Continuing on with Dragon Warbird’s collection of experimental aircraft is a 1/144 scale model of the X-3 jet aircraft. Developed by Douglas Aircraft Company from 1949 onwards, the sleek X-3 Stiletto was designed for sustained supersonic speeds. The X-3 employed titanium and low-aspect ratio wings, and the first prototype was delivered in September 1952, with the first flight occurring the following month. Eventually a total of 51 X-3 flights took place. However, the pair of Westinghouse J34 turbojet engines was not powerful enough so it never actually reached Mach 1 in straight flight! The effort wasn’t wasted though, as data obtained from the X-3 was used to produce the F-104 Starfighter. The lone X-3 Stiletto is on display at the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
The Dragon Warbirds model captures perfectly the sleek lines of this experimental design, and two complete 1/144 scale models are included in the set. One model is a fully finished replica while the other has transparent exterior parts that reveal some of the craft’s innards. The latter model provides aviation enthusiasts with a new appreciation for this futuristic aircraft design. All details are accurately rendered, plus an “S”-shaped display stand made of metal is included. This allows the exterior and interior of the models to be shown off side by side. Only one X-3 Stiletto was ever built, but now Warbirds offers you two!
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