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NASA's FDL-6


Roktman

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This time around I went back to one a NASA's mystery craft. From Fantastic Plastic's site:

The FDL-6C SOMV (Sub Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle) is one of several designs to emerge from the AFFDL (Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory) during the 1960’s. The FDL concepts developed to explore the characteristics of spacecraft during hypersonic re-entry. The FDL-6 shape was one of the shapes explored by the Lockheed Corporation.

It is rumored that, in the 1970s, the shape was explored again and the vehicle was sized to 33 feet long to fit in the cargo bay of the US Space Shuttle. This would allow it to be launched from orbit for a return flight to the United States. Whether this actually ever happened or not is not known. The vehicle was to have an all metal TPS (Thermal Protection System) consisting of overlapping Columbium (Niobium) and Hastelloy “shingles” as opposed to the more fragile ceramic tiles seen on the US Space Shuttle. It would likely have needed some kind of active cooling for the leading edges and nose similar to that designed for the McDonnell FDL-7.

 

Having a 'time flies' moment, the kit was released in 2009, and is not currently in FPs catalog of available kits. But I would keep constant vigil of their Store, as retired kits are brought back for limited runs all the time.

The kit is 23 pieces expertly casted by BLAP Models. There was no resin odor, no bubbles, and the pour plugs were very easy to remove.

 

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Have a look at: http://kevtk.blogspot.com/2016/11/fantastic-plastics-fdl-6.html for some WIP pics.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

 

 

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This reminds me of the lifting body stuff NASA was playing with for the shuttle program.

 

Nice job on the kit. You need a figure of "Steve Austin" standing by it...just because!

 

Bill

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