Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar and alternate projects

[carmelo]

X-20 flight.

 

[carmelo]

X-20 flight.

 

[carmelo]

Dynasoar mission.

 

[carmelo]

Landing.

 

[carmelo]

(Happy) end.

 

[carmelo]

Dynasoar Payload bay.

[PLEASE NO POSTINGS OF SCANS FROM MIDLAND COUNTIES/IAN ALLAN BOOKS HERE]

 

[Steve Pace]

Where can I get high res images of these great illustrations?

 

[carmelo]

X-20 Dynasoar space suit.
The last is an USAF experimental EVA suit (the year of this suit is 1962,is the first American EVA suit and is probable that is for X-20 future applications).

 

[carmelo]

Saturn USAF workshop and Dynasoar.

 

[carmelo]

Some others pictures:
Dynasoar "Space pilots":
Dyna-Soar Group 1 - USA

Albert Crews,
Henry C. Gordon,
Pete Knight,
Russell L. Rogers,
Milt Thompson,
James W. Wood.

Note:
In April 1960, seven men were secretly chosen for the Dyna-Soar program : Neil Armstrong, Bill Dana, Henry C. Gordon, Pete Knight, Russell L. Rogers, Milt Thompson, James W. Wood.
Armstrong and Dana left the program in the summer of 1962.
On September 19, 1962, Albert Crews was added to the Dyna-Soar program and the names of the six active Dyna-Soar astronauts were announced to the public.

 

[flateric]

go on))) thanks!

 

[carmelo]

Dynasoar Space pilot suit-up:

 

[carmelo]

Suit-up:

 

[carmelo]

Suit-up:

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Nice pics.

However, please add the sources for the stuff you are posting.

 

[The Artist]

Where can I get high res images of these great illustrations?

While I'm not sure where Carmelo got those posted images, I can tell you that many of those images (not the 3DCG images) can be found in the Apogee book Dyna-Soar Hypersonic Strategic Weapons System. Though, some of them are quite small in that book.

Mike

 

[Michel Van]

Where can I get high res images of these great illustrations?

While I'm not sure where Carmelo got those posted images, I can tell you that many of those images (not the 3DCG images) can be found in the Apogee book Dyna-Soar Hypersonic Strategic Weapons System. Though, some of them are quite small in that book.

Mike

the Apogee book "Dyna-Soar Hypersonic Strategic Weapons System."
got a DVD with USAF movies of Dyna Soar, also space suit test for Dyna Soar
i made screenshots of Suit test and posted here
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,3052.msg38875.html#msg38875

Carmelo just did same thing with USAF movie on DVD

 

[The Artist]

These photos had been sent to me many years back and I'm sorry to say that I've lost track of the person who sent them to me. Note that this is the mock-up in an earlier configuration. Wouldn't you love to be able to walk around in there and look at those displays in the background?

The graphic is a simple image I did long ago to show the size comparison of the Dynasoar to the Mercury and Gemini capsules.

Mike

 

[Bomiwriter]

Bomiwriter says greetings.

Since this is my top priority project I just gotta speak up too.

Dining Soar; It was Abbreviated Development Plan System 464L deveoped by a now deceased friend Mr. William Walter. It described the overall DS project but stipulated...a research glider-Dyna Soar I, an intermediate military applications test glider Dyna Soar II and the Dyna Soar III a supposedly full operational military vehicle, a one-man glider for the initial reconnaissance mission and some orbital bombardment missions.

The Boeing initial Model 814-1010 was presented with a rear section able to house various suites for...hullo, military missions, despite the ADP and project Card describing DS I as a research vehicle. I do have the presentation material and drawings and they will appear in my latest QUEST article on Cold War U.S. Space Weapons (not the real title). Boeing's presentation booklets presented or reminded the USAF that for example, the next Model...814-2050-1 (the Dyna Soar competition winner), had between 75-90 cubic foot area in which "military payloads" may be inserted for reconnaissance, missions, and that external pods could be attached to the upper rear fuselage if necessary. The next and production bird was Model 844-2050E that was not at all finalized but became the production vehicle, also had a 90 cubic feet area that had equipment in it, but...but, 75 cubic feet it too, was available for military missions, again, despite the 844-2050E being a "research" boost-glider.

Martin & Martin-Bell also offered an expanded reconnaissance and bombardment or orbital bomber Dyna Soar derived from their April, 1959 model that lost to Boeing.

Then, we have Republic who offered the exact same glider design for DS I, DS II and DS III, all displaying a nuclear tipped reentry missile attached to the spine. So what does all this mean?

Despite the initial Dyna Soar gliders being "research" or proof-of-concept birds, two firms from the get-go, even though Martin-Bell generated a separate presentation booklet on their DS I, with expanded reconnaissance and orbital bombardment versions but Boeing always left open the offer of USAF military roles if somewhat limited by the small holds of 75-90 cubic feet.

One would easily overlook this point unless intently focused upon the wording in the presentations offered. And it all says the same thing...room could be made for a military camera system, radar, or infrared system if it could be jam packed into that small space, and with a modified belly hatch and could perform a basic military mission once a man-rated booster was avaiable.

I expect this may clarify some points and perhaps Orionblaster will back me on this. To reiterate, the wording of the presentations, because during the project's time period, somebody behind closed doors AF Staff), was discussing something very little has been revealed. A military space force composed of numerous vehicles, robot sats, bomb platforms, resupply lifting body & boost-glide variety, reconn gliders, decoy orbital and reentry bomb gliders, etc.

Phew...what a project had it become operational, but then there's "Mac the knife." I often wonderd just who he really was and who he actually worked for...having cancelled most every project the USAF wanted to build and enter space to operate. I'm gone and good fortunes to all.
Bomiwriter

 

[Bomiwriter]

Bomiwriter again;

I neglected to say this; Most savvy individuals do not refer to the Boeing boost-glider as the X-20...why? MacNamara demanded that the USAF change its designation. Was he fearful of disinformation being slammed at DoD, or USAF and even the U.S. Government? Perhaps yes or no. Nevertheless, he cancelled nearly all efforts to militarily enter low-earth orbit period.

I do not care to acknowledge this man's actions concerning the project. He strangled any chance to incrementally enter space with a winged piloted glider, and cancelled any chance of gaining a valuable future hypersonic data base and boost-glider orbital operations experience for future projects. It appears deliberate and upon writing to him twice and presenting circumstantial evidence that the project appears to have gone "Black," citing the Cuba problem, he never answered me. I told him of Docs I have copies of that stated an outright interest by a particular Govt agency in the DS project, but still, two letters remained unanswered. I wonder what happened to those letters, now that he is deceased and who found and read them.

That's it and good fortunes to all.
Bomiwriter

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

The German soldier from Laugh In put it best: "Very interesting!"

 

[Triton]

Official United States Air Force film The Story of Dyna-Soar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpO5q86Bqys


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1spbZ9o4N8k

 

[Desert Dawn]

Absolutely fantastic stuff Triton !! Especially the Neil Armstrong footage and the technical tests. I had a list of those movies from DTIC years back and had always wanted to get them, but at the time it would have cost so much money (and not knowing what was on each of them exactly).. Someone just saved me a lot of money by putting all of them on You Tube.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Brief article, nice graphics. Enjoy!

www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2009/october/i_history.pdf



Moonbat

 

[Orionblamblam]

Brief article, nice graphics. Enjoy!

www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2009/october/i_history.pdf

Yeesh. There are two graphics, and two captions. And each caption has fundamental errors in fact.
1) That's not a trans-stage... that's a Titan II second stage, and it's not going to orbit.
2) That's not a Titan I, that's a Titan II.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Visual junk food. Yay!

Yeah, I noticed it wasn't a Titan I either. It's ironic that they'll charge a $400 user fee for any product photo to be used in an article or book.

But they can't afford a fact checker to go through their own publication and see that that wasn't a Titan I. Where's their head at?

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%200604.html

 

[Dynoman]

Early Dyna Soar pictures from the Bell Museum:

 

[Orionblamblam]

Early Dyna Soar pictures from the Bell Museum:

In what way are they "from" the museum? Were you able to gain physical access to the archives and scan them, or what? I ask due to the museum having been boxed up and moved a few years back, and I'm curious about their current status.

 

[Steve Pace]

Where is the Bell Museum?

 

[Dynoman]

Currently the Bell Museum is in Mentone, Indiana. Thier address is below:

South Oak St.
Mentone
Indiana
U.S.A
46539
574-353-7296

The files are available from thier website:

http://bellaircraftmuseum.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

 

[RanulfC]

Brief article, nice graphics. Enjoy!

www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2009/october/i_history.pdf

Yeesh. There are two graphics, and two captions. And each caption has fundamental errors in fact.
1) That's not a trans-stage... that's a Titan II second stage, and it's not going to orbit.
2) That's not a Titan I, that's a Titan II.

Uhm, wasn't the "plan" for the X-20 to mounted originally on Titan-I's (LOX-RP1) that the Air Force wasn't converting to II's? I thought it wasn't till later in the program that the Titan-II was selected and then the Titan-III??
(And being 'technical' doesn't EVERY X-20 have a 'trans-stage' attached since it had no propulsion on-board? Not that I'm going to try and defend the Boeing article since it contains errors even in the article itself...)

Randy

 

[The Artist]

My understanding is that the sub-orbital flights would not have used the trans-stage but it, as with the orbital flights, would have had a small solid booster mounted in the forward end of the adapter shroud as an abort booster.

 

[Stargazer]

Nice collection, but I'm sure there must be a lot more they haven't put up for display yet.

Found two more nice DynaSoar pictures there:

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://books.google.com.eg/books?id=p9IDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31&dq=BOEING+DYNA+SOAR&hl=ar&ei=W30qTMjRCoioOL-9iLMD&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=BOEING%20DYNA%20SOAR&f=true

 

[Triton]

Artist's impression of Dynasoar.

Source: http://www.zonamilitar.com.ar/foros/publicaciones-zona-militar/20799-cazas-reaccion-olvidados-o-poco-conocidos-3.html

 

[edwest4]

I agree with you that tha maximum human payload of Dyna Soar could be exstimated in, at least, 5 persons (1 pilot and 4 passengers).
This fact is acknowledged according to several different sources from Mark Wade to Scott Lowther.... ;-)

Boeing archives had the Dyna Soar model in the photos below.

A little question: do you mind that the "operational" version of Dyna Soar could be officially named S-20, or what else??

Hard to tell what it would have been called officially. it may very well have entered operational service as "X-20." It started life as a bomber, and the Russians were certainly aware of that... and they'd likely be a bit twitchy every time you launched one of these bombers over their heads just to deliver sandwiches to a space station. So a less aggressive *name* might have helped, if only in public relations.

"deliver sandwiches to a space station." Ah, so that was its other mission Thanks.




Ed

 

[Triton]

Boeing print ad from 1963 showing Dyna-Soar X-20 and orbiting laboratory space station concept found on eBay.

Source: http://cgi.ebay.com/1963-BOEING-X-20-Dyna-Soar-Planned-Spacecraft-AD-/360284985430?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0

 

[Triton]

Boeing X-20 Dynasoar concept artwork poster found on eBay.

URL: http://cgi.ebay.com/1950s-BOEING-X-20-DYNA-SOAR-CONCEPT-POSTER-LARGE-/310244080078?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0

Description:

Here are some more great items from a former Boeing employees estate. Great late 50's Boeing concept poster of the X-20 "Dyna-Soar" taking off at night. Fred Takasumi signed artwork.Colors are outstanding and fresh, this was found rolled up and stored and were never mounted or hung.Measures approx 24"x24"

Added from “Found on Ebay” thread

 

[hesham]

Hi All!

If you can write about Dyna Soar/X-20:

Boeing/Vought Model 844/Vought Model 4??
Convair Model ?
Douglas Model 1???
Lockheed Model CL-4??
Martin/Bell Model 3??/Bell Model D-1?? or D-2??
McDonnell Model 1??
North American X-15B (Model ?)
Northrop Model 1?? or Model 2??
Republic Model AP-??

The Martin/Bell proposal was Project 7990.

http://www.space.com/media/pdf/dyna-soar.pdf