My main reference which contradicts itself several times in respect to the above:

• Hull, A.W. , Markov, D.R. , Zaloga, S.J. (1999). Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices 1945 to Present. Darlington Productions. ISBN 1-892848-01-5.

Megapixie 3 July 2005 14:46 (UTC)

Jane's Weapon Systems 1977 gives a speed of 340 km/h, a range of 500-2300 metres and wire guidance. Also a launch weight of 22.25 kg. Remember though that a missile does not have a constant velocity during its flight path and that its range (like most phenomena :o) has a standard deviation of about 15%. For this one real life performance might well have varied wildly, due to poor production standards and the fact that with its enormous fins it's basically a rocket plane, very susceptible to wind conditions. I hope you haven't been deluded by "authoritative" Jane's's carefully cultivated image into believing its experts are particularly expert. They are not. Zaloga tends to be quite accurate on missiles — they're his everyday job, after all :o) — and the text in the book is correct, while the different numbers in the table seem to refer to a radio guided project for use from helicopters.

--MWAK 20:16, 1 August 2005 (UTC)

 :) It must be the price tags on the books that make them so convincing. Zaloga's book is excellent - especially considering the chapter on ATGM's is just thrown in for completeness. I'll take another look at the article, maybe this weekend. I'm currently working on a huge rewrite of the MIM-23 Hawk article, which is going to take a couple of days. Megapixie 07:45, 2 August 2005 (UTC)

One unfortunate effect of them being so heavy is that I am too lazy to drag one to the keyboard; so I tried to memorize the data and failed: it should be 320 km/h... :oS.--MWAK 08:57, 3 August 2005 (UTC)

Thanks. I've adjusted the article now. Sigh - all I need now is a PD or copyleft picture of one of these beasts. Don't suppose you have a copy of a DoD report circa 1970 and a scanner lying around ? The HAWK rewrite is taking forever... Megapixie 02:41, 8 August 2005 (UTC)

Sorry, I read this too late to be of service. But I see in the meantime someone else has been.--MWAK 20:18, 28 October 2005 (UTC)