And a shot of the big tank X15E used for highspeed dashes
I think the only X15 that even close to getting airborne from the ground was the one that Scott Crossfield was sitting in doing engine runs when the
turbocompressor exploded - somewhere there is an incredible bit of film of that happening
Thanks chaps, I suspected as much. In FS terms then, after the straight-line Mach-7 dash ( or whatever unearthly speed that amazing machine was capable of ) the real flying starts with the unpowered glide back to base. A challenge no doubt, but not really worth the price being asked.
If you really want to experience the X-15, download the freeware program Orbiter. Then go to AVSIM and search for "X-15 Project". Download and install the program and have fun. The flight dynamics are excellent, you get to drop yourself from a B-52 and shoot off into the unknown at unearthly speeds. Afterwards, you get to try and land on a 5 mile long strip of dirt in the middle of the California desert after gliding for over 100 miles.
It also includes several unbuilt X-15 versions including one version that would have been capable of orbial flight intended to be a method to reach the MOL (Modular Orbital Laboratory) that was the forerunner to the SkyLab program and launching of small spy satellites. You also get the chance to launch off the back of a Mach-3 XB-70 for flights at even higher unearthly speeds (would have been required for the orbital version).
