Northrop HL-10

[Angelo]

This is my scratch built 1/24th scale Northrop HL-10
It was an experimental lifting body, one of three designs used by NASA and the USAF to test lifting body theories.
Some of the discoveries from the tests were used in the design of the Space Shuttle.
The HL-10 also featured in "The Six Million Dollar Man".
It was the aircraft that Steve Austin was flying when it crashed causing the injuries that led to him becoming the Bionic Man.
Though you see the HL-10 being launced from the B-52 in the opening titles of the programe, its a different lift body design that actualy crashes, the
M2F2.







The main body was shaped from balsa wood with acrylic sheet used for the fins and winglets. Isopon P-38 car body filler was used to get the final shape and smooth finish.

[Ham Salad]

Wow, that's amazing...I bet that took some time.

[joeb]

That is beautiful, more photos please.

[Captain Sci-Fi]

That looks amazing, how did you model the rivets?

[RCnut]

That is Awsome!

[Angelo]

Originally Posted by Captain Sci-Fi

That looks amazing, how did you model the rivets?

I used a hypodermic needle, about a 16 gauge.
I ground off the point, mounted it in a pin vice and marked the rivets in one at a time.

Thanks for the comments guys, I really appreciate them

[Steve Gerard]

Well done, impressive results.

[jockdeboer]

Wow! Man that is looks super. I wish there was a kit for this one! One of my all time fav's most likely due to the Bionic Man...

[JMChladek]

Very very very VERY cool! I love the ole lifting bodies. What did you use for the cockpit bits? Anything from a kit in there or was that all scratchbuilt as well?

[Angelo]

Originally Posted by JMChladek

Very very very VERY cool! I love the ole lifting bodies. What did you use for the cockpit bits? Anything from a kit in there or was that all scratchbuilt as well?

The ejector seat is a modified 24th scale on from an Airfix Harrier and the instrument panel uses dials and bezels from Waldron.
The rest is scratch built.

[portland182]

I love it.

Wake up injection kit manufacturers and make me a nice kit in this scale

[jockdeboer]

Originally Posted by portland182

I love it.

Wake up injection kit manufacturers and make me a nice kit in this scale

If only! Hey, maybe Dragon will do these too...

[Angelo]

There is a 72nd resin HL-10 kit:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ANIG7214

And Collectaire used to do a 48th resin kit, but its out of production.

[Uyraell]

For those who might be interested, there is also a rather nice cardboard model HL10 available, that can be printed out and built. In the same series is an M2F2. It may be googled and downloaded from the internet.

I have a copy of each, and they look to be very worthwhile.
Since they are free, some members here might wish to examine the card model option.

Kind and Respectful Regards, Uyraell.

[jockdeboer]

There is a guy doing a 1/18 kit of this. He may do a 1/24 also.

[Angelo]

Originally Posted by jockdeboer

There is a guy doing a 1/18 kit of this. He may do a 1/24 also.

Do you have anymore info on this?

[jockdeboer]

His name is Jon and is on the Yahoo Space Modelers site. He does mainly high end 3D but some he creates finished models and kits with. Seems to do a lot of work for NASA and such. He has a finished 1/18 X-15 he produces. I have been after him to do a kit of it, but he does not see the market for it. He also just produced high end decals in 1/32 of the X-15 as well.

[Retro Rocket]

I've built a CAD model that I'm using to make a 1/15th HL to go with my 1/15th X-15. There might be a possibility of a 1/24th kit along with the X-15 and X-20, we're working out the details.

[Retro Rocket]

These were fairly basic rendered in rhino.
[IMG][/IMG]

[lalo]

... Congrats. I like these models. They preserve the aesthetics of yesteryear.
Jorge.