It was originally intended for advanced Mach 2 turbojet propulsion testing, but it fell largely into the category of configuration explorers, as its performance (due to inadequate engines) never met its original performance goals.The goal of the aircraft was ambitious — it was to take off from the ground under its own power, climb to high altitude, … The X-3 employed titanium and low-aspect ratio wings. Douglas X-3 Stiletto by Revell. The airframe was primarily constructed of 24S-T81 aluminum alloy. Hugo Grotius, Dutch statesman and scholar. The Douglas X-3 (USAF S/N 49-2892), known as the Stiletto, was built to investigate the design of an aircraft suitable for sustained supersonic speeds. This slender, jet-powered aircraft tested such new materials as titanium and collected data on stability and control, pressure distribution, and flight loads. The Douglas X-3 Stiletto was the sleekest of the early experimental aircraft, but its research accomplishments were not those originally planned. A.E. This story was published in the November 2016 issue of Aviation History magazine. During the 10th on October 27, 1954, Joseph A. Walker encountered violent instability, stemming from the mass of the aircraft’s weight being spread through its long fuselage against its small wings. The new engine gives the F11F-1 a Mach 2 capability. June. I worked for Douglas Aircraft from 1957 to 1959 in the new Missles and Spacecraft Division. Manufacture of the pair was then formally approved during June of 1949. The plane was clearly underpowered, and pilot William B. Bridgeman radioed Major Charles E. Yeager, piloting the North American F-86 chase plane, “This thing doesn’t want to stay in the air.” Bridgman touched down at 240 mph, grateful that Edwards’ dry lakebed offered plenty of room. This aircraft is on display in the museum's Research & Development Gallery. Visit the post for more. The sleek Douglas X-3 flies over the high desert at Edwards AFB, Calif. NASA. Frances Perkins, U.S. labor secretary, first female cabinet member. Douglas X-3 Stiletto by Revell. I worked for Douglas Aircraft from 1957 to 1959 in the new Missles and Spacecraft Division. General Information. Its primary mission was to investigate the design features of an aircraft suitable for sustained supersonic speeds, which included the first use of titanium in major airframe components. X-3 Stiletto Aircraft In Flight. That prospect allowed the Douglas team to dispense with rocket boosters and build their airplane around a pair of J46 jets. The Douglas X-3 Stiletto was designed to investigate the attributes neccessary for sustained supersonic flight. Among the most sought-after were the supersonic X-planes, including the X-3, unofficially nicknamed the Stiletto. The Douglas X-3 Stiletto was a 1950s United States experimental jet aircraft with a slender fuselage and a long tapered nose, manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company. The X-3, like many other experimental aircraft, was a prototype. Douglas unveiled their new X-3 High Speed Research aircraft nick named the Stiletto. 49-2892, out of its Santa Monica, Calif., plant, but the design required further work and beefing up before it was approved for its first flight. This aircraft is on display in the museum's Research & Development Gallery. By the time 2892 was delivered to Edwards Air Force Base on September 11, 1952, the uncompleted second prototype had been canceled and relegated to providing spare parts. 8620 Cost: $20.00 Decals: One version – U.S. Air Force Comments: Old mold; 1982 “History Makers” re-issue of a 1950’s kit History. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock), DAYTON, Ohio -- Douglas X-3 Stiletto cockpit(foot pedal controls) at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo), Unlike the X-1 and X-2, which were released in mid-air from carrier aircraft, the X-3 operated in a more conventional manner by taking off from the ground. Tt's design was based on data gained from the X-3 and it had a good track record. The first two United States Navy Grumman F11F-1 Tiger supersonic fighters fitted with the more powerful General Electric J79-GE-3A make their first flights. Douglas unveiled their new X-3 High Speed Research aircraft nick named the Stiletto. TECHNICAL NOTES:
It had two Westingho 1/72 Scale Douglas X-3 Stiletto Prototype by AZ Model David Halberstam, New York Times correspondent, author, Pulitzer Prize winner in 1964. Matthew C. Perry, American naval officer, opened Japan to trade with the west. Dayton - Wright-Patterson AFB (Wright AFB) Region. The twin-turbojet X-3, the only one built, was designed to test sustained flight at twice the speed of sound. This topic is categorised under: Aircraft » Jets » Douglas X-3 Stiletto. The X-3 flew a total of 26 flights between 1952-1955. On June 30, 1945, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson approved a request for Douglas to develop an airplane capable of sustaining Mach 2 at 30,000 feet, flying for at least 30 minutes and—in contrast to the concurrent rocket-powered Bell XS-1—taking off and landing under its own power. The X-3, like many other experimental aircraft, was a prototype. The lance-like Douglas X-3 flew for the first time on October 15, 1952, taking off from the desert strip at … Douglas X-3 Stiletto 1953. Retrofitting a larger tail fin and wings of two feet greater span remedied the F-100A’s problem. The sleek Douglas X-3 flies over the high desert at Edwards AFB, Calif. ... On September 30, 1951, Douglas rolled the first X-3, serial no. … The prototype was delivered in September 1952, with the first flight occurring the following month. The X-3 was transferred to the museum in 1956. Due to its highly unorthodox, rather futuristic shape, the X-3 became known as the "Stiletto" due to its dagger-like appearance. In case a review is missing feel free to add them, this can be done on the individual product pages (for members only). The Douglas X-3 Stiletto was a 1950s United States experimental jet aircraft with a slender fuselage and a long tapered nose, manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company. This aircraft is on display in the museum's Research & Development Gallery. Clare Boothe Luce, reporter, U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. Designed to collect data on supersonic speeds up to Mach 2, the Douglas X-3 Stiletto proved more or less a failure in that respect - only a single aircraft being completed. (U.S. Air Force photo), General view of the Research and Development Gallery in the museum's fourth building at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Douglas X-3 Stiletto Basic Type. The United States Air Force commissioned for two flyable X-3 aircraft during June of 1945 (World War 2 would end in August of that year). , compelling Bridgeman to make a single-engine landing on afterburner 2 capability, author Pulitzer. Early experimental aircraft, was a prototype the right engine and douglas x‑3 stiletto was unable perform... And wings of two feet greater span remedied the F-100A ’ s and... Speed of sound officer, opened Japan to trade with the west one built was! 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