X-15 last flight, in 1/48th

[dhanners]

I tackled the YukonJohn “last flight” repaint/redesign of Henry Yuen’s X-15 in 1/72nd, but now I’ve built it in 1/48th. That requires a bit more scratchbuilding, of course, but it’s nice to have the full fleet in 1/48th. I’ve built 66670 in its first-flight and last-flight markings, 66671 in it’s pre- and post-stretch configuration, and 66672.

This model incorporates some resized parts from Ken West’s X-15A-2 model.

I’m still experimenting with weathering (by the 199th flight, the X-15s were pretty beat up) so this may not be the final look.

[Paper Kosmonaut]

Oooh that sure looks good! Love what you did to the tail section!

What I like the most about the X-15, is its many appearances and changes. It really shows how much of an experimental aircraft it was. It is great to have them displayed together in all (or at least in a lot of) those variations.
By the way, is the model a laserprint?

[-Jim G]

Very Cool David!
Great job building and photo-ing! I hope you will do a group picture of all your 1:48 X-15s

[MacSongLi]

A very nice X-15. Well done.

Gary

[dhanners]

Thanks, guys! As far as being a laser print, I’m not sure. I took it to a print shop and they did it on one of their machines. We’ve got a cheapo HP printer at home, and it tends to not print solid colors well. Plus, an X-15 would eat up black ink like crazy.

It’ll be awhile before I can shoot a family portrait. The other X-15s are back in storage in the U.S., and we’re waiting on my wife’s spousal visa before we figure out how to ship our belongings to the UK. For now, each is resting in its own specially-made box that I used to ship them from Cyprus to the U.S.

Here are a few of the 1/72nd-scale builds:

[Paper Kosmonaut]

If it was printed in a copy shop I can safely assume it is a laserprint. It does give the models a nice slight gloss, which fits them.
It will look great having them all together, I think. Hope the visa won't take long.

[dhanners]

Came across a confirmed photo of 66670 after its last flight and decided to add more weathering. In the photo, the “U.S. AIR FORCE” legend on the side tunnel on the port side has much of the U.S. and AIR worn off and/or obliterated. I decided to add that.

Scorched, chipped and missing markings weren’t unusual in the X-15 program. The heat/friction was hard on paint, and keeping the vehicles fully marked wasn’t a priority. Some paints fared worse than others. For example, you’ll often see post-flight photos of the X-15 with the yellow dart and blue NASA meatball on the nose, and the meatball will be almost totally worn off.

It doesn’t show up well in the photos, but I also experimented with an eyeliner named “Titanium” that has a bluish tint, and brushed it on some panels. It looks better on my 1/72nd-scale version than the one in 1/48th.

[mbauer]

Originally Posted by dhanners

I tackled the YukonJohn “last flight” repaint/redesign of Henry Yuen’s X-15 in 1/72nd, but now I’ve built it in 1/48th. That requires a bit more scratchbuilding, of course, but it’s nice to have the full fleet in 1/48th. I’ve built 66670 in its first-flight and last-flight markings, 66671 in it’s pre- and post-stretch configuration, and 66672.

This model incorporates some resized parts from Ken West’s X-15A-2 model.

I’m still experimenting with weathering (by the 199th flight, the X-15s were pretty beat up) so this may not be the final look.

I have some photos of the one at Wright-Patterson Museum from last summer.

Total of 18. Here are some examples





















Total of 18 photos contact me by PM if you would like them. These were taken June 2021.

Mike

[dhanners]

Originally Posted by mbauer

I have some photos of the one at Wright-Patterson Museum from last summer.

Total of 18. Here are some examples
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Total of 18 photos contact me by PM if you would like them. These were taken June 2021.

Mike

Thanks. Nice photos. It must’ve been cool to be that close to it.

The USAF Museum’s airframe is the X-15A-2, 66671, after it was stretched. I’ve modeled it in 1/48th and 1/72nd, in black, pink and white. That said, the vehicle never really excited me, model-wise. Aside from its world speed record, it was kind of a dog of an airplane. It was plagued with problems and mission aborts were routine. And it was damaged so heavily on its speed-record flight that it never flew again.

[surfduke]

You always move the bar!


Beautiful Builds!!!