Static test number 1051 of XLR-11 engine at Edwards Air Force Base, on February 2, 1959. A technician walks past the engine just before it is fired up on the test stand. A jet flame comes out the engine.
Technicians look at remains of X-15-3 and its XLR-99 engine after explosion on test stand at Edwards Air Force Base. Various equipment kept on a ground. A cockpit of X-15. Ladder on either side of X-15. Technicians look at XLR-99 engine which looks completely destroyed. Front part of X-15 fuselage still intact.
The first successful powered flight of the X-15 Rocket Plane. Contrails at high altitude above, are seen, generated by the X-15 Rocket plane, 56-6671, and three chase planes. Scene shifts to view from a camera vehicle speeding across the Rogers Dry Lake bed towards the X-15 already landed on a runway. The three chase planes breaking away in background. Two Piasecki H-21 helicopters hovering low over the runway as the X-15 is obscured by dust it raised during its landing. The X-15 becomes visible as the dust settles. Officials step from a staff car that just arrived. The X-15 silhouetted with sunlight reflected on its top. Officials approach and surround the cockpit. One climbs upon the aircraft nose and helps open the cockpit canopy. Pilot, Scott Crossfield seen in the cockpit. Fire trucks and Air Force officers arrive. Firefighters direct a stream of cooling liquid at the rocket motors and rear of the X-15. Scott Crossfield, still in the cockpit, converses with officers and officials. Closeup of Crossfield in the cockpit. Technicians begin examining the exterior of the aircraft.
Photograpy from an airborne chase plane, on the occasion of the first powered flight of an X-15 rocket plane. A Lockheed F-104 Starfighter chase plane seen flying in the contrails of the NASA B-52 mothership (NB-52A,52-003) flown by pilots Bock and Allovie, An F-100D fighter flies slightly ahead of the B-52. The X-15, 56-6671, with Scott Crossfield, in the cockpit, is cradled under the B-52's right wing. View from the photo chase plane, as it pulls closer to the B-52. The X-15 and leading F-100 chase plane are clearly visible. The camera plane has dropped back and the X-15 releases, from the B-52 mothership, as its rocket engines simultaneously ignite. It drops and accelerates below and in front of the B-52. It stays below momentarily, without leaving a contrail. Then it accelerates and climbs rapidly out of sight. Sunlight glares as two chase planes are seen.
Test of XLR-99 engine. XLR-99 engine at test area. The engine is hanged on engine stand. Flames come out from the exhaust cone. Flame stops as the engine runs and smoke comes out.
Second run of XLR-99 engine. XLR-99 engine sits on test block in firing area. Engine vapor comes out from exhaust cone. Two men work on engine. Exhaust comes out of cone and dies out. Vapor comes again and dies down. A man towards the engine examines cone. Men examine engine. Exhaust from exhaust cone comes out. Men work around XLR-99 engine.
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