It has been asserted that the Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress, carrying Air Force serial 52-0008, can lay claim to being the airplane that has seen and participated in more history than any other single airplane. For forty-five years, the NB-52B was a fixture at Edwards Air Force Base. While the NB-52B is most famous for launching the three North American X-15 rocket planes, it continued to serve in the role of launch platform for a multitude of programs until its final mission on November 16, 2004. It was the oldest flying B-52 by nearly ten years. The book is 200 pages long. It contains 246 color photographs, 89 black and white photographs, and 2 other illustrations.
The NB-52A 52-0003 and its sister ship, the NB-52B 52-0008 were diverted to the special mission of launching the X-15 hypersonic research airplane in 1958 following their service as early test examples of the B-52 Stratofortress. While the two Stratofortresses were engaged in the task of launching the three X-15 rocket planes, a series of rocket powered lifting bodies were developed that utilized the existing air launch capability. The NB-52A was a flying launch pad, which is a highly complex task. It had to supply the rocket planes that it carried with the propellants, gases, and power normally associated with a launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center, all while flying nine miles above the ground. This ability made the airplane an indispensable asset for aeronautical research. Its right wing was reinforced and equipped with a pylon to carry the heaviest wing-borne payloads ever dropped from an airplane. Some of the payloads that it dropped exceeded 50,000 pounds, nearly 1/5 of its own weight. The X-15 rocket planes launched by this Stratofortress carried pilots to unprecedented speeds and altitudes. They were the first winged vehicles to reach speeds of Mach-4, Mach-5, and Mach-6. They were also the first winged vehicles to exceed 130,000 feet altitude, eventually reaching over 364,000 feet, high above nearly all the Earth's atmosphere. Five pilots qualified for astronaut's wings by exceeding an altitude of fifty miles in the X-15s. Tragically, one of those astronauts was killed on his qualifying flight when the third X-15 broke up as it re-entered the atmosphere. Later in the career of the NB-52A, the X-15s were joined by a trio of heavyweight lifting bodies. The Northrop M2-F2 and HL-10 and the Martin Marietta X-24A were wingless, rocket-powered research vehicles that evaluated potential configurations of future orbital spacecraft, concentrating on the later stages of re-entry and landing. They established the feasibility of gliding to a landing in a spacecraft with a low glide ratio, the method utilized by the Rockwell Space Shuttle.
This book puts the reader in the pilot's seat for a "day at the office" unlike any other. The Smell of Kerosene tells the dramatic story of a NASA research pilot who logged over 11,000 flight hours in more than 125 types of aircraft. Donald Mallick gives the reader fascinating first-hand description of his early naval flight training, carrier operations, and his research flying career with NASA. After transferring to the NASA Flight Research Center, Mallick became involved with projects that further pushed the boundaries of aerospace technology. These included the giant delta-winged XB-70 supersonic airplane, the wingless M2-F1 lifting body vehicle, and triple-sonic YF-12 Blackbird. Mallick also test flew the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle and helped develop techniques used in training astronauts to land on the Moon.
This document tracks the changes to the appearance of the two Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses that were modified to carry and launch the North American X-15 rocket planes. The two NB-52s went on to launch the X-15A-2, Northrop HL-10, Northrop M2-F2, and Martin-Marietta X-24A. The NB-52A retired in October 1969, but the NB-52B soldiered on until November 2004, launching a wide variety of unmanned research vehicles and parachute test devices. The appearance of the NB-52s changed many times over the years. These changes are illustrated in this document. There are fourten sets of illustrations for the NB-52A and eighteen sets of illustrations for the NB-52B. The Stratofortress motherships are popular subjects for modelers. Their special missions capture the imagination. The liberal application of DayGlo orange, DayGlo red, and yellow makes them a couple of the most colorful B-52s. This document will help modelers to reproduce the correct appearance of either Stratofortress for any particular mission.
An accessible encyclopedia of military weapons represents a collaboration with The Army, Navy, and Air Force Times, and covers each weapon system, its evolution, development, and combat experience.
The X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability Demonstrator was unique among experimental aircraft. A joint effort of the United States and Germany, the X-31 was the only X-plane to be designed, manufactured, and flight tested as an international collaboration. It was also the only X-plane to support two separate test programs conducted years apart, one administered largely by NASA and the other by the U.S. Navy, as well as the first X-plane ever to perform at the Paris Air Show. Flying Beyond the Stall begins by describing the government agencies and private-sector industries involved in the X-31 program, the genesis of the supermaneuverability concept and its initial design breakthroughs, design and fabrication of two test airframes, preparation for the X-31's first flight, and the first flights of Ship #1 and Ship #2. Subsequent chapters discuss envelope expansion, handling qualities (especially at high angles of attack), and flight with vectored thrust. The book then turns to the program's move to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center and actual flight test data. Additional tasking, such as helmet-mounted display evaluations, handling quality studies, aerodynamic parameter estimation, and a "tailless" study are also discussed.The book describes how, in the aftermath of a disastrous accident with Ship #1 in 1995, Ship #2 was prepared for its outstanding participation in the Paris Air Show. The aircraft was then shipped back to Edwards AFB and put into storage until the late 1990s, when it was refurbished for participation in the U. S. Navy's VECTOR program. The book ends with a comprehensive discussion of lessons learned and includes an Appendix containing detailed information.
General Adams reflects on his experiences in the cold war, during which he served in both manned bombers and missile silos. He tells stories of famous and not-so-famous cold warriors, including some from the US Navy. Some stories are humorous; some stories are tragic. Having traveled extensively in Russia and some former Soviet Union states after retirement, General Adams tells us about his former adversaries, the Soviet cold warriors. In the process, he leaves no doubt about his respect for all who served so valiantly in the "strategic triad"-- the strategic command, the ICBM force, and the submarine Navy.
An understandable perspective on the types of space propulsion systems necessary to enable low-cost space flights to Earth orbit and to the Moon and the future developments necessary for exploration of the solar system and beyond to the stars.
Follows the evolution of the US Air Force and looks at significant events and campaigns that have shaped its history. Extensive detail begins with the present day major commands and unit structure, and commands which were in place in 1947. Each is detailed including development, unit assignments, serial batches, and an explanation of the role of each variant. A list of current tail codes is presented, along with command assignment, aircraft operated, and home base.
The General Electric Air Research Laboratory at the Schenectady, New York Airport hosted an open house on June 22, 1946, less than one year after V-J Day. It was an overcast day with intermittent rain. The event featured a variety of prototype airplanes and helicopters and some modified testbed airplanes. Many of the airplanes were pinnacles of piston-powered aircraft technology. Examples of early jet fighters foreshadowed the coming transition to jet power. The first jet air mail service was carried by a pair of Lockheed P-80 Shooting Stars that departed from the open house.Richard Lockett, a General Electric employee, photographed the aircraft participating at the open house. He documented the evolving technology of the day. He also captured the behavior and fashions of the people attending the show.
