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Author
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Topic: Information on possible Dyna-Soar model
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KChaffin
New Member Posts: 1
From: Jacksonville, Fl, USA
Registered: Sep 2019
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posted 09-30-2019 07:58 PM
   
This model — possibly a prototype Dyna-Soar — is made of wood and what appears to be composite. It is 27 inches nose to tail and 13.5 inches wing tip to wing tip. It is on a large wooden stand and it appears that the model is removable, though I have not attempted to do so. There are six small threaded holes on the fuselage, two down the midline, two on the left and two on the right. However it does not appear that anything has been screwed into these holes in quite awhile. On the wooden base is a large, heavy brass NASA medallion. The medallion is loose, but does appear to have been attached at some point. There are two threaded holes on the back of the medallion and two holes all the way through the wooden base. I would love to know more about what I have, where it came from and what it was used for, if it has any value and if so what it’s worth - really anything I can learn. I would also love to know if it is really from NASA. Thank you.  
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GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2475
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 10-01-2019 04:50 AM
Welcome to cS! It has the general shape of the Dyna Soar but it not the detail. The nose area is sharper than the Dyna Soar and the boat tail area is different. Looks like a general lifting body shape concept model. Nice size and appearance. |
albatron
Member Posts: 2732
From: Stuart, Florida
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 10-06-2019 05:02 PM
At first blush I'm thinking wind tunnel model, with the extra holes. Someone might have "rescued" it, and put it on a wooden stand and added the NASA medallion. It is unique. |
albatron
Member Posts: 2732
From: Stuart, Florida
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 10-08-2019 09:31 AM
After some further checking, if you contacted the Smithsonian you should have gotten this response: Yes, definitely an X-20 Dyna-Soar model. Its a bit "notional" but I am guessing it was meant to represent the Model 844-2050, which was the penultimate model before the approved Model 844-2050E that would have been built. It is not truly accurate (especially the lack of a discernible windscreen) and the paint scheme is a bit dramatic (red leading edges).I have never seen one with that type of stand or the brass medallion on it, so I am guessing it was not built by Boeing or the Dyna-Soar program. It might have been created in on elf the NASA center model shops (Ames?) as a presentation model for somebody. Its definitely a display model, not a wind-tunnel model. So I stand corrected. |
capoetc
Member Posts: 2169
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 10-08-2019 08:08 PM
I find this model interesting, in part, because the X-20 was not a NASA program, it was an Air Force program. This model was likely made when NASA was still an integral part, with Neil Armstrong and Bill Dana (both NASA pilots) scheduled to fly. I wondered if this model could have been the Bell entry (or one of the other contractors that bid on the contract)? |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 10-09-2019 03:15 AM
It seems to me that the mystery holes on the top are proof that the model was not originally intended to be displayed on this stand.That would mean that the stand, with its NASA logo, was created by someone at a later date. There's really nothing here to indicate that the model itself had any direct link with NASA. I would guess that the hot-rod paintwork was also added at this time. The model would originally have been plain (black or otherwise) if intended as just a shape test. If it had been a full display piece it would have been painted in USAF trim and it's unlikely that someone would have painted over this in black and glowing red. |
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