-Air-launched from a B-52, the X-15 reached a record-breaking speed of Mach 6.7 and flew high enough to earn astronaut wings for eight of its pilots. -While never intended as a weapon, the X-15 was a ...
On this day in aviation history, 66 years ago (September 17, 1959), the North American X-15 made its first powered flight. At the controls was legendary test pilot Scott Crossfield, renowned for his ...