| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Registration / Serial: | 56-6670 |
| Alternate Serial: | 66670 |
| Aircraft Original Type: | North American X-15 |
| Aircraft Generic Type: | North American X-15 |
| Aircraft Version: | North American X-15A |
| C/n (msn): | 240-1 |
| Operator Titles: | USA - Air Force / NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| City / Area: | Washington DC [ Off-Airport ] |
| Region / Country: | Maryland, United States |
| Collection: | National Air and Space Museum (Smithsonian) |
| Photo Date: | 3 June 2016 |
| Photo by: | Arjun Sarup |
| Photo ID: | 733367 |
| Photo Comment |
|---|
|
The wedge-shaped vertical stabilizer necessary for directional stability, upper speed brakes and a small tail-skid in retracted position is visible on the first X-15 on display at NASM. Just three of these hypersonic aircraft were built, and only 12 pilots flew them including Neil Armstrong for a total of 199 flights from 1959-68. The X-15 set the world's unofficial speed record of Mach 6.70 with Flight No. 2-53-97, and an altitude record of 354,200 ft. with Flight No. 3-22-36. The second X-15 is displayed at NMUSAF. The third X-15 was lost on 15 Nov 1967 on Flight 3-65-97 in a fatal accident. This photo is copyright © Arjun Sarup, and may not be used or published in any way without permission. It was added on 3 October 2024, and has since been viewed 55 times. |