The Xtreme Prototypes X-15A-2 Special Edition 2.0 for Microsoft® Flight Simulator X and Lockheed Martin® Prepar3D® brings the excitement of high speed and high altitude flight and the challenge of an X-15 research mission to the desktop PC.
The addon contains eight (8) variations of the X-15A-2 with external propellant tanks and the mighty XLR-99 rocket engine and three (3) fictitious variations of a delta wing X-15AD-4 with rocket engine nozzles and solid rocket boosters, based on proposed configurations for future X-15 aircraft.
Each aircraft is fully detailed and has been carefully modeled based on available drawings, flight manuals, photographs, films and other archive material in order to conform as closely as possible to the real-world X-15A-2.
The highly detailed exterior models feature more than 1900 parts and 100 animations. Three fully functional 3D virtual cockpits contain over 1500 parts and 300 animated custom gauges and systems. A custom X-15 flight model was designed to reproduce the characteristics of rocket-powered high speed and high altitude flights in the simulator.
Contrary to the real X-15A-2 that was launched at a high altitude from a carrier airplane, the X-15A-2 addon can take off from an airport runway like any other aircraft in the simulator. The flight model allows the airplane to accelerate up to approximately Mach 4.65 (or the current maximum speed supported by the simulator), drop its external tanks, reach an altitude of over 300,000 feet, burn most of its fuel, complete its ballistic trajectory, decelerate, jettison its remaining propellants and ventral, and finally glide its way back to the nearest dry lake or runway.
The Xtreme Prototypes X-15A-2 Special Edition addon offers eleven variations of the legendary X-15 rocket plane.
General Features
Four variations of the X-15A-2 aircraft (s/n AF56-6671) with the XLR-99 rocket engine, a long ventral and external propellant tanks:
- Clean black "rollout" version (circa 1964) with silver drop tanks
- Standard black version (circa 1965) with red and white drop tanks
- Standard black version (circa 1966) with pink ablative patches and black and white drop tanks
- Standard black version (circa 1966) with pink ablative patches and red, black and white drop tanks
Four variations of the X-15A-2 aircraft (s/n AF56-6671) with the XLR-99 rocket engine, external propellant tanks, a short ventral, a dummy ramjet and an animated eyelid on the left canopy window:
- "Refurbished" (museum) black version (circa 1969) with red and white drop tanks
- Pink version with full ablative coating (circa 1967)
- Clean white version with full ablative coating and white sealer (circa 1967), with red, black and white drop tanks
- Standard white version with full ablative coating and white sealer (circa 1967), with red, black and white drop tanks
Three variations of a fictitious delta wing X-15AD-4 aircraft (s/n AF68-18601 and N203NSX) with the XLR-99 rocket engine, rocket engine nozzle extensions, solid rocket boosters, auxiliary vertical stabilizers and a dummy ramjet, based on different proposed configurations:
- Clean black "rollout" version (circa 1969)
- Standard black version (circa 1969)
- White "NASA" version (circa 1970)
Flight Model Features
Custom X-15 flight model to reproduce the characteristics of rocket-powered high speed and high altitude flights in the simulator:
- One Reaction Motors XLR-99, "throttable" 60,000-pound liquid-fuel turborocket engine
- Two Thiokol "Castor 1", 45,000-pound solid rocket boosters (on delta wing model only)
- Supersonic flight up to the maximum speed attainable in the simulator (approx. Mach 4.65)
- High-altitude flight up to 354,200 feet (or the maximum altitude attainable in the simulator)
- Fictitious ground takeoff or high altitude launch like the real aircraft
- Good maneuverability at supersonic speeds
- Excellent gliding capabilities
X-15A-2 Rocket Aircraft Systems
The following aircraft systems are simulated to conform as closely as possible to the operation of the real aircraft, within the present limitations and capabilities of the simulator:
- Custom X-15 fuel management system for the three different types of propellants and gases, like in the real X-15A-2 rocket plane (overrides the simulator's conventional fuel management system)
- Engine compartment fire detection system
- Engine turbopump system
- Turbopump hydrogen peroxide system
- XLR-99 power plant propellant and control systems
- Engine controls and indicators
- Propellant supply system
- Liquid oxygen tank
- Ammonia tank
- Engine and propellant control helium system
- Propellant pressurization helium system
- Drop tank system
- Propellant transfer system (from external drop tanks)
- Solid rocket booster ignition system (delta wing model only)
- Auxiliary power units (APUs)
- Electrical power supply systems (generators, AC/DC power distribution, emergency battery and an external power source)
- Temperature control systems
- Hydraulic power supply systems
- Flight control systems and indicators (vertical and horizontal stabilizers, flaps, speed brakes)
- Landing gear system
- Instruments (pitot static, stable platform, ball nose)
- SAS (basic autopilot functions), ASAS
- BCS, RAS (animated switches and lights, BCS not supported in the simulator at this time)
- Instrumentation system controls and indicators (skylight hatch)
- Indicator, caution and warning light system
- Canopy
- Ejection seat (limited functionalities, animation only)
- Air conditioning and pressurization system
- Nitrogen system
- Windshield heating (antifogging) system
- Radio communication, VOR and ADF system
- Cockpit lighting system
- Pilot's oxygen system
Aircraft Model Features
- Three high resolution 3D exterior models, optimized for the latest versions of Microsoft® Flight Simulator X and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D®
- Detailed models based on archive material, with more than 1900 parts and 100 animations
- High resolution textures
- Unique markings and liveries (on each aircraft)
- Dynamic frost textures (around the cold propellant tanks when filled)
- Movable aerodynamic control surfaces:
- Differential horizontal stabilizer
- Vertical stabilizers with movable and fixed sections and a jettisonable ventral rudder
- Flaps
- Fully animated upper and lower split-flap speed brakes with flexible hoses
- Detailed and fully animated landing skids and nose gear ("steerable" in the simulator), with scoop door and a flexible electrical cable
- Animated ram-air door
- Detailed canopy cover with floodlights, electrical and antifogging systems, animated valves, electrical wires and nitrogen pipes, animated head restraint and movie camera
- Elliptical canopy windows on all models (default)
- Optional trapezoidal windows (user-selectable)
- Detailed cockpit with ejection seat, animated sticks and levers, and miscellaneous systems
- Animated X-15 astronaut/pilot in full pressure suit
- Animated skylight hatch with star tracker system
- Detailed XLR-99 power plant with exhaust pipe and jettison and drain pipes
- Jettisonable external propellant tanks (optional, user-selectable)
- Fictitious delta wing model with auxiliary vertical stabilizers, based on proposed configurations for future X-15 aircraft
- Jettisonable solid-fuel rocket boosters on delta wing model
- Rocket engine nozzles on delta wing model
- Jettisonable dummy ramjet (on the white aircraft)
- Animated eyelid on the left canopy window of selected aircraft
- Dynamic fogging and ablator splatters on selected windows
- Animated ball nose
- Retractable pitot tube
Virtual Cockpit Features
- Three fully functional high resolution virtual cockpits with over 1500 parts and 300 full-3D animated gauges, switches, levers, light indicators, flight instruments and systems with tooltips
- Advanced instrument panels:
- Main panel with two wing panels (engine and flight instruments and control, electrical and hydraulic instruments and controls, light indicators, cockpit instruments, engine timer, landing gear handle, emergency canopy handle, SAS panel, retractable pitot handle)
- Left console (VPJ control box and lever, flap switch, RAS lights, BCS control stick, engine throttle, speed brake handle, drop tank controls, radio panel, pressure suit controls, left side control box)
- Right console (breaker panel, cooling lever and switches, right control stick, canopy handle)
- Center pedestal (instrumentation control panel, ram-air levers, DC voltmeter)
- Three fully animated control sticks (user-selectable)
- Animated rudder pedals
- Elliptical canopy windows on all models (default)
- Animated eyelid on the left canopy window of the white aircraft (with internal lever)
- Dynamic ablator spills on selected windows
- Optional trapezoidal windows (user-selectable) for a better outside view from the cockpit
- Invisible canopy mode to fly the X-15 without the clamshell-type canopy on, offering a spectacular view from the cockpit (user-selectable)
- Detailed canopy cover with floodlights, electrical and antifogging systems, animated valves, electrical wires and nitrogen pipes, animated head restraint and movie camera
- Functional windshield heating (antifogging) system, complete with animated valve handles and dynamic frost/fog textures on the windshield
- Cockpit floodlights (VC and exterior model, switchable)
- Detailed ejection seat with animated handles, buttons, armrests, foot restraints, deflectors and oxygen gauge and selector switch
- Modified X-15 radio for use in the simulator (VHF COM1, COM2, ADF, VOR)
- Fully functional breaker panel
- Optional radio-magnetic indicator (user-selectable)
- Access to the default Garmin GPS unit
Visual Effects
Over 25 X-15-specific visual effects, including:
- Rocket engine combustion flames and shockwave effects
- Engine first and/or second stage igniter effects
- Rocket engine smoke and contrail effects
- Propellant jettison effects (fuel, LOX and H2O2)
- Engine turbopump exhaust effect
- APU exhaust effects
- Engine precool and prime effects
- LOX bleed effect
- Condensation and vapor effect around the cold LOX tank when filled
- Cockpit lights
- Wing vortices and vapor trails
Sound Effects
- New X-15 sound sets, including a new solid rocket booster sound effect
- Over 50 additional sound effects, including external and cockpit sounds (switches, knobs and levers, breakers, pneumatic valves, propellant tank pressurization, APUs, turbopump, gyro, blower fans, fuel jettison, engine precool and prime, tank and ventral jettison, etc.)
Miscellaneous
See also:
Frequently Asked Questions
Minimum System Requirements
