Going to the NASM, anybody ?

Then could you please check a few things on the Bell X-1 on display there ? I believe it's the first one, XS-1 n°6062. I'd need the following info :

- X-1 6063 has two small scoops at the rear. Am I correct in assuming that the 6062 does not have these scoops ?

- Revell's 1/32 X-1 has half a dozen of proeminent panels on the rear half of the fuselage, on both sides, not unlike the infamous repair patches on Tamiya's F-4 C/D. I was planning to sand them flush and rescribe, but just wanted to make sure that the panels are flush on the real thing

- the model is all raised lines. Judging from period photos, I assume that the X-1 skin was flush, indisturbed by structure lines, except for the odd access panel here and there. Right or wrong ?

- what are the colours of the wheel wells, inner sides of wheel well doors, gear struts and wheel hubs ? natural metal, zinc chromate, white, other ?

- cockpit interior is medium gray as per the instructions. Right ? BTW, what FS number would that be ?

- according to the instructions, the 6062 has a pitot tube on the tip of the right wing and a slip indicator on the left. I seem to recall that the slip indicator was added only on later planes and that the 6062 did not have one, at least, not on the october 14, 1947 flight...

- the kit has a small, oval fairing on the right side of the nose cone. I don't recall having seen that on the photos. Does the real thing have one ?

- and last one: some photos of the cockpit show an electronics box on the rear cockpit bulkhead, on the righ of the seat. The kit has only an ovoid bulge. Should I scratchbuild that thingie, leave the bulkhead as is or sand it flat ?

Thanks.

Reply to
Serge D. Grun
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Serge - I have a photo of the craft taken in 1961, in the old building (pre-NASM) when it was at floor level about ten feet in front of me. It's B/W, so it won't do much for your color question, but its clear and does show the scoops that you're wondering about. Send me an e-mail and I post the photo to you.

-- John Braungart Amherst, New York

Reply to
Old Timer

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