Way back in the early 1960s the USAF was determined to get into the manned spaceflight game, and their chosen vehicle was the X-20 Dyna Soar. Initially intended to be launched on a Titan I the vehicle soon grew in weight which necessitated a change in launcher.
Two mission profiles were planned - a suborbital 'once around' trajectory which would see it launched from Vandenberg AFB atop a Titan II, landing back at Vandenberg ( or other West Coast AFB ) after a partial orbit and glide. The second mission profile would use the Titan IIIC to place the X-20 in orbit.
Last year I produced a 1/72 resin kit of the Gemini Titan, so decided to reuse the same core launcher components for models of the X-20.
First, the suborbital version......
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX-20%2FDSCF8503.jpg&hash=45ef3099e5dccef6f68a84fd3fba476d804beaf0) (https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX-20%2FDSCF8524.jpg&hash=39da0a6b89574af03d4cdaf8b2a73d72c68538aa)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX-20%2FDSCF8498.jpg&hash=5f1c40b529029d81f9cdaf0f4839e0e4c2434a2d)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX-20%2FDSCF8501.jpg&hash=0c873d918f44ec98c62c6a9113683b0e8b950b27)
And now the orbital version....
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX-20%2FDSCF8541.jpg&hash=287a962f911b42b8244d510a5b950ed624eb373f) (https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX-20%2FDSCF8543.jpg&hash=6c9512af29ed96a2e726812136ea004f7504844f)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX-20%2FDSCF8538.jpg&hash=bbe8f83a4705c25c87e8557ae2bc56c4558c6622)
http://martins-models.co.uk/Sales/72/X-20/x20.htm
That look so cool. I love the Titan series. The rocket, not so much the animie.
When the X-20 was cancelled, parts of the USAF still wanted their own manned space programme, and a proposal was made to launch an X-24 lifting body into orbit using the launch vehicles intended for the X-20.
To protect the light alloy airframe of the X-20 I suspect it would have used similar spray-on ablative to that used on the X-15-A2. Oddly though the X-24 is generally thought of as being quite small, it was considerably larger than a Gemini spacecraft
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX-20%2FDSCF8228.jpg&hash=31067e03d8471604f37b7d6e256d8f6edcb2c4dc)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX24%2FDSCF8544.jpg&hash=b1443b038fef3777eba2fb927f33ab7fbdda5c20) (https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX24%2FDSCF8545.jpg&hash=2367599937daadf20a91bf7df4a463dc9f060151)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmartins-models.co.uk%2FSales%2F72%2FX24%2FDSCF8548.jpg&hash=66b9293376b003682ff1db0385b980119c58449d)
http://martins-models.co.uk/Sales/72/X24/X24.htm
Nice work
SUPER modelling there! :thumbsup: :bow:
I've got vacforms of the X-24A and B, and the HL-10 and a few others, I really should get on and BUILD them!
I must admit, having grown up in the shadow of the Cold War that I am used to seeing pictures of the Titan. It's a shame it never caught on with the mainstream kit manufacturers in 1/72. Your models are really nice. :thumbsup:
A Titan in 1/72 would be awesome. Huge whiff potential!
Those are great. :thumbsup:
I bought an Estes 1/70 Gemini-Titan rocket many years back. It may still be available.
:thumbsup: Cool.
Quote from: kerick on March 14, 2015, 10:07:03 PM
A Titan in 1/72 would be awesome. Huge whiff potential!
If you want to whiff one, and don't need the full kit, I'm quite happy to supply individual parts :thumbsup: