Here's a first and really excellent Timeline contribution from Spacex enthusiast, Paul Vreede:
Hi Paul, (As mentioned to you before) I'm thoroughly amazed and delighted with the deluge of TV21 art on your blog, illustrating where Spacex toys found their inspiration. I truly admire the dedication of Mr Philosophic Toad in what must've been a huge effort in research. One of the delights on show is the Eagle comic showing the inspiration for the Spacex Nasa Glider/Lifting Body, for it provides the missing link between the toy and a real-life spacecraft.
Here's a picture of the Northrop M2-F2 Lifting Body, which first flew in March 1966, two months before the publication of the comic strip (public domain picture from NASA). I think the similarity is obvious, in general shape and particularly the nose detail.If I compare it with my Spacex Lifting Body then that has a third fin that looks quite a lot like the one on that model from the NY World Fair shown on your blog awhile back.
So perhaps the people behind Spacex did want to have something a bit more generic, especially since designs competing with the M2-F2 had a third fin.And M2-F2 would gain one later in life as well (though in mid-1970, when I think the Spacex toy was probably already made) to help with stability problems. Sadly M2-F2 crashed, injuring its pilot. The crash was filmed, and eventually used in the opening titles of the Six Billion Dollar Man TV series. M2-F2 proved repairable though, and re- emerged months later and a fin richer as M2-F3, visible in the other NASA photograph with two of its contemporaries.
Best--Paul
More fabulous research from Paul to come. Nice one Paul! (PS. some Lifting Bodies YouTube footage at the bottom of the blog)
No comments:
Post a Comment