what's this launcher?

[k9870]

Pick of SAM turned into a gun buy back.

http://orlandosentinel.image2.trb.co...8/31942042.jpg

I make out 1A-3, but doesnt look like a strela at all.

[MoviePropMaster2008]

Originally Posted by k9870

Pick of SAM turned into a gun buy back.

http://orlandosentinel.image2.trb.co...8/31942042.jpg

I make out 1A-3, but doesnt look like a strela at all.

Where the HELL was this buyback? Liberia? Actually that doesn't look like a complete system. Could be just a munitions tube that carries the rocket and gets loaded into a MRLS.

[k9870]

florida 2007, the guy found it on a property he got and called the police, they thought it was a prank call and told him to stop calling, so he traded it for shoes.

[MoviePropMaster2008]

Originally Posted by k9870

florida 2007, the guy found it on a property he got and called the police, they thought it was a prank call and told him to stop calling, so he traded it for shoes.

I found the entire article from 2007. Google is a wonderful thing

FOX News reported (Saturday, August 18, 2007):

Police were hoping for a good turnout at their "Kicks for Guns" sneaker exchange Friday, but they weren't expecting to get a surface-to-air missile launcher.

An Ocoee man showed up and exchanged the 4-foot-long launcher for size-3 Reebok sneakers for his daughter, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Taking advantage of the exchange's no-questions-asked policy, the man was not identified. He told the Orlando Sentinel that he found the weapon in a shed he tore down last week.

"I didn't know what to do with it, so I brought it here," he told the newspaper. "I took it to three dumps to try to get rid of it and they told me to get lost."

Besides the missile launcher police collected more than 250 guns. They were all exchanged for sneakers or $50 gift certificates.

BS. I love it when the COPS talk out of their asses. Okay, weapons experts at this "Gun Buy Back" What is the make and model of this 'surface to air missile'!?!?!? For one, a SAM requires a much longer tube. The rocket needs TONS of propellant in relation to the warhead in order to fly and catch up to airborne targets. And Second, a tube this fat and squat would probably be an AT launcher, like a Sagger or Dragon or Matador. But there are no control mechanisms, sights or handles. Kinda hard to use if it's just a tube. Also the way the woman is handling the weapon, I'm pretty damned sure that there is no PAYLOAD in the thing. It would be damned heavy if it had a rocket in it, thus it is an EMPTY fiberglass tube which is (a) not illegal and (b) not a weapon unless you already have the super expensive rocket and avionics already..... Like I said before, I'm pretty sure it's a munitions tube for carrying rockets to and from their launch platforms. (If anyone else knows for sure, let me know) ....

[k9870]

maybe a rocket was in it.

[ersoz]

It is the bottom half of a launch tube from a BGM 71A-3 TOW launcher.