Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket - Foton & Video

Den Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket (eller D-558-II) var ett raket- och jetdrivet överljudsforskningsflygplan byggt av Douglas Aircraft Company för USA:s flotta. Den 20 november 1953, strax före 50-årsjubileet av motordriven flygning, lotsade Scott Crossfield Skyrocket till Mach 2, eller mer än 2076 km/h, första gången ett flygplan hade överskridit dubbelt så hög ljudhastighet.

Källkod: Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket på Wikipedia

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.