Various Updates

 APR, blather, models, news, Nuclear Pulse Propulsion  2 Responses »
Aug 142012
 

1) APR V3N3: working on numerous CAD drawings of the XC-132 and related designs

2) NPP: re-designing the “Landing boat.” It’s amazing what people will sometimes post online without knowing just what it is that they have… in this case, three paintings of the landing boat, finally visible with adequate resolution.

3) Whispercraft model is just about done. Will be followed up by the Soviet LK lunar lander. Tremulis Zero Fighter may be sandwiched in there somewhere.

4) APR on MagCloud: after a few emails, it’s clear that substantially revising Volumes 1 and 2 *again* for release on MagCloud would not be worth the effort. So they will be reformatted to fit the MagCloud layout, some minor errors corrected, then released at some point. I’m considering producing a collection of CAD drawings to be released as an 11X17 formatted pDF, probably one collection per volume.

 Posted by at 4:17 pm

Martin Marietta HL-10 concept model

 aircraft, models, projects, spacecraft  2 Responses »
Jul 112012
 

From the NASA HQ history office, a photo of a Martin Marietta model of the HL-10. The ID plaque on the base of the model reads “NASA HL-10 LIFTING ENTRY RESEARCH VEHICLE,” but the interior clearly shows that this design was intended for transportation of crew, and possibly cargo, to space.

More info, including several diagrams, HERE.

 Posted by at 7:41 pm

Zenith Star Mockup

 history, models, nukes, projects, rockets, science, science fiction, spacecraft, weapons  3 Responses »
Jul 052012
 

The “Orphans in Space” DVD set contains a bunch of really rather odd old films about space, from the early part of the 20th century up to the 1980′s. The video of most interest to readers of this blog is a Martin-Marietta promotional video for the Zenith Star laser satellite, featuring snippets of a speech by President Reagan at the Martin Marietta facility (near Denver?) in front of a full-scale Zenith Star mockup.

The video was copied to DVD from a videotape, which is why the resolution is a bit low.

 Posted by at 10:25 am

Own your own Space Station V

 awesomeness, models, new products, science fiction  9 Responses »
Jun 202012
 

Seems Fantastic Plastic has released the Space Station V I modeled for ’em:

I haven’t seen one of the kits in person, but I have seen the laser stereolithographically produced master parts… and I gotta say it looked pretty spiffy even in that unfinished format. What with the photoetched-steel “unfinished rim” bits, the finished model photos look pretty snazzy.

 Posted by at 12:24 am

NAF Float Wing Convoy Interceptor

 aircraft, drawings, models, projects  8 Responses »
Jun 152012
 

Taken from a January 1947 NACA-Langley wind tunnel test report are some images describing the Naval Aircraft Factory “Float wing convoy interceptor.” This was an unconventional single-engine, single-seat fighter plane designed to be catapulted off of a ship (a cargo ship, presumably), land in the water and then be picked up by crane and returned to service. There was no landing gear. The unusual fuselage had substantially more drag than a conventional one, due to the cutout needed for the mid-ship mounted propeller. The model was 1/4 scale. Full-scale information includes:

Engine: one Ranger XV-770-9, max 625 hp
Normal gross weight: 4000 lbs
Fighter overload gross weight: 4319 lbs
Wingspan: 29.83 ft
Wing area: 160 sq. ft

It seemed to be a poor performer. Not only lots of drag, but the rudder had a tendency to shake badly. This was clearly a WWII-era design; by 1947, not only was its design obsolete, so was its role.

 Posted by at 11:20 pm

_lamorous _lennis

 AARRRGH, aircraft, models  6 Responses »
May 242012
 

Some years ago, Pegasus Hobbies released a great big 1/18 scale model kit of the Bell X-1. Always wanted one, but never bought until a few days back when I came across one for cheap. On the box, the “Glamorous Glennis” markings in the photos of the model were blotted out with a black marker. In the box, the GG references and the references to _huck _eager were blotted out of the instruction sheet. The GG decal was actually cut off the decal sheet.

Why? Well, it seems Pegasus Hobbies got a Cease and Desist order from Yeager’s people. Somehow he’s got his name and the GG name copyrighted. Even though the GG is a world-famous taxpayer-funded historically important and widely publicized vehicle – exactly the sort of thing that you’d imagine was “public domain,” it’s apparently not… or at least it’s not worth the bother of fighting.

Sad.

Good thing I never planned to build it in the GG configuration. Maybe an X-1D or E. Or even a swept-wing, V-tail proposed configuration… or even the S-1 “tactical” plane.

 Posted by at 12:03 pm

Who wants: F-102 control yoke replicas

 aircraft, awesomeness, models, new products  2 Responses »
May 242012
 

Some time back I came into possession of a control yoke from an F-102 Delta Dagger. It’s an interesting thing… I’ve never seen another control stick quite like it. It’s two handed; the left-hand stick can be unlocked, and used to slew the radar dish around. It looks like something that should have been used on a Colonial Viper or similar sci-fi spacecraft.

It seemed to me that there might be a market for replicas at several levels of detail. The simplest would be a basic “kit” of cast urethane resin, featuring the main stick including the right-hand control, the left-hand stick, the connecting “joint,” a few separate toggles and decals; next would be a finished & painted & decaled display piece based on the kit; next would be a kit with all the bells and whistles; and last would be a finished version of that kit. The basic kit I would guesstimate at $75 or so; the finished detailed piece at something like $350 or so.

Any interest?

Anybody know any Hollywood prop houses working sci-fi flicks who’d be interested is getting a bulk purchase???

 Posted by at 8:42 am

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.

 Posted by at 7:20 am
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