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Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 516 (September 13, 2014)
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heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 09-13-2014 02:22 AM
   
 NASA pilot Milt Thompson in orange flightsuit stands next to the M2-F2 lifting body on the ramp at the Flight Research Center. Thompson had just completed his first free flight in the vehicle on July 12, 1966. |
Kite
Member Posts: 831
From: Northampton UK
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 09-13-2014 04:35 AM
Great choice Ed. Lifting bodies seem neglected compared with X planes but Milt Thompson finally left the X15 to help develop them. |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 09-13-2014 06:21 AM
Great timing Ed; I'm reading the book Wingless Flight. The beginning and evolution of the lifting body program is a great story.Thanks for another great photo! |
bobslittlebro
Member Posts: 179
From: Douglasville, Ga U.S.A.
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 09-13-2014 06:29 AM
Very nice photo Ed. I have never seen this one. Milt was one of the best! |
alanh_7
Member Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 09-13-2014 08:21 AM
I always felt the lifting bodies were the most extraordinary aircraft ever flown and the wingless idea still as valid today as as it was then, as seen in the Dream Chaser program. The M2-F3 is in the Smithsonian. The X-24B is located at the U.S. Air Force Museum. But the HL-10 is a gate guard at Edwards. I wish they would bring it out of elements and into a museum where it belongs. |
GoesTo11
Member Posts: 1309
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 09-13-2014 09:04 AM
I'll never get tired of seeing these amazing, innovative aircraft parked alongside '60s cars and tow trucks. It's a window to the era when we said, "Hey, why not?" |
Jurg Bolli
Member Posts: 977
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 09-13-2014 09:56 AM
Great photo! |
space1
Member Posts: 853
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 09-13-2014 12:33 PM
It looks as though Milt has stopped for a quick wash and wax. |
mach3valkyrie
Member Posts: 719
From: Albany, Oregon
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 09-13-2014 06:40 PM
Yeah; "Fill 'er up and get that windshield." |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 09-14-2014 02:36 AM
Wash and fill-up? And there was me wondering why they were giving it an enema.  |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 09-14-2014 11:44 AM
quote:
Originally posted by GoesTo11:
It's a window to the era when we said, "Hey, why not?"
Yep. Can we bring that era back, please? |
astro-nut
Member Posts: 946
From: Washington, IL
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 11-01-2014 02:43 PM
An excellent photo!! The good ole days of the lifting bodies vehicles. |
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