"Edward Wright" wrote in message
om...
(McLean1382) wrote in message
...

Again, a 40% complete X-20 prototype does not seem to be
substanially
less than a 50% complete X-38 prototype -- especially since the
X-20
prototype included life-support and other systems that X-38 didn't.

The difference is that the X-38 program has already flown three
prototypes,
and were working on #4. In addition to data from X-23 and X-24.

If you define "flown" to mean dropped from an airplane, with
substantial damage to the test article on most drops.

In 1963, the X-20 program had flown nothing. Zip. Nada. Zilch.

If you say so. Funny thing, it was a retired engineer from the X-20
program who finally explained to NASA why X-38 wouldn't work. :-)

I thought that there was an aircraft in Neil Armstrong's home town that he
originally flew as a simulator for the X-20...

Here it is, it was an F5D-1 Skylancer:

http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/F-5D/HTML/

This aircraft was flown to simulate launch aborts and landings. It's role
was similar to the jet aircraft NASA pilots fly to practice shuttle
landings.

That's not quite the same as the X-38 drop tests, but it is significant.

Jeff
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