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This answer to the Space SE question What do these patterns on Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity represent, and how are they applied? indicates that one of the aerospacecraft representations on the Unity is the Bell X-1, and comments there suggest that the shape of the wing might not be completely accurate.

It may be possible that the shape evolved during development, but I'd like to ask; What is the shape of the Bell X-1 wing, and is the representation of it in the artwork on Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity correct?

enter image description here

above: Screen shot from the Virgin Galactic YouTube video VSS Unity | Third Rocket Powered Flight.

enter image description here

above: from this answer and Virgin Galactic.

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    $\begingroup$ Even the image of the Wright Flyer isn't all that great, it had 2 "rudders" and not so many support sticks going back to it. $\endgroup$
    – Ron Beyer
    Commented Jul 28, 2018 at 15:02
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    $\begingroup$ It also looks like the 747 is blasting the LEM with 4 x 50 cals in the top picture. $\endgroup$
    – Todd
    Commented Jul 30, 2018 at 22:48
  • $\begingroup$ Also, the Ryan NYP (Spirit of Saint Louis) is shown with much too short a wingspan compared to overall fuselage length. $\endgroup$
    – quiet flyer
    Commented Oct 21, 2019 at 12:50

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According to this NACA (now NASA) Technical Report [Wing Loads on the Bell X-1 Research Airplane (10 Percent Thick Wing) as Determined by Pressure-distribution Measurements in Flight at Subsonic and Transonic Speeds], the wings look a bit different to the one used by Virgin. enter image description here

But there might be different versions of the wing, since there were multiple versions of the X-1.

The wikipedia article shows yet another wing geometry.

enter image description here

Below is a composition of 3 different drawings I found via google, which show that at least there exist various different drawings of the wing enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ The most obvious difference is that the Virgin artwork version has a straight trailing edge and a more highly swept leading edge than the real thing. This should be included in the answer. Why do you say the Wikipedia version resembles the Virgin artwork version? Just because of the wingtip probe thingies? $\endgroup$
    – quiet flyer
    Commented Oct 21, 2019 at 18:44
  • $\begingroup$ the answer does not state that the wikipedia article shows the version used by Virgin. I tried to show that there seem to be different versions of the wing. $\endgroup$
    – rul30
    Commented Oct 22, 2019 at 15:27
  • $\begingroup$ That's better now! $\endgroup$
    – quiet flyer
    Commented Oct 23, 2019 at 15:34
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This particular wing shape on the Virgin Galactic artwork is definitely wrong.

Given the historical context, the top-down view graphic of the Bell X-1 is used to depict the version which famously broke the sound barrier on October 14, 1947. with Capt. Chuck Yeager at the controls.

This was the USAF aircraft #46-062 (nicknamed Glamorous Glennis, after Chuck Yeager's wife), and the flight number was XS-1 #50.

It is now on permanent display at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

References:

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    $\begingroup$ Could you explain how exactly the artwork is wrong? What is different from the real X-1 shape? $\endgroup$
    – Bianfable
    Commented Oct 21, 2019 at 10:46
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    $\begingroup$ @Bianfable the most obvious difference is that the Virgin artwork version has a straight trailing edge and a more highly swept leading edge. This should be included in the answer. $\endgroup$
    – quiet flyer
    Commented Oct 21, 2019 at 18:41

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