Speedbirds: X-15, a Skystreak and 3 Peregrines (hopefully)

[Pinback]

Hi

 

Peregrine falcons have been nesting in the heart of Melbourne at 367 Collins Street for thirty years now and they are back. Last year I tried to complete a Wapiti before the youngsters flew but they beat me. Now its Round 2. I’m not the quickest of builders but am determined to beat them this time. I figure I have ten weeks.

 

I’ve had a bit of a modelling mojo boost through reading Chris Petty’s “Beyond Blue Skies”. It covers the major rocket plane projects and personalities at Muroc Army Air Field/ Edwards AFB from the late 1940’s to the 1970’s. For me the most poignant parts so far are the fatal losses of both Bell X2s. Also, most of us can name who was the first pilot to break the sound barrier but I doubt many of us can name the first past Mach 2 and Mach 3 without resorting to looking them up? I couldn’t. Bill Bridgeman’s “The Lonely Sky“ is also worth a read.

Anyway Special Hobby's Skystreak and MPM's X-15A have been retrieved from deep storage as well as a profile I have of the Douglas Skystreak. (although not sure it classes as a "Naval Fighter" and if its Number 56 I'm not sure I could name 55 US Navy fighters. Answers on a postcard please.)

 

 

The kits

 

 

The Peregrine packaging looks a bit suspect, no box art and would need a stack of padding to survive mail order delivery.

 

 

Special Hobby and MPM kit shots which include resin parts as well as photo etch. (Most of its there -I’ve made a start on the Skystreak). Both feature detailed cockpits which, unfortunately, is almost completely lost to view if the canopies are closed.

 

 

X15 photo etch

 

Peregrine kit shot impression. Probably a bit beyond my skill set.

 

 

The Skystreak needs the back end end seeing to otherwise its just a hole. A blocked in piece of Evergreen tubing has done the trick Just have to keep an eye on the nose weight.

 

 

 

If interested you can see a live feed to the Peregrine nest via this link https://367collins.mirvac.com/workplace/building-overview/falcons-at-367-collins  or via You Tube. Just be prepared for Uber deliveries of headless pigeons and parrots if the chicks arrive.... and lets hope all survive like they did last year.

 

Doesn't look too happy! It's just been told about Lockdown 6 (or 7 - I've lost count)

 

 

Hopefully progress next week.

[bigbadbadge]

Good to see you back with a new project, will tag along. Great to see the Falcons again too.

Good luck with your builds. 

Chris

[Pinback]

On 9/5/2021 at 5:56 PM, bigbadbadge said:

Good luck with your builds. 

Thanks Chris

(I have been trying to track down a photo of the Tamiya VW Beetle I built years ago for a friend - No luck yet !)

[bigbadbadge]

7 hours ago, Pinback said:

Thanks Chris

(I have been trying to track down a photo of the Tamiya VW Beetle I built years ago for a friend - No luck yet !)

Oooooo yes will be good to see that when you do.  My bug model is now sitting in the mancave so will have to start that again soon!!!

 

Chris

[Pinback]

Hi. Progress so far:

 

I was thinking of finishing the X-15 in the more familiar black until I read about Major Pete Knight’s record breaking flight in the ablative covered aircraft featured in the kit. On 3rd October 1967 he flew it to 4,520 mph (7,274kph). It reached Mach 6.72. The flight almost ended in disaster. In Beyond Blue Skies it mentions that the maximum estimated skin temperature would be about 600F however shock waves from the dummy scram jet were generating temperatures of about 2700F on the ventral fin. The protective coating was breached and the skin started to melt with the internal structure getting exposed to the superheated air. The hot gases destroyed the explosive bolts holding the scramjet to the aircraft and it fell away. The aircraft never flew again. It was severely damaged and, although repaired, the X-15 program was closed before it could fly again.

 

Here is a shot of it courtesy  NASA

 

 

I will be modelling the aircraft in flight. It was expected that the ablative covering would melt and cover the windscreen so one window was covered with an eyelid that was opened towards the end of the flight. The cockpit will be virtually invisible which is a pity. The instructions give you an idea of what you get. I keep losing count of the pieces! Two tubs and seats are provided (in resin and plastic). I will be using the plastic with a pilot from the spares box that will be modified. The cockpit is so nice that I will still make it up but display it separately.

 

 

The X-15 external tank halves are a bit warped so have fitted locating tabs from plastic card and also added a couple to the Skystreak

 

 

The tanks were glued in two stages. Back ends first and left overnight so the back ends were aligned:

 

 

Then the following day the front ends were glued with some tight clamping

 

 

Next to the Skystreak- The tail planes have no locating lugs so they were carefully drilled to take some wire . There is little leeway 🙄

 

 

Aligned for marking the fin for drilling:

 

 

Looking good:

 

Peregrine progress - This was from earlier today - Not much happening yet.

 

 

Hopefully progress on all three fronts next week

 

 

 

[Pinback]

Hi. Further progress. The two X-15 tanks have been sprayed but will need more filling and sanding. Interestingly the right hand tank when filled was lighter than the left hand due to the different fuels of anhydrous ammonia and liquid oxygen. Not sure how that worked out in flight.

 

 

The kit has the tanks marked as per the photo below (courtesy of NASA) for the record breaking flight but have yet to trace a shot of it in flight. There is film of this combination but the tanks are different when it cuts to the launch so am not sure if the flight below was aborted. Will do more digging. As I understand it the NB-52  could not lower its flaps for take off due the the underslung X-15 which meant an inordinately long take off run.

 

 

This NASA photo is from an earlier flight showing very different tank markings.

 

 

 

Both fuselages are glued but there is still a bit of filling and sanding required.

 

 

I then got a bit sidetracked. The detailed X-15 cockpit will not be seen in the aircraft so will display separately. I've raided the spares box, butchered a floatplane trolley and wheeled base from a piece of ground equipment to convert this:

 

 

to make a wheeled display jig:

 

 

When the cockpit is complete it will look a bit like this : (Major Pete Knight is suited up but will have to wait a bit for the aircraft)

 

 

Lastly this was how nest looked earlier today. The peregrine looks extremely bored but that will all change if the eggs hatch.

 

 

Pinback

 

 

 

 

 

 

[2lefthands]

Wonderful topic!

 

[bigbadbadge]

Hi Pb, looking good, great to see the fuselage glued and the tanks sorted. I like the cockpit tub trolley idea too, great job.  Good to see the Falcon on the nest too.

Chris

[Pinback]

Hi - Progress on all three fronts

 

The eggs have hatched. There were four eggs (I could only see three) and there are four chicks. The clock is now ticking as they will be up and about in no time. The Uber deliveries have started. I think this was a pigeon. One chick arrived a least a day later so will be a bit behind in the pecking order.

 

 

We had a sizable earthquake week before last. The parent's reaction was priceless (don't know if its the mum or the dad).  "What the hell was that?"

 

 

The Skystreak needed a bit of work on getting the wing to fit snugly. The resin undercarriage bay was the main culprit and a tab helped align.

 

 

This is how she looks at the mo- just waiting for the putty to dry before sanding and priming and re filling and re sanding and re priming and .......

 

 

Now the X-15 had to have a slight correction. The instructions look slightly wrong. I'd glued the lower fin as instructed but this would mean it would align with the top fin. I was looking over some photos and realised it should be further back so have removed it this afternoon and will reapply. The plans on the instructions show the lower further back so am thinking it must apply to another X-15 kit option with a different configuration.

 

 

This photo courtesy of NASA shows the X-15 shortly after flight - A bit scorched in places with the lower fin burnt through. (On one flight the nose gear extended at Mach 4.2. The tyres disintegrated (!) but the wheels remained intact when it landed)

 

 

Lastly - one for @bigbadbadge I have finally found a photo of the Tamiya Beetle I built for a friend years ago. Not a brilliant shot I know

 

 

This was his pride and joy- he regrets selling it to this day.

 

 

Stay safe PB

[bigbadbadge]

Great to see the Skystreak together and looking good after the filling,  sanding cycle .

Lovely to see the Falcon chicks for the first time too.

Thanks for digging out the photo of the model, looks good from what I can make out and great colour match too.  The Tamiya kit is very nice .  Hasegawa also made some kits, which were a bit more basic, but gave the choice between sloped and upright headlights too.

Your Friend's bug , was it a 1200 Spar Kafer or base model?  looks great too, I regret selling them too, wish I could have kept them all!!!

 

Great update Pb

Chris

[Pinback]

Hi  More progress- (Have had issues trying to post over the last week. Must be the weather)

 

The fins on the X-15 were not as simple a task as I was expecting. The speed brakes being a bit fiddly and filler being needed. Major Knight is now strapped in and the cockpit closed.

 

 

Both aircraft have received initial coats - there will be a little more sanding and filling. I'm now thinking of having both aircraft in flying configuration due to space issues on my display shelf.

 

 

Nice shot of a Skystreak courtesy of NASA.  The first colour scheme was red and they were then painted white so that they would be more visible in flight. The control surfaces were left red as they were concerned about possible balance issues.

 

 

The cockpit is also moving along. I find a little scratchbuilding is always a good distraction. Have built up a coaming with Evergreen tube and plastic card. Several small pieces of photo etch have pinged off into oblivion and I will have no chance of locating.

 

 

Lastly the peregrines are growing nicely although their living quarters need a bit of a clean up. Thats not going to happen! This was a couple of days ago.

 

 

Lastly - @bigbadbadge still waiting to hear from my VW Beetle buddy - He's in Spain!

 

Stay safe

 

PB

 

[bigbadbadge]

Hi  PB, great progress on the models good to both models together and looking forward to the paint layers going on now. Talking of progress the chicks have come on well too  crikey it's looking a bit crowded at their end of the ledge.

No worries re the bug, with the blade bumpers and upright headlights it looks like a 1200. I had one that was the same year too. Loved the Beetles. 

Great work. 

Chris

[Pinback]

More progress- The peregrines have beaten me again and flew a few days go. Sadly the youngest of the four died last week, its thought via a Trichomonas virus which is pretty grim.  One day it was looking good and then it just went downhill.

 

The X-15 and Skystreak are nearly airborne. Both needed a lot of work around the cockpits and I'm still not totally happy but hey ho ! At least the masking of the tanks was easier than I thought it would be. The stand will be a stained/varnished piece of wood with K&S rod as the support.

 

 

 

 

One of the young peregrines having a practice flap. Not sure I would be so close to the edge!

 

 

PB

[bigbadbadge]

Hi PB

Both looking good, looking forward to seeing them on the base/stand. 

The birds went and did it again !!! Great to see the photo of ghe daring young Peregrine too, they are magnificent.   

I have had a Falcon fly just over my head at speed , whilst at a falconry display at a car show, it was awesome!!! I am glad I did not turn round at the wrong moment, could have had an eye out!!!

Great work 

Chris

[Pinback]

On 11/16/2021 at 6:12 AM, bigbadbadge said:

 

Both looking good, looking forward to seeing them on the base/stand.

 Thanks Chris   The peregrines are pretty special

 

For some reason I seem to have issues posting photos for periods of time but I seem to have a window now! All done and will post on the RFI quickly before it shuts!

 

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Looking good,  great work you have a great pair of models there.

Chris

[Johnson]

A great read, thanks! Look forward to seeing the RFI.

Cheers,

[dhanners]

On 20/09/2021 at 09:12, Pinback said:

Hi. Further progress. The two X-15 tanks have been sprayed but will need more filling and sanding. Interestingly the right hand tank when filled was lighter than the left hand due to the different fuels of anhydrous ammonia and liquid oxygen. Not sure how that worked out in flight.

 

 

The kit has the tanks marked as per the photo below (courtesy of NASA) for the record breaking flight but have yet to trace a shot of it in flight. There is film of this combination but the tanks are different when it cuts to the launch so am not sure if the flight below was aborted. Will do more digging. As I understand it the NB-52  could not lower its flaps for take off due the the underslung X-15 which meant an inordinately long take off run.

 

 

This NASA photo is from an earlier flight showing very different tank markings.

 

 

 

Both fuselages are glued but there is still a bit of filling and sanding required.

 

 

I then got a bit sidetracked. The detailed X-15 cockpit will not be seen in the aircraft so will display separately. I've raided the spares box, butchered a floatplane trolley and wheeled base from a piece of ground equipment to convert this:

 

 

to make a wheeled display jig:

 

 

When the cockpit is complete it will look a bit like this : (Major Pete Knight is suited up but will have to wait a bit for the aircraft)

 

 

Lastly this was how nest looked earlier today. The peregrine looks extremely bored but that will all change if the eggs hatch.

 

 

Pinback

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know I’m late to the party — I just joined — but great job on the models! As someone who has spent time researching X-15 markings, I’ll mention that the two in-flight photos of the X-15A-2 are from different flights — a captive flight to test the aircraft and external tanks by cold soaking them at altitude, and Knight’s speed-record flight two months later. The external tanks were the same on both flights; the photo of the X-15A-2 still attached to the B-52 (the captive flight) shows the heavy layer of frost on the starboard tank. Underneath, the tank was silver with a black circumferential band and a spiral black camera stripe fore to aft.

 

The X-15A-2 only made two flights in full ablative/sealant. The first flight lacked external tanks. Special Hobby’s decal instructions say the model is of the speed-record flight but the markings are actually for the captive flight and the flight without tanks. The aircraft’s markings on the speed-record flight were slightly different. On the speed-record flight, the starboard ventral speed brake had only H2O2 JETT on it; the H2O2 COMP. DRAIN legend carried previously was omitted.

 

I hope that helps and, again, excellent modeling!

Edited February 26, 2023 by dhanners

[Pinback]

On 2/26/2023 at 11:53 PM, dhanners said:

I hope that helps

Thanks dhanners! The photos I had caused me a fair bit of confusion at the time 🙂 but it was a very enjoyable build.

I may see if I can scrape off the COMP DRAIN marking 🙂