Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket - Bilder & Video

Den Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket (eller D-558-II) var et rakett- og jetdrevet supersonisk forskningsfly bygget av Douglas Aircraft Company for den amerikanske marinen. 20. november 1953, kort tid før 50-årsjubileet for motorisert flyvning, styrte Scott Crossfield Skyrocket til Mach 2, eller mer enn 1,290 mph (2076 km/t), første gang et fly hadde overskredet dobbelt så høy hastighet som lyden.

Kilde: Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket på Wikipedia

Den Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket was a supersonic research aircraft that achieved several milestones in aviation history. It was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the United States Navy in the late 1940s and early 1950s, as part of a three-phase program to explore the effects of high-speed flight. The Skyrocket had a sleek design with swept wings and a combination of jet and rocket engines.
It could take off under its own power or be launched from a modified B-29 bomber. On November 20, 1953, it became the first aircraft to fly faster than twice the speed of sound, reaching Mach 2.005 with pilot Scott Crossfield at the controls. The Skyrocket also contributed to the development of future supersonic and hypersonic aircraft, such as the X-15 and the Space Shuttle.