Search Results for “delta X-15”

Search Results : delta X-15

48-hour auction: X-15 Models

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Oct 162019

UPDATE: AUCTION HAS ENDED.

For sale to the highest bidder… a lot of 1/40 scale (same as the vintage Topping display model) X-15’s, mostly X-5A-3 stretched delta-winged configurations. These are solid-cast resin models that I worked on a number of years ago. From left to right:

1: An incomplete model with the Marquardt SERJ airbreathing engine

2: An incomplete X-15A-3 with upward-swept wingtip fins

3: An incomplete X-15A-3, missing fins.

4 & 5: Completed, painted and decaled X-15A-3 models

6: A vintage Topping X-15 model.One of the horizontal stabilizers had broken off, and repairs were underway.

These are, again, incomplete (except for #4&5), but a decently skilled modeler could finish the job. What you see in the photos is what you get. Except the dust. I’ll blow that off. The level of dustiness might give an indication of how long these have been sitting abandoned. Buyer also pays postage by whatever means desired. If you’d like to bid, send an email to: Bidding ends 48 hours after this is posted. There won’t be any more of these, at least not from me: the molds are not only old, they are now in a landfill.

X-15A-3 Design Brief

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Sep 022012

A quick overview of the North American Aviation X-15A-3, the delta winged X-15 proposal from 1966:

X-15A-3 Structural Temperatures

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Jul 232012

The planned X-15A-3 was to be a stretched X-15 with delta wings and increased performance (up to Mach 8). As a result of the higher speeds, it would get pretty warm over most of the skin, requiring advanced high-temperature materials.

X-15A-3

aircraft, models, projects, rockets 3 Responses »

Apr 282012

The most advanced variant of the X-15 that stood a fair chance of getting built was the X-15A-3. Where the X-15A-2 was a stretched version of the X-15, with increased internal propellant tankage and additional external tankage, the A-3 would have been stretched even further. Additionally, the wings and horizontal stabilizers would have been removed and replaced with highly swept delta wings, and the rocket engine would have been upgraded (or simply replaced with a new and/or more powerful engine). The nosecone would have been stretched.

The end result would not have been much of an increase in speed, but duration and range would have been greatly increased. As long as the A-3 was, it was still to be carried to altitude by a B-52. Like the A-2, external tankage could be carried for increased performance, but for some reason the design featured only a single centerline tank.

The photo below shows a display model of an early design of the A-3. The final design had diamond-shaped wingtip fins.

B-70-Launched X-15

aircraft, art, projects, rockets 2 Responses »

Apr 152012

The proposed X-15A-3 was a stretched, delta-winged version intended for extended duration flight at Mach 6+. As with the X-15 and X-15A-2 versions, the plan was to launch the X-15A-3 from a B-52 underwing pylong. However, North American Aviation proposed launching it from atop a B-70 bomber. The theory was that the B-70 could get the X-15 up to around Mach 3 prior to separation, thus greatly improving the rocketplanes performance. However, launchign winged vehicles from the back of supersonic aircraft is non-trivially difficult… as the M-21/D-21 crash demonstrated.

A high-rez of this can be downloaded HERE.

X-15 with Supercharged Ejector Ramjet: Marquardt, June, 1969

aircraft, awesomeness, drawings, projects, rockets 27 Responses »

May 032010

An unpublished brochure reveals the design of a proposed massive modification to the X-15. The Marquardt Company had by the time of this brochure been studying the ejector ramjet for several years. This propulsion system used a large number of small rocket engines to “pump” a ramjet; this allowed the ramjet to be used at very low airspeed, all the way up to Mach 4+ at extreme altitude. A “supercharged” ejector ramjet added a turbine fan upstream of the ejector rockets. The turbine was powered by a secondary gas generator, and would increase thrust at lower speeds and altitudes. Having the turbine in the airflow would limit the engine to about Mach 4 or a little more; more complicated SERJ designs were produced which would allow the turbine to rotate out of the airflow, permitting even greater speeds.
Marquardt at this time envisioned the use of SERJ engines in everything from point defense interceptors to tactical fighters to strike/recon and strategic penetrators. Marquardt expected that post-1975, Mach 4 would be a necessity. In order to flight-test the engine, it was proposed to modify an X-15 to incorporate a SERJ engine. This engine would replace the XLR-99, and would require some substantial changes:
A large ventral inlet
A re-shaped ventral fin
Revised main skid landing gear
Altered propellant tanks
The SERJ engine would burn JP fuel and hydrogen peroxide oxidizer, eliminating the need for cryogenic equipment. The modified X-15 would be carried to altitude beneath the wing of the existing B-52 carrier plane. No in-flight oxidizer topping would be needed. Due to the deep throttling capability of the SERJ engine, it could be started while still attached to the carrier aircraft pylon.

Inboard views of the SERJ-equipped X-15
Marquardt via W. Escher

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Artists impression of the SERJ equipped X-15 (Leo Skubic, Marquardt)
Marquardt via W. Escher

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North American had produced designs of a stretched and delta winged X-15 (the middle design). Marquardt expected that this aircraft could also be equipped with a SERJ engine, producing greater performance. Further improvements still could be had by stretching the delta X-15, and adding a second crewman. Performance enhancement was not in speed or altitude, but in duration. An aircraft beyond this would be a truly operational military vehicle.
Marquardt via W. Escher

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SERJ-equipped X-15 display model
Marquardt via W. Escher

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Top: The SERJ-176-E-1A engine was remarkably compact.
Bottom: Marquardt and Aerojet built and successfully static tested subscale SERJ engines.
Marquardt via W. Escher

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SERJ-equipped X-15 display model
From Boeing Historical Archives

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SERJ-equipped X-15 display model
From Boeing Historical Archives

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Reference: ” X-15 SERJ Precursor to Mach 4-plus,” unpublished preliminary brochure, The Marquardt Company, June 1969

A one-week sale on aerospace goodies

aircraft, awesomeness, drawings, history, Monthly Historical Documents Program, nukes, Patreon, projects, rockets, sales & specials, spacecraft No Responses »

Aug 212020

I’m currently running a sale on downloadable aerospace items that I had planned on either not releasing or not releasing yet. Twenty-eight pretty nifty items of considerable interest to aerospace aficionados. The sale is open to APR Patrons and Monthly Historical Documents Program subscribers for one week only. If any of these look interesting, consider signing up.

APR Patreon November Rewards

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Nov 272015

Just under the wire, rewards for November have been made available to APR patrons. Three documents and one large-format diagram, and one all-new CAD diagram, have been posted:

NASA diagram (on two sheets) of a NERVA nuclear rocket engine display model, presenting the configuration with detail and clarity
An article on a orbiting nuclear power station
A full-color brochure (via photographs) on the Convair Model 36, their entry for what became the B-36
A North American Aviation presentation on delta wings for the X-15, presenting a few different configurations
An all-new layout CAD diagram of the Bernal Sphere space colony concept

If you’d like to help out and gain access to these and past and future rewards, please check out the APR Patreon.

US Spacecraft Projects #2: Spaceplanes

aircraft, books, drawings, history, new products, projects, rockets, spacecraft, US Spacecraft Projects 1 Response »

Jan 212015

Now available: US Spacecraft Projects #02, the “Spaceplane Special.” This is done in the same style as the other US Aerospace Projects publications, but this issue is focused specifically on lifting spacecraft… and is more than twice as long as usual with more data and more diagrams.

USSP #02 includes:

Boeing Personnel/Cargo Glider: When you have space industry, you need a space bus
Convair Manned Orbiting Reconnaissance System: A 1958 concept for a recon spaceplane
North American D435-1-4: The delta winged X-15A-3 (not a true spaceplane… but still, relevant)
General Electric R-3 Lenticular Apollo: A 1962 Apollo concept for a lifting body lunar ship
General Dynamics VL-3A: a 1966 space station logistics transport
SRI Space Cruiser: An early 1980’s minimum manned spacecraft for the military
Boeing Model 844-2050E Dyna Soar: The almost-built spaceplane from 1963
Rockwell MRCC Orbiter: the do-everything concept, modified with additional rockets and propellant

USSP #02 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $6:

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Vellum cyanotype blueprint prototypes

art, awesomeness, cyanotype blueprints, drawings, history, new products, Nuclear Pulse Propulsion, nukes, projects, rockets, spacecraft 7 Responses »

May 152013

I’ve made many test runs and made considerable progress. I’ve also run out of supplies and need to improve the mechanical infrastructure. so I’ve decided to sell the “prototypes” I’ve made. These are indeed prototypes, and more to the point they are prototypes of art, so they are imperfect and variable… but they’re nevertheless pretty spiffy. These are actual cyanotype blueprints on actual vellum, an they not only look right (based on the vintage blueprints I’ve actually gotten my mitts on), they *feel* right. The failure rate is pretty high compare to the watercolor paper, but the results are much more authentic.

I currently only have a few of each. If you would like one or more of the following, send an email stating which ones to: On a first come first served basis I’ll pass along a paypal invoice. Postage (tubes) will be $6 US, $12 everywhere else for any number.

I will update this post with revised availability numbers. When more supplies and improved infrastructure is on hand I’ll make new prints for those that requested them.

Here’s what I have (the 12X18’s were mae two at a time on 18X24 sheets an will be sliced apart):

~~Convair super Hustler~20X36; $70. On hand: 2 1 0~~

Saturn V, 1/72: messed up by being a mirror-image. D’oh. Would look good at a distance. This mirror image is $35; the final product will be $75. on hand: 1