Grumman Gulfstream II NASA

NASA Gulfstream II airplane model. To meet a critical Space Shuttle program requirement, NASA extensively modified six Gulfstream II C-11 aircraft to allow Space Shuttle Astronauts to practice their Shuttle landing procedures. Since a Space Shuttle’s return from space allowed only one unpowered approach and landing, the astronauts needed repetitive practice landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) to ensure safe landings at Kennedy Space Center, Edwards AFB, or White Sands, New Mexico. The STA’s exterior modifications included thrust reversers and up/down flaps designed to withstand higher than normal aerodynamic forces. The interior modifications to the left-hand cockpit position were designed to present a high-fidelity copy of the Space Shuttle’s instrumentation, controls, displays, and vantage points.

Scale 1/48. Wingspan 17 inches, Length 18 inches.