The Douglas X-3 Stiletto is an experimental jet aircraft developend in the 1950s in the USA. It had a slender fuselage and a long tapered nose and was manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company. Its primary mission was to investigate the design features of an aircraft suitable for sustained supersonic speeds, which included the first use of titanium in major airframe components. Douglas designed the X-3 with the goal of a maximum speed of approximately 2,000 mph (3,200 km/h). It was seriously underpowered for this purpose and could not even exceed Mach 1 in level flight. First flight was 15 October 1952. Although the research aircraft was a disappointment, Lockheed designers used data from the X-3 tests for the Lockheed F-104. Only one X-3 was built and its nick name was Stiletto and 51 flight tests were done until May 1956.
source: wikipedia
Douglas X-3 Stilletto
This only built X-3 is on display at the USAF museum in Dayton, Ohio, USA.
Photographed July 2024 by Meindert de Vreeze (C) Copyright IPMS Nederland
Quite some plastic scale models have been released of the X-3 despite the fact only 1 X-3 Stiletto was built.
In 1/32 there is a JET MADS kit. In 1/48 an old Lindberg kit and an odd 1/65 Revell kit. AZ Model came with a 1/72 kit (also min KP box) as well as MACH2 and Planet resin. Anighrand had a 1/144 scale kit as well as Dragon.
This walk around page was published March 16, 2025 by M. de Vreeze