U.S. Air Force X-15A aircraft first unpowered drop flight and landing in California, United States on June 8, 1959. United States Air Force Boeing NB-52A aircraft with X-15 under its wing, taxis and takes off from Edwards Air Force Base, California. American X-15 aircraft in captive-carry position, mated to pylon under wing of Boeing NB-52A aircraft. The aircraft taxis and takes off from the runway. Chase planes U.S. Air Force F-104A flies along NB-52A aircraft. X-15 releases from NB-52A aircraft in mid flight. Radar dish antenna records course of the flight. Pilot seated in the cockpit of F-104A aircraft. Technicians look at plotting boards and flight monitors. Pilot Albert Scott Crossfield converses with ground crew members. X-15 piloted by Crossfield lands at Rogers Dry Lake in California.
United States experimental aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base in California, United States. U.S. Air Force B-50 Superfortress parked on runway as sunrises in the background. Test pilot Lieutenant Colonel Frank Everest's wife kisses him before he leaves his home. He gets into his blue coupe (1933 model). Frank Everest dons pressurized space suit. Ground crew members help pilot to wear his helmet. Pilot and co-pilot seated in the cockpit of B-50 Superfortress. Officer speaks over a mouth piece from the control room. B-50 Superfortress taxis and takes off from the runway with U.S. Air Force Bell X -2 under its wing. U.S. Air Force F-86 Sabre flies along B-50 Superfortress. Bell X -2 releases from the mother aircraft and begins a solo flight. Ground crew members look through binoculars.
United States experimental aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base in California, United States. Two ground crew members operate theodolite tracking camera with a radar in the background. Telemetry equipment in operation. Men look through binoculars. Lieutenant Colonel Frank Everest seated in the cockpit with his hands on the controls. U.S. Air Force Bell X-2 release from U.S. Air Force B-50 Superfortress and begins a solo flight. Radar tracks the flight course. U.S. Air Force F-86 Sabre and T-33 aircraft fly along Bell X-2. Bell X-2 aircraft lands on Rogers Dry Lake Bed. Ambulance, fire brigade and other vehicles next to the aircraft. Pilot removes his helmet and comes out of the aircraft.
The flight tests on United States Air Force(USAF) aircraft X-1A and X-10 at the Edwards Air Force base in California, United States. The U.S. Air Force F-86 Sabre, F-84 Thunderjet, F-86D Sabre, F-89 Scorpion, F-102 Delta Dagger lined up on the ramp. Another aircraft at a distance. The B-29 Superfortress with X-1A installed in bomb bay. X-1A in a cutaway bomb bay of B-29. The crew members of the B-29 and X-1A include U.S. Air Force Major General Charles Elwood Yeager (Chuck Yeager) as he picks up a helmet and a parachute. The crew members walk towards the aircraft. B-29 with X-1A takes off. B-29 with X-1A climbs for altitude. B-29 in flight with X-1A attached to bomb bay and fuselage. The X-1A drops away from B-29. The rocket engine of the X-1A started and it continues flying. The F-86 Sabre behind the X-1A. The contrail of X-1A . The contrails of B-29. The F-86 diving and turning. Ground in the background. X-1A lands on desert. A group of personnel around the X-1A. Chuck Yeager in the cockpit of the X-1A. He climbs out and jumps on the ground.
Activities at Brize-Norton Air Force Base in the United Kingdom. A briefing room. Crew members of a United States Air Force B-47 Startojet attend a briefing session. Colonel Kunkle uses a pointer to point out an aerial route for the unit. He passes the stick to the next officer. Major Hess attaches maps to a wall map and then describes the mission to a bomb group. A close up of an officer during the briefing session. The crew members take notes. They come out of the briefing room. Men come out from 305th Bomb Wing Headquarters building. A sign reads 'United States Air Force 305th Bomb Wing, Medium'. U.S. Air Force Captain Grant with a heavy and bushy mustache conducts a briefing session. The captain talks and twirls the ends of his mustaches. A wall map and Brize-Norton pin pointed upon the map. A pointer traces the aerial route which the group would follow to Sidi Slimane AFB in Morocco which is also pin pointed upon the map.
Activities at Brize-Norton Air Force Base in the United Kingdom. A U.S. Air Force B-47 Stratojet aircraft stationary at an air strip. The engine starts. Operations being performed on the aircraft. An auxiliary power unit in front of the aircraft. Ground crewmen perform preflight inspection of the B-47 before starting the engines. Colonel Kunkle, crew member of the B-47 writes information on a flight plan form. Colonel Greer peers into a section of the engine. Preflight inspection. Col. Kunkle makes a visual check of the wings and all components parts of the aircraft. A ground crew operates the auxiliary power unit control panel for starting the engine of the B-47. He checks the rocket assist unit. Airmen make adjustments on the release nozzle of the rocket assist unit. The colonel reads information on a check sheet. A ground crewmen holds hands over the auxiliary power unit. A staff car drives up a taxi strip. Water covers the taxi strip. Heavy rainfall and no aircraft visible. Col. Kunkle, Colonel Greer and Major Richards get off from the car and walk. The crew donning flight equipment stands near the nose of the B-47 prior to boarding it. The Col. and the crew converse before boarding the aircraft. Men check each other's personal equipment. The B-47 stationary at the air strip. The engine starting unit with the auxiliary power unit in the nose. The B-47 taxis over the water covered runway. A jet blast blows a spray behind the aircraft. A ground crewman gives signal to the aircraft taxiing in the parking area. A ground radio control unit in a half ton truck. The operator of the truck talks over a radio phone. The rocket unit is set in. Rocket assisted takes off.
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