It's (1947) and this is no weather ballon.

Aerojet General X-8 Series


It's (1947) and this is no weather ballon.




First Flight: November 24, 1947

Mission: Upper atmosphere research (sounding) rocket. Designed to carry light payloads to high altitude. Payloads were recoverable via nose cone parachute (rocket was expendable). Goal was to launch 150 pound payloads to 200,000 ft.

Major Accomplishments: Conducted high altitude experiments, gathered data on solar radition, high altitude winds, the Earth's magnetic fields, and rocket systems aerodynamics.


Power Source (Main engine): RTV-N10 liquid fuel rocket, with 2,600 lbs thrust (up to 40 seconds)
Power Source (Booster): Aerojet solid fuel unit with 18,000 lbs thrust for 2.5 seconds.

Fin Span: 5.25'
Length: 20.2'
Maximum Achieved Speed: Mach 6
Maximum Achieved Altitude: 138 miles

Additional Information: The X-8 was an unguided, spin stabilized sounding rocket. It carried photographic, atmospheric, biological and other experimental packages. The X-8 (and its Navy designation "Aerobee" flow from 1947 to the present day by various military and civilian organizations. Over 900 X-8s of various models have been constructed



X-8 Aerobee on display at USAF Museum

1947

The diminutive Bell X-1 rocket research plane was the world's first aircraft to break the "sound barrier" and achieve supersonic flight on Oct. 14, 1947, when "Chuck" Yeager's "Glamorous Glennis" passed Mach 1 on its epic flight. The aircraft's conical nose was modeled on the lines of a .50 caliber bullet. While the X-1 was capable of taking off under its own power, all but one of its flights began with a high-altitude drop from a launch aircraft in order to conserve precious rocket fuel.

1947


The first of three D-558-1 Skystreaks (#37970) made its maiden flight on April 14, 1947, at Muroc Army Air Field (later named Edwards AFB). Less than 4 months later, on August 20, this aircraft with Commander Turner Caldwell, USN, set a new world speed record of 641 miles per hour flying D-558-1 #1. The record lasted 5 days and was broken by Marine pilot Marion Carl going 10 miles per hour faster in D-558-1 #2 (#37971). This aircraft was delivered to the NACA Muroc Flight Test Unit in April 1949 after 101 flights had been completed by the Navy, Air Force, and Douglas. This aircraft was never flown by the NACA. The D-558-1 #1 aircraft is on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

Following 27 flights by the Navy and Douglas the second D-558-1 aircraft was delivered to the NACA in November 1947. The D-558-1 #2 underwent extensive instrumentation by the NACA Muroc instrumentation section. The number 2 Skystreak made a total of 19 flights with the NACA before it crashed on takeoff due to compressor disintegration on May 3, 1948, killing NACA pilot Howard C. Lilly




Howard Lilly.

The pilot on the right, was killed one year later while flying the D-558-1

1947

XFV-1 Salmon

As a result of German research by Focke-Wulf on VTOL fighter design during latter days of the Second World War, the US Air Force and Navy initiated Hummingbird project 1947. Fears of Russian effort to move into western Europe and deny Allies use of coventional airfields led to search for aircraft that could operate from limited space. Similarly, Navy interested in VTOL capability to permit operations from small carriers or even merchant ships.






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The video is pretty funny....though I doubt the pilot was laughing....

Gazrok

No i haven't seen any video of it.

Strange desighn, i don't know what the airforce hoped to gain from it.


I remember they had trouble landing, the pilot couldn't see where he was going. LOL