Finally done! Hangar 11 6" dia. X-15

[dixontj93060]

Finally finished this rocket. I see I have one "somewhat" before picture from November 2013. I think I started the rocket by routing and putting sections of Rohacell foam to lighten the fins back in late 2012. So only 5 years to finish .









Here it is completed (Estes X-15 shown for scale ). Equipped with nosecone camera (larger hole on top) and adjustable weight setup. Main deployment by Defy Gravity tether. TeleMega and StrataCF for alts.

 

[LithosphereRocketry]

Finally finished this rocket. I see I have one "somewhat" before picture from November 2013. I think I started the rocket by routing and putting sections of Rohacell foam to lighten the fins back in late 2012. So only 5 years to start to finish .

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Here it is completed (Estes X-15 shown for scale ). Equipped with nosecone camera (larger hole on top) and adjustable weight setup. Main deployment by Defy Gravity tether. TeleMega and StrataCF for alts.

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That looks incredible!

I personally think there are way too many #FNC high power kits. Glad someone's keeping the (visually) complex rockets going!

 

[dhbarr]

Wow, it's a day for wrapping up amazing suspense!

 

[jd2cylman]

That looks awesome. I hope I get to see it fly.

 

[dixontj93060]

That looks awesome. I hope I get to see it fly.

It will fly @ mini-MWP.

From the Ether...

 

[Dwatkins]

Wonderful looking X-15!!


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[markg]

Finally finished this rocket. I see I have one "somewhat" before picture from November 2013. I think I started the rocket by routing and putting sections of Rohacell foam to lighten the fins back in late 2012. So only 5 years to finish .
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Great job, it looks fantastic!

 

[rstaff3]

Dang, that looks fantastic!

 

[AfterBurners]

Awesome job!! Fantastic. Always liked that model. Very cool!!

 

[DavidMcCann]

That’s amazing

 

[les]

Fantastic job!!!

 

[dixontj93060]

Thanks all! This kit is one I had my eye on and wanted to build since my return to rocketry back in 2001.

From the Ether...

 

[jd2cylman]

It will fly @ mini-MWP.

From the Ether...

Then you have launch and recovery help...

 

[cbrarick]

Dang, now i gotta drag mine out of the build pile and make it....

 

[Cl(VII)]

Fantastic. I love the X-15, and am fighting some deep jealousy right now.

 

[ksaves2]

Very nice. Now go read the latest book: https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9780803228405/

Not a super detailed techno book but outlines most of the research and the experiences of every pilot who flew them. Only one pilot left alive who flew the -15. Also hand flew the Space Shuttle making him the only person to
fly the only "two" aerospace planes the US government ever had. (O.K. outside of any dark projects that we're not supposed to know about. There was that rumored XB-70 look-a-like mothership that supposedly put
something manned into orbit and was quashed because of cost.) Kurt

 

[MaxQ]

Very cool and bad ass all at the same time. :cool2: :headbang:

 

[Nick@JET]

Wow, Amazing work Tim!! Can’t wait to see that monster fly!


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[ECayemberg]

Excellent! Looks great, Tim!

Can't wait to see that beauty fly!!!:drool:

 

[neil_w]

"Wow" is all I can say. Would love to see that thing fly. Will settle for videos.

 

[RocketFeller]

That is one of the nicest rockets that I've ever laid eyes on...


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[dixontj93060]

That is one of the nicest rockets that I've ever laid eyes on...

Wow, thanks!

It isn't perfect, but it is pretty close to the top of the 100-some HPR rockets I have built.

 

[Bat-mite]

Amazing as always, Tim. Does anyone ever actually shoot pool on that table? :wink:

 

[ChuckH]

So only 5 years to finish

Sounds like my projects It looks amazing, can't wait to see it fly!

 

[dixontj93060]

Sounds like my projects It looks amazing, can't wait to see it fly!

Well, there is one X-15 out there that is definitely better than mine--a Hangar 11 built in 2007 by Greg Lane (see: https://x15rocket.blogspot.com/)...

Saying that, we have one "unnamed" vendor that is working on another X-15, a Curtis/scratch combo (also 5+ years into it). Now this vendor "cheats" and uses an auto body shop to do his painting so likely he will show up at M-MWP with an even better looking X-15. Not to worry though, we are going to drag race them on 54mm motors and he will rue the day he "threw down the gauntlet"!!!!!!

 

[dlb]

Three thumbs up.. :dark:

 

[burkefj]

That looks great, lovely build.

Regarding the kit, one thing that has bothered me on almost all rocket versions of the x-15 is that they fudge on the wing/tail surfaces and placement of the chines, so the side view looks generally great, but the top view looks sort of funny, how is this one? compared to a 3-view? Do you have a photo of the top? I'm just curious, don't take this as anything against a lovely X-15 and we definitely need more X-15's out there

Frank

 

[dixontj93060]

That looks great, lovely build.

Regarding the kit, one thing that has bothered me on almost all rocket versions of the x-15 is that they fudge on the wing/tail surfaces and placement of the chines, so the side view looks generally great, but the top view looks sort of funny, how is this one? compared to a 3-view? Do you have a photo of the top? I'm just curious, don't take this as anything against a lovely X-15 and we definitely need more X-15's out there

Frank

Frank, it's actually pretty good. I'll take a vertical pic tonight and post it.

 

[Nytrunner]

What materials were used to make the airframe surfaces beyond the ube?

 

[mike2wander]

Well, there is one X-15 out there that is definitely better than mine--a Hangar 11 built in 2007 by Greg Lane (see: https://x15rocket.blogspot.com/)...

Saying that, we have one "unnamed" vendor that is working on another X-15, a Curtis/scratch combo (also 5+ years into it). Now this vendor "cheats" and uses an auto body shop to do his painting so likely he will show up at M-MWP with an even better looking X-15. Not to worry though, we are going to drag race them on 54mm motors and he will rue the day he "threw down the gauntlet"!!!!!!

Tim,

Seeing yours finished is exactly what I needed to get back to work and finish mine. Your looks amazing!! Its crazy how muck time goes into a project like that.The first time I saw an X-15 fly I had to build one. Ken Allen from Performance Hobbies managed to get me a set of Fiberglass components (nose and tail cones plus nacells). That was quite a few years ago also. It just seemed that drag racing two 6" X-15's is something I'm pretty sure nobody else has done before. Win, Loose, or draw....this is going to be a blast!:handshake: