Profile image

Bell X-1

8,241 GrandmasterPotato  1.3 years ago

Wikepedia:

The Bell X-1 (Bell Model 44) is a rocket engine–powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics–U.S. Army Air Forces–U.S. Air Force supersonic research project built by Bell Aircraft. Conceived during 1944 and designed and built in 1945, it achieved a speed of nearly 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 km/h; 870 kn) in 1948. A derivative of this same design, the Bell X-1A, having greater fuel capacity and hence longer rocket burning time, exceeded 1,600 miles per hour (2,600 km/h; 1,400 kn) in 1954.[1] The X-1 aircraft #46-062, nicknamed Glamorous Glennis and flown by Chuck Yeager, was the first piloted airplane to exceed the speed of sound in level flight and was the first of the X-planes, a series of American experimental rocket planes (and non-rocket planes) designed for testing new technologies.

The Build:

I put quite a bit of effort into this to make it accurate, I personally find it looks great after the long work. It has a functional, realistic cockpit, and hatch frame, realistic performance, good scaling, and blueprint match.

Controls:

Normal Controls, but AG1 jettisons the hatch, and VTOL is flaps.
Do note that while the flaps do move, they do not actually have any effect on the crafts aerodynamic profile, and thus are useless.
The real plane would take off attached to a b-29, until it reaches 30,000 feet, and drops off. This does not come attached to a b-29 but I have a version here that is.

Gallery:


Enjoy!

Spotlights

  • This craft is curated

General Characteristics

  • Created On iOS
  • Wingspan 28.1ft (8.6m)
  • Length 34.4ft (10.5m)
  • Height 11.7ft (3.6m)
  • Empty Weight 7,760lbs (3,519kg)
  • Loaded Weight 8,768lbs (3,977kg)

Performance

  • Power/Weight Ratio 2.563
  • Wing Loading 49.6lbs/ft2 (242.0kg/m2)
  • Wing Area 176.9ft2 (16.4m2)
  • Drag Points 2462

Parts

  • Number of Parts 239
  • Control Surfaces 5
  • Performance Cost 954