Has anyone done a HL-10 Lifting body?

[feek61]

Lifting Body Picture of the Day

Todays lifting body picture of the day is a couple of hangar shots. The first is interesting. You can see on the right side of the hangar all three X-15's and on the left side you have the HL-10, M2-F2 and the M2-F1. You can also see an F-4, the NASA Skylancer which was a chase plane seen in the footage from the Six Million Dollar Man and also the DC-3 that was used to pull the M2-F1. It's hard to make out but there is an F-104 between the Skylancer and the DC-3:

Here is a great photo of the lifting body side of the hangar. This was taken before any of the vehicles had flown and appears to be taken after the top picture but around the same time in the mid 1960's as the photo above:

Below is a close-up of the lifting bodies from the top photo. Notice all of the service panels that were removed. Also you can see an X-15 engine (the XLR-99) on the cart in front of the lifting bodies. This would have been just about the same time that Gene Roddenberry and company visted (see photo in post #45). Notice the canopy of the HL-10 has been removed just as it is in the photo with GR.

 

[feek61]

Nice photo of the HL-10 attached to the wing of the B-52 carrier aircraft. Just above the word "Force" in U.S. Air Force you can see the camera pod.

Here is a frame taken from the camera pod mentioned above of the M2-F2:

 

[OhioAstromech]

I went to the USAF Museum today and found out that they moved all the X Planes to the R&D Hanger in the Annex.

I didn't have time to go take pictures today because we were going to see Defiance and we would have been stuck at the Annex for an hour missing the movie.

I will try to get there soon and take pictures of all of the planes.

Scot

 

[DarkHelmet]

those hanger shots are very Star Wars-ish

 

[feek61]

I was getting lonely, lol. Good you see someone else. Thanks for going by and checking it out Scot. Yes, do try to get some photos if you can. I'd love to see what the X-24B is looking like as well as the SV5J (which is re-dressed as the X-24A). Also see if you can photo any of the ASSET or PRIME vehicles.

Will

 

[feek61]

those hanger shots are very Star Wars-ish

I agree, very much reminds me of that as well!!!

Here is one more photo before I retire for the evening. The M2-F2 under the wing of the B-52 reading for an early morning take-off:

The pylon that they used was the original X-15 pylon modified (When the lifting bodies started flying the X-15 was flying as well). Above is a good view of the modification. That's one heck of a contraption they have connected to the pylon!!! This is what the pylon looks like unmodified:

 

[OhioAstromech]

I was getting lonely, lol. Good you see someone else. Thanks for going by and checking it out Scot. Yes, do try to get some photos if you can. I'd love to see what the X-24B is looking like as well as the SV5J (which is re-dressed as the X-24A). Also see if you can photo any of the ASSET or PRIME vehicles.

Will

The ASSET / PRIME vehicles; are those the miniture test models?
They look like they were about 4 feet long and a little burnt.

Those are setting against the wall near the Mercury thru Apollo capsules.

They finally got a MX / Peace Keeper in the missle silo and setting next to it on the floor is the MRV stage with 10 little cones setting on top.

I always thought the nuclear warheads were bigger than that.

Next time I'll take some photos of it as well.

Scot

 

[feek61]

Lifting Body Picture of the Day

A great photo of the back of the HL-10 before launch. This is from a chase plane that was looking to confirm that all of the tail surfaces were in the correct orientation for launch:

 

[feek61]

Lifting Body Picture of the Day

Here is the X-24A looking unusually sleek before launch:

 

[feek61]

Lifting body picture of the day

Again the X-24A, the "finned potato" during the 1970 Flight Research Center open house.

 

[OhioAstromech]

NICE!
As a side note:
Anytime you see a documentory on the B-52 they always say the crew of the B-52 call the bomber the B.U.F.F. (Big Ugly Fat Fellow)
The truth is tha the crew of the B-52 call the bomber the B.U.F. (Big Ugly *****r)

She may be Big but she sure isn't ugly.

I love these photos my friend.

Scot

 

[redirk2]

Re: Lifting Body Picture of the Day

Lifting Body picture of the day is a group photo of the pilots with the X-24B in the back. From left to right is Einar Enevoldson, John Manke, Dick Scobee, Tom McMurtry, Bill Dana and Mike Love. It's of note that Dick Scobee was the commander of the final space shuttle Challenger mission. He piloted the X-24B twice (near the end of the program, both glide flights).

My sister was real good friends with the Scobee's when she and her family lived in SC. She hears from his family once in a while.

Great pics, thanks for sharing them.

 

[OhioAstromech]

Someone on the Resin Illuminati is working on a couple kits.

http://www.resinilluminati.com/showthread.php?p=95432

Scot

 

[feek61]

The problem with those kits are that they are just too small. I think they are only about 4" long. I sure hope that someone here will do a decent scale. I HOPE!


Will

 

[DarkHelmet]

The problem with those kits are that they are just too small. I think they are only about 4" long. I sure hope that someone here will do a decent scale. I HOPE!


Will

calling Madrobot calling madrobot!!

 

[feek61]

Lifting Body Picture of the Day

In keeping with the theme from yesterday here is a photo of the X-24B from the Edwards open house in 1973. This was right after the modification of the airframe as evident from the paint job (or lack of) and was several months before the first glide flight.

Here is a bonus picture! A truly remarkable photo of the launch of the X-24B through a telescopic camera:

A great photo of the B-52B (B.U.F.F.) as well.



Take Care,
Will

 

[OhioAstromech]

I found this one several years ago.

Interesting photo.

Scot

Ok Ok I know its CGI but it still looks cool.

 

[feek61]

Lifting Body Picture of the Day

Nice Scot, I love the X-20 . . .post some more photos!!!

Today's Friday trifecta is what I'll call "front-view Friday." The HL-10 is just so cool; looking somewhat sinister here:

Here is Milt Thompson preparing for a glide flight in the M2-F2. His book "Flying without Wings" is a pretty interesting read if you are into that sort of thing:

Batman WISHES he had a plane this cool looking. The X-24B of course; just after delivery from the Martin Marietta factory after it's transformation:

 

[feek61]

Lifting Body Picture of the Day

Here is a great painting of the HL-10. It's not often you see a painting dedicated to a research aircraft. This painting really captures the true essence of these flights and of the era in general. If I remember correctly this painting hung in the lobby of the Flight Research Center:

And just to make it an offical "photo" of the day here is the nimble little HL-10 landing on the dry lake. I love the reflection of her on the dry lake as she comes in for touch-down:

 

[feek61]

Saturday morning special. Here is the X-24A attached to the B-52 wing. It's too bad there are so many photos that are not in color . . . I don't really get why.