Curated by Tim Nelson. August – October, 2008.
A collection of models and artifacts celebrating the many aspects of NASA’s first 50 years. (Link to article)
Models on display
| Description |
|---|
1963 Pontiac Catalina Tow Vehicle (for M2-F1) NASA's "muscle car" was purchased and modified for initial tow tests of the M2-F1 lifting body at Edwards AFB in California. Scale: 1/24 Modeler: Jon Fincher |
Bell X-1A The X-1A improved upon the famous X-1, and at one time held both the world speed and altitude records. Scale: 1/32 Modeler: Terry Moore |
Douglas D-558-1 A joint program of the U.S. Navy and NACA, the "Skystreak" contributed significantly to understanding transonic flight (near Mach 1, the speed of sound). Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Dan Carey |
Douglas X-3 It looked fast but flew slow. Still, the X-3 contributed to understanding the "inertia coupling" phenomena that plagued long-bodied, thin-winged aircraft in the early 1950s. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Neil Makar |
Lockheed F-104 Chase Aircraft This F-104 represents a wide variety of aircraft performing chase and support functions. It could accompany many high performance aircraft over much of their flight envelopes. Scale: 1/48 Modeler: Neil Makar |
Lockheed NF-104 Aerospace Trainer The USAF installed a 6,000 lb thrust rocket engine in the tail of 3 F-104 Starfighter aircraft to create a training vehicle for future USAF and NASA rocket pilots. Scale: 1/48 Modeler: Charlie Sorensen |
Martin X-23 PRIME Re-entry Test Vehicle This 1/6 scale version of the USAF X-24A lifting body was successfully launched into space and recovered. The X-23/X-24A configuration strongly influenced NASA's late 1990s X-38 vehicle. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Tim Nelson |
NASA M2-F1 The first NASA lifting body was a lightweight "proof of concept" vehicle made mostly of wood. First towed by NASA's souped up Pontiac, later by an R4D (C-47) airplane. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Tim Nelson |
North American X-15A2 Probably the most significant research aircraft ever, the X-15 made giant contributions to the understanding of hypersonic flight. X-15 data directly influenced the design of the Space Shuttle. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Jacob Russell |
North American X-15A2 (ablative coating) The final X-15 flights explored high Mach numbers, reaching Mach 6.7. A special ablative (burn-away) coating was applied to protect the structure from the tremendous heat generated at these speeds. Scale: 1/48 Modeler: Charlie Sorensen |
Northrop HL-10 The fastest (Mach 1.86) and highest flying (90,303 ft) lifting body, the HL-10 was rocket powered and carried aloft by a B-52. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Tim Nelson |
Northrop M2-F2 The first heavyweight lifting body, derived from the M2-F1 configuration. It had serious handling problems. Nearly destroyed in a non-fatal landing accident, it was rebuilt as the successful M2-F3. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Tim Nelson |
Paraglider Research Vehicle (Parasev) This contraption was based on the ideas of NACA engineer Francis Rogallo. It was a testbed for studying gliding spacecraft recovery methods that were considered for Project Gemini. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Doug Girling |
X-38 Autonomous Crew Return Vehicle Testbed An International Space Station crew return vehicle concept, the X-38 was based on the USAF X-23/X-24A configuration. The vehicle was recovered automatically by parasail. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Tim Nelson |
TF-8A Super-Critical Wing Testbed A Vought Crusader was used to investigate supercritical airfoil technology, which reduces the strength of shockwaves that form on transonic aircraft wings. This technology is now common on commercial airliners. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Terry Moore |
Locomotive, NASA Railroad NASA operates its own 38 mile short line railroad at Cape Canaveral in Florida, hauling everything from solid rocket booster segments to large helium tanks. Scale: 1/87 Modeler: Jim Schubert |
Apollo Command Service Module This see-through model provides a view inside the core component of the Apollo program, the Command/Service Module. Scale: 1/32 Modeler: John Derosia |
NASA Panel Truck An essential part of NASA’s infrastructure, this panel truck ferried Gemini and Apollo astronauts to the launch pad. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: Doug Girling |
Buzz Aldrin figure, Apollo 11 Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin were the first of 12 American men to walk on the moon between 1969 and 1972. Scale: 1/24 Modeler: Les Knerr |
Gemini Spacecraft and Project Patch The United States mastered all the key elements required for moon missions during the Gemini program: spacewalk, orbital rendezvous & docking, and missions of up to 14 days duration. Scale: Approx 1/24 Modeler: Jake Schultz Collection |
Gulf Lunar Model (paper) In the summer of 1969, this paper model kit was given to customers filling their tanks at Gulf Oil gas stations. Scale: 1/44 Modeler: Tim Nelson |
Mercury Capsule (Grissom) In between Alan Shepard's and John Glenn's famous flights, Gus Grissom rode Liberty Bell 7 on a sub-orbital trajectory. It sank after splashdown and was recovered in 1999. Scale: 1/12 Modeler: Terry Moore |
Space Shuttle Stack and STS-1 Mission Patch The world's only reusable spacecraft and the United States' space "truck" since 1981. This model represents the first shuttle mission, STS-1, April 12-14, 1981. Scale: 1/144 Modeler: Tim Nelson (Patch from Norm Filer Collection) |
Apollo-Saturn V Moon Rocket Scale: 1/96 Modeler: John Derosia |
Hubble Space Telescope One of humanity's greatest scientific instruments, the Hubble has peered into the farthest reaches of space. Scale: 1/72 Modeler: John Derosia |
Mars Rover The rovers "Spirit" and "Opportunity" have explored Mars for 4+ years, well beyond their 90 day design life. Among their many discoveries is that liquid water was once present. Scale: 1/24 Modeler: Scott Kruize |
Pioneer 10 Pioneer 10 and 11 were the first spacecraft to explore Jupiter and Saturn, and the first human-made objects sent out of the solar system. Scale: 1/24 Modeler: Don Conrard |
Voyager 2 Voyager 2 conducted a spectacular planetary "Grand Tour", flying by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. It and Voyager 1 are now travelling outbound in interstellar space, still sending data. Scale: 1/24 Modeler: John Derosia |