Don’t know too much about these except that they are Vought concept models and date from the late 60s. They appear to represent designs for the Navy’s VFX competition, which Grumman won and which produced the F-14.
Nov 192008
Nov 092008
Ah, the early 1960’s. When the future looked bright, the atom was our friend, when planes were only getting faster, and when Marxist gun-grabbers were opposed, not elected President. In that climate, Convair studied several derivatives of their B-58 “Hustler” bomber to serve as supersonic transports, both for military and civilian roles. I’m currently working on an article for the next issue of APR dealing with these concepts. Also hoping to have some all-new color artwork prepared for this article.
Nov 072008
I’ve largely ignored this over the past three months, but I recently finished it up. There are some areas where I’m definitely *not* happy with the contouring… however, a few minutes with some sandpaper, and it’ll be just about perfect. The landing gear, cockpit and weapons bays are currently blank; they will be patched together with Real World modeling. Surface details will also have to wait until the parts are printed out.
Some parts of this went together like a breeze, others (especially forward fuselage contouring, and the inlet in particular) were, and remain, a pain in the ass. But for a first effort with this NURBS modeling program, it ain’t too bad, I think. The physical model will be in 1/72, giving it a span of about 11.8 inches.
Oct 262008
In the “basement” of the National Air and Space Museum is what you might call the annex of the NASM’s gift shop. On display in the gift shop is the original filming model of the Starship Enterprise from the original Star Trek TV series. I did a brief walk-around with the camera.
And if you like “hard” science fiction, you’ll love this…
At the Garber facility, in an area not on displey, I found two original filming miniatures for the “Tholian” ships. Sadly, photography was discouraged in this area, as it was a non-public storage and restoration facility, not stuff on display. The models were extremely simple.
Oct 252008
Early last year I cooked up the master parts for a 1/144 scale “X-Men 2” “X-Jet” for Fantastic Plastic. Finally, at long last, it has been released…
http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/X-JetCatalogPage.htm
Oct 162008
On display at the Glenn L. Martin Museum is this small model, depicting a… something. The model comes with no documentation. Could be a bomber, could be a fighter. But with four engines, and the relatively wide-looking cockpit, I’m guessing bomber… and I’m guessing a B-70 competitor. No indication as to scale.
Oct 122008
A new production run of Fantastic Plastic’s Orion 606 model kit has been made available. Buy soon and buy often!
Oct 062008
A year ago I visited the Bell archives in Niagara, NY. Sadly, my scanner crapped out, so all I had available to me was my camera… better than nothing, but not optimal. Anyway, I found some PR art – paintings and a display model – of a two-stage passenger transport… a turboramjet powered first stage with a rocket powered second stage. Dating from 1960, this concept clearly had some relationship to the earlier BoMi studies (especially Dornbergers passenger transport version), while the second stage was presciently similar to the Dyna Soar and Space Shuttle.
And a few weeks ago I came across a Bell press release describing the concept:
And from Jay Miller’s archives comes a photo of the display model from a different angle.
Oct 012008
A pre-SR-71 study for a high speed recon plane.
See issue V1N4 of Aerospace Projects Review for more on the WS-118P program.
Sep 272008
Circa 1960. Taken from a mockup review film.
Also shown was a rotating model of the cockpit section, with skin panels removed to show inner structure.
