X-15 North American nasa

X-15 North American nasa

The X-15 was one of the most exotic and successful of the entire X airplanes. The X-15 aircraft can trace its origins back to the 24th of June 1952. NACA decided to expand its research into the exo-atmospheric designs capable of Mach 4 to Mach 10 and up to 50 miles high. NACA, Air Force, Navy and North American worked together to design a vehicle to provide information on thermal qualities and high speed control/stability and re-entry characteristics.

X-15A-2 was born following an accident on the 9th of November 1962 when aircraft 56-66671 was damaged. The aircraft was surveyed by the USAF, Navy and NASA and deemed repairable. It was also decided to incorporate modifications to expand its performance envelope. It was planned to fly the aircraft to Mach 8+ or until Vmax was reached.

On the 3rd of October 1967, with Pete Knight at the controls, 56-6661 was launched from its B-52 mothership with a dummy scramjet engine attached to its lower ventricle. The aircraft reached an amazing Mach 6.72 at 4,534 at an altitude of 102,100 feet. This was to be the last flight of 56-66671 due to damage caused through severe heating through the mounting position of the dummy Scramjet. It was so severe that it was deemed unrepairable and the plane was retired to the United States Air Force Museum where it can still be seen today.

   XF4u-1 CORSAIR Bu.No.1443 Vought-Sikorsky  Prototype

https://www.nasa.gov/history/65-years-ago-first-factory-rollout-of-the-x-15-hypersonic-rocket-plane/

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/north-american-x-15/nasm_A19690360000