The Flickr Hypersonic Image Generatr

Beautiful ca. 1963/64 color artist’s concept depicting the release of X-15A2 from its B-52 mothership. Note the scramjet & one of the two external fuel tanks.
Per Google’s AI Overview:

“While there were plans to incorporate a scramjet, it was never actually used in flight. The fuselage was extended to accommodate liquid hydrogen for a planned scramjet, but the scramjet itself was only flown in mockup form and never tested during X-15 flights. Wikipedia states that the dummy scramjet was mounted on the ventral fin of the X-15A-2 and was damaged during landing due to heat, breaking off and falling away.”

I assume, maybe, that this work is also by D. E. Wilson, as was the original (without scramjet & external tank(s)), which I’ve linked to below.

I downloaded the image from the following website. In doing so, I cropped out their bullshit copyright claim, as I don’t recognize it. They should be thankful I’ve provided some free, albeit minimal & inconsequential, publicity:

www.airteamimages.com/north-american-x-15_56-6671_usa-us-...
Credit: “AirTeamImages” website

Model of the Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-25 (NATO code Foxbat) pixelated

Link to see more about this model on Turbosquid.com:

www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3d-mig25-pixelated-1966693?r...

Link to the whole gallery:

www.turbosquid.com/Search/Artists/AmanitaCZ?referral=aman...

Link to the software:

www.cazaba.cz/

A Sandia team prepares a solar-powered hot air balloon to support research at Sandia.

Learn more at bit.ly/3PQghGX

Photo by Craig Fritz

A Sandia solar-powered hot air balloon is prepared for flight. It bears sensors, including a GPS tracker and reusable infrasound sensor, to support scientists conducting studies on the sonic signature of meteoroids.

Learn more at bit.ly/3PQghGX

Photo by Craig Fritz

A modified Pegasus rocket drops away after release from NASA's B-52B before accelerating the X-43A over a Pacific Ocean test range.

NASA Media Usage Guidelines

Credit: NASA
Image Number: EC04-0325-32
Date: November 16, 2004

Posted as an accompaniment to my photo below, primarily to further illustrate/confirm Dyna-Soar reaction control system thruster locations.

Although I know less than squat about torque/stress/tension? and/or center-of-gravity when it comes to attitude control in space, I would’ve expected a thruster or two to be located at/near the nose of the spaceplane...no? I mean, the shuttle has them there. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

At/from:

documents.theblackvault.com/documents/dynasoar/AFD-080408...
Credit: John Greenewald, Jr./"The Black Vault" website

Beautiful and never before seen (at least by me) Bell Aerospace artist’s concept revealing the fuel tanks, manifolds?, pumps?, valves?, feed lines & locations of the pitch, yaw and roll reaction control system thrusters of the X-20 Dyna-Soar…appropriately enough, during reentry. VERY cool indeed.

As if the rarity of the image wasn’t enough, it’s by the immensely talented Carl Zoschke, responsible for some of the most striking & iconic works from the early days of the Apollo Program.

While the Bell Aircraft Company was a player during the precursor/nascent stages of the Dyna-Soar program, I believe based on its boost-glide bomber-missile (Bomi) concept, I don’t know if they had (would have) had a hand in the eventual/final Boeing Dyna-Soar concept. In lieu of finding really anything regarding this, I’m assuming they were to have supplied the reaction control system for the vehicle, as they did for the Mercury capsule. Mr. Zoschke’s similar depiction for the aforementioned is linked to below.

An exceedingly rare gem, and a most delightful find!

Good reading:

ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19720063747/downloads/1972006...

Great reading:

documents.theblackvault.com/documents/dynasoar/AFD-080408...
Credit: John Greenewald, Jr./"The Black Vault" website

Also:

vintagespace.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/a-history-of-the-dy...
Credit: "Vintage Space" website

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_--JI_aolOU
Credit: "Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture"/YouTube

0309-2463-24

North American X-15A-2
Hypersonic Research Aircraft

The X-15 is a famous and significant part of aviation history. Its purpose was to fly high and fast, testing the machine and subjecting pilots to conditions that future astronauts would face. It made the first manned flights to the edges of space and was the world’s first piloted aircraft to reach hypersonic speeds, or more than five times the speed of sound. The X-15 was an important tool for developing spaceflight in the 1960s, and pilots flying above 50 miles altitude in the X-15 earned astronaut wings.

Three X-15s were built, and they made 199 flights between 1959-1968. The program was a joint U.S. Air Force/Navy/NASA project, and four of its 12 pilots were U.S. Air Force officers. One pilot, USAF Maj. Michael J. Adams, died in an X-15 crash in 1967. Another X-15 pilot, Neil Armstrong, later became the first man to walk on the moon.

Like other rocket planes, the X-15 was launched in midair from a B-52 “mothership” at about 45,000 feet. Once its powerful rocket ignited, the X-15 streaked upward to the limits of the atmosphere, then glided unpowered to land on a dry lake bed. Typical flights lasted about 10 minutes.

This aircraft is the second of the three X-15s. North American modified it for even greater speed, adding the large orange and white propellant tanks and lengthening the fuselage about 18 inches. This was the fastest X-15, reaching Mach 6.7 in October 1967. It was delivered to the museum in 1969.

TECHNICAL NOTES:
Crew: One
Engine: Reaction Motors XLR-99 of 50,000+ lbs. thrust
Maximum speed: 4,520 mph (Mach 6.7)
Ceiling: 354,200 feet (67 miles)

Get set up for your attack run!" — Red Leader Garven Dreis (Drewe Henley), Star Wars (1977)

Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, Oregon

Media:
* YouTube: 4K Star Wars 1977 Original / 'Despecialized' - Battle of Yavin - Full Battle
* Wikipedia: Drewe Henley

Blue Ridge Parkway & Graveyard Fields

Blue Ridge Parkway & Graveyard Fields

Blue Ridge Parkway & Graveyard Fields

Blue Ridge Parkway in the morning light as the sun rose about 60 mins before

Blue Ridge Parkway & Graveyard Fields

In this striking & exceedingly rare Douglas Aircraft Company artist’s concept, a Saturn C-1 (Saturn I) booster is depicted at the moment of first stage jettison and staging, while delivering an X-20/Dyna-Soar into earth orbit.
Note the blowout panels of the second (S-IV?) stage…kinda looks like the eyes of a big flaming-mouthed jack-o’-lantern with pointed ears. Speaking of those “ears”, I find the addition of the fins interesting…very “retro sci-fi/vintage Monogram model I gotta have” cool. 😉

~¾” tear near the upper right corner, which does extend into the image, does not detract. Still of very high luster/gloss.
8.5" x 11".

This is the first & only inflight depiction of the Dyna-Soar/Saturn C-1 (Saturn I) combination I’ve ever seen. The configuration was apparently considered in 1961 but quickly ruled out in favor of the Titan III.

Beautiful artwork by Don Charles…or Ron Simpson…who I still sorta suspect to be one and the same. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

One of MANY articles regarding the X-20 Dyna-Soar:

www.drewexmachina.com/2016/04/10/the-future-that-never-ca...
Credit: Andrew LePage/Drew Ex Machina website

Blue Ridge Parkway cruising

Blue Ridge Parkway cruising

Blue Ridge Parkway cruising

tailofthedragon.com/ - US129

I had some work in Knoxville, so took the scenic route.

Photo Credit: US129photos

tailofthedragon.com/ - US129

I had some work in Knoxville, so took the scenic route.

Photo Credit: 129Slayer