Revell

1/72 X-15 Experimental Aircraft

Kit Number: 1035

Reviewed by  Phil Peterson, IPMS# 8739

MSRP: $12.75 This fastest of the X craft, the X-15 set several unofficial world records for both speed and altitude. This kit depicts the second built, the X-15A-2. After being nearly destroyed in a crash landing, the plane was rebuilt with a stretched fuselage. Monogram originally released this kit twice under the "Young Astronauts" campaign back in 1987, once as the X-15 by itself and the other with the B-52 mother ship that carried it aloft. These kits have gone for large $$ amounts but with this re-release, now everyone can add this very important aircraft to their collection for a very reasonable price. The kit is molded in grey plastic which seems a little odd until you find out that it can be built in either the regular Black scheme or a White scheme depicting the ablative coating that was painted on to help protect the aircraft from the high temperatures encountered during very high speed flights. The panel lines are raised reflecting the time it was originally manufactured but they are subtle and few. The interior seems pretty good for this scale. The seat is part of the cockpit tub, with molded on seat belts. There is a separate stick and a nice looking instrument panel. The landing skids are depicted raised and the detachable dolly wheel assembly is included. It would be a little bit of extra work to depict the craft in its landed mode. There are 36 parts including a 2 piece stand, a one piece standing pilot and 2 small clear parts. The canopy has one small clear part because it depicts the later canopy with the eyelid installed. This was to protect the window from being smeared by ablator residue during high speed tests. It was opened as the aircraft was coming in for a landing to provide visibility. Injector pin marks are on the inside of parts and there are no sink marks on either of the kits I have.

The fuselage is molded top and bottom with the wings as part of the top piece. Test fitting shows little need for putty except under the wing root areas. Decals include markings for 2 schemes of the same airframe. The overall Black scheme has the NASA tailband and full USAF markings while the White scheme has only a couple of emergency markings. For the price, may as well get 2 and build both. Overall this looks like a quick and simple build and I have seen several of these built up into very nice models. Thanks to Revell for the review kit.

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