X-15C

[MartG]

Following the record breaking flight of the X-15A2, despite the application of an ablative coating ( called MA-25S ) there was considearble heat damage to the airframe. Rather than relegate the remains to a museum, the USAF decided to rebuild it with a new delta wing.  The aim of this was to compare the performance of the existing airframe & ablative combination to that of a new build X-15C using construction/heatshield methods originally developed for the cancelled X-20 Dyna Soar project. Following initial test flights, there was sufficient confidence in the coating to permit an orbital flight to be considered, using strap-on solid boosters to attain the required speed after a Mach 3 airlaunch from a B-70 Valkyrie.

( AMT Valkyrie, Monogram X-15 with scratchbuilt wings, boosters from a 1/288 shuttle )

[nev]

Red X

[GTX]

Red X

I don't even get that???

Regards,

Greg

[John Howling Mouse]

Very cool and innovative.  Sure there most be a good reason: why is only the one port visible, though?

[GTX]

Ok, now I see it - stunning!

Regards,

Greg

[MartG]

Sure there most be a good reason: why is only the one port visible, though?

"The ablative paint also led to another distinctive feature of this version of the X-15A-2, which was the "eyelid" over the left window of the canopy. The ablative paint on the nose during high speed flight would erode and splatter on the canopy windows. During a flight the eyelid would cover the left window and the pilot would use only the right window and instruments for the first part of the mission. Towards the end of the mission that right window would be so covered with ablator residue that visibility was severely limited. The pilot would then raise the eyelid and the left window would be clear for the final part of the mission and landing."

See here for more info http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2004/03/stuff_eng_x15.htm

[Rafael]

Wonderful, Mart.
I like both platforms, and your descriptions and justifications are very plausible.


Rafa

[sideshowbob9]

Eeeeep! They're absolute stunners! 

[anthonyp]

This is another one of those "STOP STEALING MY IDEAS!!!" things...

I just picked up a 1/130 Heller X-15 that was going to get this same treatment.

Yours looks great, Mart!  Very imaginative use of dinky shuttle boosters too 

[The Rat]

This is another one of those "STOP STEALING MY IDEAS!!!" things...

I just picked up a 1/130 Heller X-15 that was going to get this same treatment.

Ditto, this is almost frightening. But that's a damned fine job, if it wasn't in the cards for me to do it then it's nice to see it done better than I could! 

[Cobra]

Super Cool why do i get the Feeling this is like something out of 'Thunderbirds' Great Job!!!!!! Keep it up!!!!!!!

[sotoolslinger]

STUNNER

[cthulhu77]

Holy mother-of-pearl !!!!  That is wonderful !!!!

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Love those little Academy/Minicraft 1/288th scale space shuttle kits.  Great source for the little solid rocket boosters as well as some fodder for scale-o-rama projects. 

[BlackOps]

NICE!