all artwork author's collection, unless otherwise noted

Ronald Stephano gave us this amazing caricature of the X-15A-2 loaded and ready for flight.

Interesting to see how many illustrated adventures of the X-15 there were that appeared in French (see Buck Danny below).

This is from Cosmos no. 51, Nov. 1960. Even though cleary called the X-15, there are also many differences, which is normal for comics. Also note that the X-15 was dropped from the belly of the mothership rather than the wing pylon.

Showing how the X-15 became a heavily-laden instrument and experiment carrier is illustrated in this cartoon from NASA in the early 1960s.

"A Spaceship Landed on Earth… in 1959" by Hank Caruso.

"The Right Stuff" by Hank Caruso.

— Buck Danny —

Buck Danny was a French comic book that featured many exciting adventures, including flying the X-15 into space and back. In many ways it is similar to the young adult book series in America, Mike Mars.

"Buck Danny and the X-15" by Francis Bergese, 1985.

Artwork inspired by the French comic magazine.

Cover art for "The Adventures of Buck Danny" No. 31, featuring the X-15.

Frontispiece of Buck Danny no. 31.

This sequence features a ride on the centrifuge in Johnsville, Pennsylvania.

Here the X-15 is loaded on the B-52 pylon and the pilot gets prepared in the suiting van.

The X-15 is dropped away for its research mission.

Under power, heading up into space, those on the ground listen with trepidation as the mission unfolds.

Another ride into space. Note in the bottom left frame that the pilot is holding a small teddy bear!

The upper right frame has a close-up of the teddy bear from the previous page. The X-15 re-enters and prepares to land. Two F-104 chase planes join up with the X-15.

The X-15 lands in the desert. Congratulations all round.

A Spanish edition of the Buck Danny X-15 comic.

Translation of above dialog box for the Buck Danny comic:

"Hello!... Bob here. Engine burnout is complete! I am going to start the descent. I am totally weightless! Visibility is marvelous! You can see from Baja California up to Puget Sound.* I would like to salute..."

And the box in the lower left of the above frame translates to:

* "In the state of Washington, in the north of the USA."

translation courtesy Ray Montgomery and Chris Gamble

A simplified cutaway of the X-15. Interesting to note that it has rear wheels instead of landing skids. Also note the white cockpit canopy.

The X-15 enters space.

— X-15 Computer Graphics Images —

Not just the exterior of the X-15 is modeled, but check out the amazing detail inside the cockpit as well.

Under power using both the XLR-11 eight-chamber double pack (left) and the single-chamber XLR-99 rocket engine (right).

Dropping the lower ventral so the rear skids can have clearance, then approaching the runway for landing.

Nearing touchdown with the nose wheel and rear skids extended.

The X-15A-2 with external fuel tanks in place, takes flight.

Jettisoning the external fuel tanks from the X-15A-2.

Images from X-Plane flight simulator. The B-52/X-15 over Mud Dry Lake.

Spped brakes out, coming in for a landing at Rogers Dry Lake.

Stunning pilot's eye view out the X-15 cockpit window.

The X-15A-2 with full ablative coating, external tanks, and dummy scramjet mounted to the lower ventral, is a popular vehicle for computer artists to render.

External tanks are jettisoned, and Pete Knight continues under power to Mach 6.70.

The effects of shock waves are evident as the A-2 returns from its high speed flight.

The scramjet ejection charges activated early because of the shockwave burn through.

Pete Knight lines up on Rogers Dry Lake bed.

Imaginative renderings of an advanced delta-winged X-15, including external fuel tanks for extended range, plus a giant expansion nozzle for the LR-99 to increase its power.

An underside view shows that the external tanks have their own rocket engines for increased power!

A great example of the detail present in one of these computer models of the X-15, including structural members and plumbing.

Brad Bowman

The artwork for my book "The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space" was created on a computer by Thommy Eriksson. Robert Kline took the cover art and turned it into an image for a celebratory cake for a release party for the book.

With the necessity of face coverings to save lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, an innovative X-15 fan created this X-15 cloth face mask for sale.