X-15 A-2 Special Hobby 1/32 - January 2014

On 18 May 1966, with Robert A Rushworth in the cockpit ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Rushworth ) the X-15A-2 56-671 flight 2-44-79 (158/199) provided the first relatively large-scale tests of MA-25S and the ESA-3560-IIA leading-edge material (Mach 5.43 - 30,175m - 5,937km/h). The materials had been applied (as appropriate) to three nose panels (F-3, F-4, and E-4), the UHF antenna, both main landing skids and struts, both sides of the ventral stabilizer, both lower speed brakes, and the left horizontal stabilizer. Researchers instrumented all of these panels to determine the effects of the ablator. Ground handling resulted in ablator damage that technicians repaired using a documented repair procedure; the test would inadvertently provide validation of its reparability. As part of the evaluation, technicians used various application techniques in different locations, providing some validation of the proposed concepts. In general, these tests were successful, although instrumentation failures precluded the gathering of any precise data from the nose panels.

Want to know more about the construction of this scale model, go to:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.527265574013839.1073741826.145512705522463&type=1

Enjoy.