Has anyone done a HL-10 Lifting body?

[feek61]

Ok, I knew I had read it someplace and of course the nose of the HL-10 today looks different (and here is why):

"The HL-10 is currently on display outdoors at NASA Dryden, mounted atop a pedestal. Earlier, the HL-10 had been severely damaged when it was dropped by a crane that was lifting it off a truck for display at the Los Angeles Museum of Science. The nose and vertical tails were smashed when the HL-10 hit the ground. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the accident. However, those of us who had worked on the lifting-body program were understandably upset with the Museum's crane crew and handlers, given the HL-10's illustrious flight-test record of 37 flights without mishap or damage. Jerry Reedy and his expert team in NASA Dryden's "Skunk Works" sheet-metal shop repaired the HL-10, doing the work in their spare time. Restored to its original condition, the HL-10 was carefully and sturdily mounted on its current pedestal display at NASA Dryden, never again to be lifted by a crane."

Working on getting some fresh HL-10 footage. Here are a few more photos:

Upon the HL-10's roll-out:

 

[feek61]

I really didn't know how extensive the damage to the HL-10 was until I got these pictures today:

Rear fin tip:

The other rear fin:

Side:

Back at Dryden:

Rear center fin:

Front side (you can see the cockpit instruments inside):

Sorry for the poor image quality but as you can see there was MAJOR damage.

 

[Nwerke]

Omigod. I feel like using a bad word!

 

[feek61]

HL-10 NEW FOOTAGE!!! Good news bad news

I have been searching the national archives for information on the HL-10. The good news is that I have found 89 mins of film footage that has never been seen. Further I can get this unseen footage in HD. The bad news is that it's going to cost $900 bucks to get it. SOOOOO, if anyone wants to go in on it with me PM me and let's get it. That's a little pricey for just me.

 

[PHArchivist]

Your research and dedication (and skill) is truly commendable.

I recently got around to watching "Deadly Replay".

Very well done moment of poignancy when he opens the hanger door and has the flashbacks. Do sort of wish that they had not "de-mystified" his crash though. The revelation in that episode - to me - sort of makes the whole crash a bit more shallow. I'd rather not really know what caused it. Sort of like not knowing what Boba Fett really looks like...

 

[feek61]

I'm sure I am no more committed to research then you are with your Death Star; thank you but in truth it's just passion. I thought it was a cool vehicle when I saw the first SMDM pilot when I was a kid but it wasn't until I actually saw the HL-10 in person in 1976 that I became obsessed. I was fifteen then and I actually bought the "Flight Without Wings" film from NASA for $85 dollars (which was a bunch of money for a kid) even though I didn't have a projector to show it (I rented projectors every once and a while and watched it over and over). Been in love with it (and collecting reference material) ever since.

This footage in the national archives has me really wanting to do something but with my daughter getting married this year I can justify spending that kind of money on the footage. The good thing is however since it's the national archives it should be there for a bit, lol.

 

[JMChladek]

I'm just glad there are other fans of the lifting bodies. With their "children" getting retired this year, it seems like the best time to go back and look at the craft that spawn the shuttle design as we know it today.

The damage to the HL-10 in those shots is just sad. Too bad no episode of 6MDM was being filmed then or the producers could have trucked the thing onto the lakebed to film a flashback of when Austin was pulled from the wreakage (as at that point they would have had a wrecked HL-10 to use). At the same time though, given how the damage looks rather localized to the top, it is a testiment (that and the M2-F2 crash photos) to how tough the birds were. Try that with a normal plane and I doubt there would have been much to salvage.

 

[feek61]

Well at least there are a FEW of us lifting body fans, lol. Had a little time today so I thought I would start on building a 1/24 version (about 10.5") based on the plans I drew. I want to make sure the shape is correct before we do the 1/12 version. The sections are not attached (or aligned, lol) but here is the beginning of the process:

 

[DarkHelmet]

Feek, thanks for keeping this thread alive! Very exciting.

Are you getting the measurements for this off the HL-10 sitting in your garage?

 

[feek61]

^
No, I had to sell her; times are tough, lol. Good to see you are still around DH.

 

[feek61]

I cut all of the sections today for the HL-10 and I must say it looks great. I am not posting a photo (yet) because it's really sloppy work. When I get it looking right I post a few photos but the purpose of doing this was to make sure the shape looked right before proceeding with a larger scale and I can say that the shape really looks good.

 

[feek61]

Well I have not had time to work on it so I'm posting some photos from last weekend in an effort to keep the thread alive, lol. I KNOW this is rough but she will be looking grand when I have some time. As I said before I am very happy with the shape; it's a tricky one with all of those curves but thats what makes her so sexy!

 

[JMChladek]

Basic shape looks like an HL-10 to me. From the angles you've shown, it seems to have that subtle change from curved side to flat top. Nice work so far!

 

[stromo]

Nice work!

 

[feek61]

Thanks guys! Have not had much time but when I do I have been working a little on her. Here are a few more photos. I've been working on getting the fins correct (you can see the difference compared to the above photos). The center fin is just a temporary stand-in; not the correct shape in thickness (just profile only). I gotta say that I just love the shape of this thing!!! I think I said it earlier but I will say it again (because I always think it) that this thing looks a different shape from any angle you look at it; she's tricky! Please critique:

Will, sorry I missed your phone call!!

 

[JMChladek]

Based on what I am seeing, you are nailing the shape just fine. There might be an ever so slight asymetry on the spine back around the tail fin, but it could also be the angle the picture was shot at. The right side tail fin also seems slightly fatter at the top than the left one.

Ironic that you have a Ball wide mouth jar on the table there as today Ball corp has a division called Ball Aerospace. They make avionics and instruments for spacecraft and satellites.

 

[Nwerke]

Looking good!

 

[feek61]

Based on what I am seeing, you are nailing the shape just fine. There might be an ever so slight asymetry on the spine back around the tail fin, but it could also be the angle the picture was shot at. The right side tail fin also seems slightly fatter at the top than the left one.

Ironic that you have a Ball wide mouth jar on the table there as today Ball corp has a division called Ball Aerospace. They make avionics and instruments for spacecraft and satellites.

Good eye! Yes, the thickness of the fins are different but I have not even started getting them right; just the shape of the fins themselves. I'll work on even-ing out everything once I'm happy . . . . hopefully this year!! lol. Will also get the central raised section correct. Thanks for the input; very helpful and much appreciated.

 

[feek61]

Offering up a collection of Lifting Body footage if anyone is interested here:
http://www.therpf.com/f13/lifting-body-dvds-113004/#post1630303

Trying to raise part of the $900 bucks to get all of the National Archive HL-10 footage transfered into HD which I will also make available at some point.


On another note I have put a little work in the 1/24 model refining the fins. I'm happy now (they were a little big in the above photos) with them and will glass it soon.

 

[jockdeboer]

Put me down for one!