Paintjobs, concluded - x15_819.jpg (1/1)

"Mitchell Holman" wrote:

[image]

The ablative coating was a sort-of paint developed by Martin-Marietta,
and went on in a thickness which varied from three-quarters inch to
one-twentieth of an inch. The entire application process took about
five weeks (clean the skin, apply the paint, make sure it didn't gum up
the control surfaces, hatches, reaction-jet nozzles or other bits). A white
sealant was applied over the pink stuff, which I'm sure took care of any
potential visibility problem. (If the comments about the pink Spitfire
prove anything, I'm sure that some pilots didn't want to be visible around
the th X-15-A2).

--Bill Thompson