Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket – Zdjęcia & Video

Tthe Douglas D-558-2 Rakieta (lub D-558-II) był rakiety i odrzutowe naddźwiękowe samoloty badawcze zbudowane przez Douglas Aircraft Company dla United States Navy. 20 listopada 1953 roku, na krótko przed 50 rocznicą lotu z napędem, Scott Crossfield pilotował rakietę Skyrocket do Mach 2, czyli ponad 1290 mil na godzinę (2076 km/h), kiedy samolot po raz pierwszy przekroczył dwukrotnie większą prędkość dźwięku.

Źródła: Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket na Wikipedii

The 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.