Geli X-15

[BigGiraffe]

The Geli models were designed before there was an internet and before relatively easy access to drawings and technical data. It is an art to reduce a full-size subject down to miniature, and I do think Geli's designs capture the essence of the airplane very nicely. I built their DC-9-50, which is quite an amazing model (retractable landing gear, retractable air-stairs, moveable flaps and other flight controls), back around 1988.

OK, I put together the two other forward sections (#1 and #2) and the next section going aft (#6), but then decided to go ahead and put in the cockpit before attaching any of those parts. My thoughts were that I could reach through the hole I'd cut in frame #3 to help position the cockpit. This turned out to "save me" because I pushed the cockpit a little too far through the opening and would not have been able to pry it back up without that hole.

I cut the instrument panel hood loose from the cockpit piece because the edges didn't match the instrument panel, and will glue it on after Section #2 is in place. Also, I won't glue the seat in until I'm ready to do the canopy since it sticks up and I don't want to catch it on something while I put the rest of the fuselage together.

Take care,
Kurt

[dhanners]

Fine job so far!

[BigGiraffe]

Thanks!

Now I've glued the #2 section up at the nose end.

This photo gives the impression that the fuselage bulges out just behind the "US Air Force" titles. The cause of that is a slot on each side, for the cardboard wing spar, which is allowing the skin to bend outward since they are located in the middle of the tight radius. I'm hoping I can press it in and hide it when the wings are attached.

Take care,
Kurt

[USSMissouri]

Nice model of the X-15!

Neil Armstrong flew the X-15.
NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: X-15 Hypersonic Research Program | NASA

It remains the fastest crewed airplane outside the space shuttle.

[Paper Kosmonaut]

Really good work on the seams! Looking forward to the rest.

[BigGiraffe]

Thank you, I'm using a black felt marker to disguise the seams, coloring the glue tabs and the edge of the paper before attaching things. Another good thing about this glossy finish Geli uses is that you can use a damp tissue to clean the residual glue and it does not damage the paper at all.

From reading the NASA Armstrong fact sheet, I just learned that the bottom of the lower fin is jettisoned before landing. This explains a "cut" symbol near that part which had me wondering (I have not yet translated that part of the instructions). I will be doing the nose gear and skids. Thank you for the link!

I've added the next two fuselage sections. One thing I lack is a thin rod for rolling the tight radii needed for these skin sections. I got them close, but would have liked it to be better. Also, I added the cones for the front of the tunnels.

Take care,
Kurt

[Paper Kosmonaut]

Originally Posted by BigGiraffe

One thing I lack is a thin rod for rolling the tight radii needed for these skin sections.

Tip: Get yourself a bunch of knitting needles of different thicknesses. Make sure they're metal ones, the plastic ones are too bendy and can easily break. They are very handy for rolling tight rolls but also for more gentle curving parts on your hand. I often cut them to a shorter length (15- 25 cm) to make them more handleable.


Try and find them at thrift shops, that's the best bargain you can get. Or plunder your wife's or granny's sewing/knitting toolbox.

[BigGiraffe]

Knitting needles?? Cool! Thank you, I like that idea very much!

Kurt

[dhanners]

The great thing about knitting needles (get the metal ones) is they come in all different sizes, or "gauges," in the parlance of knitters.

As far as the lower portion of the lower vertical stabilizer, yes, it was jettisoned prior to landing and parachuted to the ground for recovery. There were several interchangeable tails. There are some photos of the unit with small parachutes painted on the side to denote how many times it had flown.

And, in reality, you can see daylight between the stub portions of the vertical stabilizers and the moveable portions. It is a feature Ken West didn't include on his great 1/32nd scale X-15A-2, and even the plastic kit manufacturers have ignored it. But if you look at photos of the real vehicle, you can see it. While I didn't include the feature on my 1/72nd-scale X-15 builds of last summer, when I enlarged the model to 1/48th, I cut each tail into two sections so there was a gap between the pieces. It required some scratchbuilding.

[BigGiraffe]

I'll be getting some knitting needles, and I sure do appreciate the tips!

That interchangeable lower fin reminds me that I used to have to keep track of cycles and hours on some Boeing 707 aircraft. Now and then, they would swap a horizontal stabilizer with another aircraft and I'd have to carry over the information. Then, I found out that the maintenance contractor was routinely swapping engine pylons without telling anybody. So much for all the tracking...

I've finished the rocket engine section for the back of the fuselage. Nothing too remarkable here, except you can see the difference between the printed black color on the cardboard rear frame and the colored skin panels. Sort of looks cool, though.

Next I did the nose landing gear. The strut is made of three cardboard "T" sections. They are glued together, then wrapped with a silver paper skin. This is surprisingly strong. (Note Geli also uses this construction for the much heavier DC-9-50 model and it is quite adequate for the weight.) In the one photo, you can see that Parts 39, 40, etc are tiny rings that are to be cut out of the cardboard, intended to go beneath the side skins for the wheels to give shape to the tires. I have not had real good results with cutting thin cardboard pieces, so chose not to do these. In fact, I decided to take the easy way out and leave the sides of the wheels flat.

Also, before I glued the wheels to the strut, I cut the hole in the bottom of the fuselage and made sure I could get the strut inside.

Take care,
Kurt