Dyna Soar novel - it must be fate...

[Bob Stephenson]

OK, I've done the search on TRF and come up empty... maybe I'm just bad at searching, but does anyone out there make a kit of the Dyna Soar / Titan 3C (?)

The reason that I ask is today I took the family for a nice weekend drive. You know the sort of thing, "let's get away for the day, no rockets - just a picnic lunch with mum (mom to y'all) dad and son.

After lunch we go into a second hand (antiquarian) bookstore in Berima (little historic town South of Sydney here in Oz) and there on the shelf amongst the give away paperbacks for $3 and under is "Mike Mars Flies the Dyna-Soar" by Donald A. Wollheim circa 1962. See the scanned cover link below - of course I bought it!

It has to be fate. Someone up there (one of the rocket 'gods' ?) has taken pity and put this pulp paperback in my face. You see, I've been collecting stuff on this space plane since the early 60's. Been to sites on the web like 'Deep Cold' (excellent) and done the NASA/USAF sites to death.

Even found a few model rocketry related sites with Dyna Soar references that were awesome. But my first question remains - does anyone make a flyable model rocket kit of this bird ? Failing that does anyone out there have any 'detailed' plans ?

Cheers

(Evil) Bob

"A classic it aint but it still makes me smile"

 

[hokkyokusei]

I think sandman was offering a Dyna Soar nose cone a while back.

 

[Bob Stephenson]

Originally posted by hokkyokusei
I think sandman was offering a Dyna Soar nose cone a while back.

Thanks for the info hokkyokusei.

Sandman - any truth in this and if so what scale are we talking about (and do you have any available still) ?

Just to 'whet' your appetites I uploaded a .jpg from my own artwork of the Dyna Soar on a Titan 3M beside the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL). These two 'blue' projects - USAF space craft - are among my favorites for future flying models.

Cheers

(Evil) Bob

 

[sandman]

Bob,

Welcome and yes I did.

The project was me just goofin' but I've sold a few. Curently Astronboy is making up some decals for it and my Little Joe II is kinda using up all my time.

This was my original concept.

sandman

 

[sandman]

Here is just the cone next to a Deuce's cone.

sandman

 

[sandman]

Here is a better shot.

sandman

 

[sandman]

With paint and decals.

sandman

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

There is a TRF'er that uses the name DynaSoar...

He might have some info. Drop him a PM.

 

[Initiator001]

Originally posted by Bob Stephenson
After lunch we go into a second hand (antiquarian) bookstore in Berima (little historic town South of Sydney here in Oz) and there on the shelf amongst the give away paperbacks for $3 and under is "Mike Mars Flies the Dyna-Soar" by Donald A. Wollheim circa 1962. See the scanned cover link below - of course I bought it!

Yes! It really DOES exist.

I read four of the Mike Mars series books back when I was in elementary school.

Many years later I saw the "Mike Mars Flies the Dyna-Soar" in an used book store. Or, at least I THOUGHT I did.

Thanks for confirming the existence of it.

 

[user 13]

Sandman,

Must have X-20! Must Have! Will you sell the nosecone, decals and plans? If so How much?

Mark

BTW Apogee books has a great book on the X-20.

 

[dtomko]

Bob,
The X-20, Titan III, and MOL are among my favorites as well. Go here:
https://www.goldinc.com/~zing/rockets/x20/x-20main.html
for plans for a 1/73 Dyna Soar to fit the OOP Estes Titan III. It's "fun scale," but does glide back. There are also several paper models out there. You could probably use one of those as a starting point for patterns.
Drew Tomko

 

[dtomko]

And about the MOL . . .
Your drawings are very nice. The one test launch of the MOL had a longer main BT however (see attached). Technically, BTW, that was the first reused spacecraft as the Gemini capsule was one that had flown (I forget which flight # capsule was used). I have plans from an old Model Rocketeer to convert the old Estes 1/53 Gemini Titan into a MOL with working strap ons (sadly using extinct B-14-0s though). Let me know if you want them and I can scan them. I think it would still work with some kind of positive strap on attachment. It's on my list to build . . . someday!
Drew Tomko

 

[hokkyokusei]

Originally posted by dtomko
Technically, BTW, that was the first reused spacecraft as the Gemini capsule was one that had flown (I forget which flight # capsule was used).

It was Gemini 2. A suborbital test flight.

 

[Bob Stephenson]

Originally posted by Initiator001
Yes! It really DOES exist.

I read four of the Mike Mars series books back when I was in elementary school.

Bob,

now I'm feeling guilty - they had the rest of the series there as well but I only bought the 'Dyna Soar' book...

The others in the series included :

Mike Mars - Astronaut (#1)
Mike Mars Flies the X-15 (#2)
Mike Mars at Cape Kennedy (#3)
Mike Mars in Orbit (#4)
Mike Mars, South Pole Spaceman (#6)

It is a two hour drive from here but next time I go North for the day I'll call in again and see if I can grab the rest of the series. Don't you just hate it when you see a bargain and only have a few dollars to spare

Cheers

(Evil) Bob

 

[Bob Stephenson]

...and just to prove that I have way too much time on my hands (usually between 2 and 3 AM) here are some drawings based on artwork I found on the net.

My apologies to whoever posted the originals but I can't for the life of me find details of where they came from to attribute them properly...

My originals are in CorelDraw and you can see by the half completed 'sections' I am planning on building a balsa 'bulkhead and plank' model sometime soon(ish). This will no doubt be heavy but just like the F4 Phantoms, I hope to prove that with enough power even a brick can fly

BTW, thanks for the info guys - much appreciate the time you have taken to reply and your kind words

Cheers

(Evil) Bob

 

[Bob Stephenson]

Originally posted by sandman
The project was me just goofin' but I've sold a few...

Sandman,

the sight of me wiping drool off the keyboard is upseting my wife...

When you finish that other (no less worthy) project let me know so that I can 'pre order' one of your excellent looking X-20 cones

BTW, your completed rockets look 'way cool' as my 15 year old says...

Cheers

(Evil) Bob

 

[sandman]

The nose cones are fairly easy for me to make. i'm just waiting for decals.

sandman