Northrop HL-10 Lifting Body

Ben STONE
I'm guessing one of those is the Anigrand HL-10 lifting body. I love that craft. PJ, where did you find that photo of it on display in real life?

P J
You guessed right Ben. I found the image on a Google search. It looks more curved on the underside than the Anigrand model. The HL-10 is a simple shape, but not the easiest of kits to assemble and smooth out the joints. More photos to follow.

Kerry COX
PJ, I have searched high and wide for the footage of a 'Lifting body' experiment being towed behind a car by rope, and it was actually off the ground for as long as the car had enough speed, but I found this instead..
Youtube Video

P J
Cheers Kerry, I love those old film reels! I 'won' the Anigrand model in error - I'd ordered the Caspian Sea Monster and the HL10 was shipped by mistake. Vendor told me to keep it and sent the ekranoplan on later. I've read up on lifting bodies and since learned how they helped early Shuttle development. Interesting machines! I haven't taken many photos of the build, I was using it as a test of assembling/filling a resin model. My HL10 might look half presentable when I've finished - superglue and two-part fillers are quite different to plastic cement and Plasto! 🙂

Kerry COX
Ah, So you have done your research about the early aerodynamics of the Shuttle and that is why it never needed 'power' to get back. Amazing stuff. 🙂 👍

Ben STONE
The footage in "Six Million Dollar Man" of his plane breaking up is of a flight of the M2-F2 when the pilot lost control. Other lifting bodies like the HL-10 are referenced in the series.

Kerry COX
PJ, EUREKA, this is the footage I was looking for and it is right at the almost end of the video. 🙂
Youtube Video

P J
Great footage, thanks for sharing!

Ben STONE
So many great craft in that footage Kerry. The American version of the Me 1101 testing swept wings was the stand out for me. Great footage.

Kerry COX
I love Youtube, as all I had when I was a kid was books to read, but now, !!!! it's a whole different ballgame. 🙂 👍