An X-15 in pink....

[dhanners]

A pink X-15 is one of the more unusual aircraft you’ll ever see, and Cardist has provided us one with his repaint of Yukonjohn’s conversion of Henry Yuen’s X-15. To prepare the X-15A-2, 66671, for its ultimate high-speed flights, NASA and the Air Force knew they’d have to add an ablative material to protect the fuselage from aerodynamic heating.

Different ablators were tested on various flights by applying them to different panels. The one finally chosen was a product by Martin Marietta called MA-25S. It consisted of a resin base, a catalyst and glass bead powder. It was very labor-intensive to apply. Before applying it, technicians had to tape off joints and gaps in the aircraft’s skin to prevent ablative getting inside the airframe. It was sprayed on with a paint gun and then sanded to a uniform thickness.

It was also pink. Although there’s a popular fable about some USAF general saying the service would not fly a pink airplane, the real reason it was painted white was so it wouldn't explode. MA-25S was it was known to be “impact sensitive” after exposure to liquid oxygen. Spilling liquid oxygen was not uncommon during X-15 processing, and if some got on the ablative something hit it, like a dropped tool, it could blow up. To prevent that, MA-25S was covered with a sealant. The sealant happened to be white.

Cardist’s model represents 66671 after the application of the MA-25S but before the sealant was applied; the black lines represent the tape. Cardist captured the splotchy look of the ablative very well.

Since the X-15A-2 never flew in pink, Cardist includes parts for the ground handling dolly and the forward landing gear, although I scratchbuilt the landing gear. I also scratchbuilt the XLR-99 motor, the jettison tubes and various other bits.

Thanks again to Cardist, and Yukonjohn, and Henry Yuen. This is my 11th 1/72nd-scale X-15. Got a couple more in the pipeline….

[dhanners]

And my current X-15 shelf:

[cardist]

This has come out very well David. I am glad to have been of help with your fine collection.

[tigertony100]

Very nice and illustrative series of X-15's!!!Best Regards,Tony.

[dhanners]

Originally Posted by cardist

This has come out very well David. I am glad to have been of help with your fine collection.

Well, thank YOU for doing a wonderful repaint. Things lined up very well. It was a fun build.

[yukonjohn]

That is quite the collection of very clean builds. And a few more to come, you say . Looking forward to seeing them.


John

[Paper Kosmonaut]

Originally Posted by dhanners

Got a couple more in the pipeline….

No... really? What a surprise!


hahaha, Great to see the collection being expanded even further, David. The pink one is quite iconic of course when we're talking about general appearances of the X-15.


I asssume you will limit the collection to the actual flown aircraft or actual markings otherwise I would guess you would also like to add the sleek delta wing version that would've been launched from the back of an XB-70. I also remember reading something about a larger "X-15B" with the Atlas sustainer engine replacing the XLR99 and having a second seat. It would have been launched by a cluster of Navaho (or Titan?) missiles. Weird!

[dhanners]

Originally Posted by Paper Kosmonaut

No... really? What a surprise!


hahaha, Great to see the collection being expanded even further, David. The pink one is quite iconic of course when we're talking about general appearances of the X-15.


I asssume you will limit the collection to the actual flown aircraft or actual markings otherwise I would guess you would also like to add the sleek delta wing version that would've been launched from the back of an XB-70. I also remember reading something about a larger "X-15B" with the Atlas sustainer engine replacing the XLR99 and having a second seat. It would have been launched by a cluster of Navaho (or Titan?) missiles. Weird!

If I can find good research photos, I'd like to do one of Neil Armstrong's flights. I'd also like to do a landed version with skids and forward landing gear deployed. Did the front landing gear on the pink X-15 and it was easier than I expected.

I've thought about scratchbuilding the delta-winged X-15; in theory, it shouldn't be too much work. My issue is I don't repaint so getting enough cardstock of the right shade of black might be an issue. That said, I've read some articles saying a launch from an XB-70 would've been pure fantasy. And a dangerous fantasy at that.

At some point, I need to move on to some other airplane, though.

One of the ironies is that if we ever move back to the U.S., I don't know if any of these models will make the trip. Packing cardmodels for international travel is a bear. When we moved from Kuwait and went back to the U.S. briefly last summer, I packed my 1/48th conversion of Ken's X-15, as well as my 1/288th build of Alfonso's MLP/Crawler-Transporter/STS-1 stack, then stuck them in storage in St. Paul. I had to build special cradles for them. They weighed next to nothing but took up precious space in suitcases.

[sparky00]

Mach 5 in explosive coatings. You just have to love the 1950's.
Awesome build. I've always loved the X-15. May have to try my hand at building one.

[Paper Kosmonaut]

Originally Posted by sparky00

You just have to love the 1950's.

Make that 1960's. The A2 was rolled out in 1964. But yeah, they weren't afraid to take some risks back then. The X-15s certainly had no CE- logo stamp on them!