Beschreibung:

Mixed materials on thick wood base, mid-1980s, wingspan 3 7/8 inches, fuselage 15 1/4-inches, 5 3/4-inches tall, plaque on base reads: "NASP & W," with Pratt & Whitney emblem, Penwal label on underside.
The Rockwell X-30 was an advanced technology demonstrator project for the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP), which was a U.S. project to create a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) spacecraft and passenger spaceliner, which would eventually lead to two-hour flights from Washington to Tokyo. Rocketdyne and Pratt & Whitney were both awarded contracts to develop engines/propulsion. Pratt & Whitney's experience with the triple-sonic J58 engine used in the SR-71 was a major factor in their winning the contract. The present model is an early version as evidenced by the single dorsal fin tail and the conical nose and was acquired from the estate of a Pratt & Whitney engineer.