The North American X-15 was a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as part of the X-plane series of experimental aircraft.
While the Blackbird SR-71 was the fastest manned airplane ever made, the fastest manned aircraft is the North American X-15, a rocket plane that flew for the first time on June 8, 1959, launched from a NASA NB-52B mothership. On October 1967 it pulverized all records: 4,520 miles per hour (7,274 km/h).
SR-71 Blackbird
This aircraft has the current world record for the fastest manned aircraft. Its maximum speed was Mach 6.70 (about 7,200 km/h) which it attained on the 3rd of October 1967 thanks to its pilot William J. “Pete” Knight.
Still the fastest airplane ever flown, the North American X-15 earned its title 40 years ago, when on October 3, 1967 Air Force Major William “Pete” Knight flew the rocket-powered aircraft to 4,520 mph, Mach 6.72.
The SR-71 Blackbird set a jet speed record of Mach 3.2. That's more than three times faster than the speed of sound. The X-15 rocket plane set a record for winged vehicles with a speed of Mach 6.7. In fact, the new record holder reached a speed almost as great as the records of the Blackbird and the X-15 put together.
SR-71 Blackbird
Because of the large fuel consumption of its rocket engine, the X-15 was air launched from a B-52 aircraft at about 45,000 feet and speeds upward of 500 mph. Because the nose landing wheel lacked steering and the main landing gear employed skids, the X-15 had to land on a dry lakebed.
The North American X-15 rocket-powered research aircraft bridged the gap between manned flight within the atmosphere and manned flight beyond the atmosphere into space. After completing its initial test flights in 1959, the X-15 became the first winged aircraft to attain velocities of Mach 4, 5, and 6.
Here are some inside pictures of the North American X-15:
Here are some pictures of the Northern American X-15:
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