X-15 Flight 199

**dhanners** · #1 10-17-2022, 01:51 AM

The first X-15, 66670, hangs in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. After its last flight on 24 October 1968 (the last and 199th flight of the X-15 program) the vehicle was placed in storage but later moved to the NASM.

Hanging from the ceiling of the NASM, 66670 carries what could be considered the “generic” X-15 markings: National insignia and “USAF” markings on the wings; national insignia on the rear fuselage and “U.S. AIR FORCE” on the side tunnels; yellow NASA bands and “66670” on the vertical stabilizer.

But that’s not how 66670 looked on its final free flight. On that final flight, 66670 looked pretty drab. It carried only the “U.S. AIR FORCE” legend on the side tunnels and the serial number on the tail. It also had white stripes — probably camera markings — on the upper surface of both tailplanes. It carried the Phase II Photometer behind the vertical stabilizer and was fitted with the wingtip experiment/sensor pods.

With all this info, I asked YukonJohn if he could repaint 66670 as it looked on its historic last flight, and he generously obliged. He and I both want to thank Michelle Evans, author of, “The X-15 Rocket Plane: Flying the First Wings into Space.” She was very generous with her knowledge and research. Photos from the X-15’s last flight are hard to find. “There was very little photo coverage of the aircraft at that point of the program,” Evans said. She dug up a couple of photos from the final flight, though, and they helped fill in many blanks.

This build is in 1/72nd scale. I may leave it as-is or may weather it. As with my other X-15 builds of a couple of years ago, I scratchbuilt the XLR99 rocket motor and also scratched the Phase II Photometer and wingtip pods and jettison tubes. I’ve got a 1/48th version printed out and may tackle it at some point.

**surfduke** · #2 10-17-2022, 04:12 AM

Very....Very...Nice!!

**-Jim G** · #3 10-17-2022, 05:48 AM

So cool that you could document this last flight with a model!

**Texman** · #4 10-17-2022, 06:17 AM

Excellent work!

**dhanners** · #5 10-17-2022, 07:45 AM

Thanks, guys!

Went out and bought a cheap blue plastic tablecloth to use as a backdrop for better photos. Plastic still has the creases in it, but here goes:

**toudi sk** · #6 10-17-2022, 08:48 AM

Really nice model, I like it a lot.

**MacSongLi** · #7 10-17-2022, 10:31 AM

Beautiful work! A very nice representation.

Gary

**Paper Kosmonaut** · #8 10-18-2022, 02:04 PM

That looks really nice, David! Great work indeed.

**yukonjohn** · #9 10-18-2022, 05:42 PM

Very clean build and great added details. The repaint is now in the download section.

John