1:144 Douglas x-3 Stiletto Carson 774637 500774637

The Douglas Aircraft Company started development of the sleek X-3 Stiletto jet aircraft in 1949, and it was designed for sustained supersonic speeds. The X-3 employed titanium and low-aspect ratio wings. The prototype was delivered in September 1952, with the first flight occurring the following month. Eventually a total of 51 X-3 test flights took place. However, the pair of Westinghouse J34 turbojet engines installed onboard 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. Today the lone X-3 Stiletto example is on display at the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

Dragon has come up with a fantastic 1/144 scale plastic kit of the X-3 Stiletto and it perfectly captures the sleek lines of this experimental design. As an unbeatable bonus for modelers, two complete scale models are included in the set. One model builds into a standard model replica while the other has transparent exterior parts that reveal some of the X-3’s fascinating innards. The latter model will certainly provide aviation enthusiasts with a new appreciation for this futuristic aircraft design. All details are accurately rendered, including refined panel lines, the cockpit interior and the landing gear. With this set, the exterior and interior of these X-3 models may be shown off side by side. Only one X-3 Stiletto was ever built, but now Dragon offers a fantastic X-3 1+1 deal!