“_Prophecies of the Next Age_”
The explosion of X-15 number three had a curious impact on
me personally. For the first time in my flying career I was
foggy-minded. I could not recall immediately exactly what happened,
although in aerial emergencies in the past my mind always ticked on,
recording even the most obscure gauge readings. Locked in the room
with Q.C. and the others during the post-accident investigation, it
took me fully ten minutes of thoughtful reconstruction to lay out the
exact sequence of events that took place in the X-15 cockpit.
Flying home from Edwards late that night, I found my thoughts taking
another unusual turn. Although I seldom think about death, my mind
recreated in vivid detail the one death that stands out in my mind
more than all others, that of my father.
He died on October 21, 1954, during the time I was flying for NACA at
Edwards, six weeks or so after I drove the F-100 through the hangar
wall. He had sold the farm at last, for a handsome profit, and moved
to the California desert to be near his children and grandchildren.
He dreamed of touring the United States in a trailer in the evening
of his life. But it was too late. The more than nineteen years of
hard physical labor on the farm drained his body of strength. After
examining my father, one doctor told me: “He is the most worn-out man
of sixty-three that I have ever seen.”
Soon he fell quite ill. My mother was just recovering from a stroke,
and we brought in a nurse to help out. Toward the end, I spent almost
every night in his house, sleeping on a cot next to his bed. I was
there primarily out of love, to do what I could for him. But there
was another reason. I was curious to see whether in his final hours
this unwavering, iron-willed man would reveal any weakness. If I saw
the slightest hint, I would find a way to head it off, or at least
obscure it from him. For sixteen years or more I had been searching
for a break in his strength. I never found it. I didn’t really expect
him to ask for quarter now.
When I saw him on the morning of the 21st, I felt that he would not
last the day. I was scheduled for a Skyrocket flight that morning and
was on the verge of putting through a call to Walt Williams to cancel
it when my father called for me.
“What were you supposed to be doing today?” he asked. “Why haven’t
you gone to work?”
“Oh, nothing,” I said. “Just a routine flight. I can cancel it with
no problem.”
“I want you to go ahead and do your job.” His voice was low but firm.
His request was a command. There was no hint of quarter.
“Okay. But will you wait for me?” We both knew what I meant.
“Yes.”
I drove to the field and made the flight. My father waited, as he
promised. As I soon learned from a telephone call, he died at the
exact moment the Skyrocket’s wheels touched down on the lake at the
conclusion of my flight. He died quietly and bravely, without a
single compromise on his conscience. That he found what he sought
in the next life I have no doubt, for he was an honorable man and a
Christian.
Returning home that night after the X-15 explosion, the real
significance of my own life, which I had pondered for so many months
at Edwards, came to me as though crystallized by the accident. My
own life, in a different setting in time and circumstance, was an
imitation of my father’s, a striving toward unattainable perfection.
As nature had sealed Bill Young’s eyes and then mysteriously opened
his ears to sounds beyond the experience of other men, so nature
wounded me in childhood and then mysteriously endowed me with a
special spirit that put fear beyond my experience and spurred me to
improve everything that crossed my path. Who can presume to know
why? Nature and God are one. If there is an imperfection, it is not
there by accident. Perhaps He intended that by my example the wounds
of others lacking in this special spirit might be healed. I honestly
cannot believe that my being present at the birth and growth of the
X-15 was an accident. This blending of man and machine in a common
cause must be a part of _His_ grand design.
My father may have fallen short of his goal. I have fallen short
of my goal, probably I always shall. It may be that only ignorant
men reach goals. The important thing, I think, as with the X-15, is
the striving itself. Each of us who strives toward the unattainable
contributes to man’s ever-growing reservoir of knowledge and fact.
Each drop, however small, is vital for those who follow behind us.
Without it man must inevitably atrophy. Thus, as Emerson says, “Men
walk as prophecies of the next age.”
I realized that night that my new circle, the meaning of which I
had so intensively probed during the long months at Edwards, was
boundless. It was, in a few words, more of the same on a grander
scale. The details were not important. The ultimate end was not a
fixed slot, which I imagined in my youth to be the satisfying end,
a life devoted not to the specific but to the infinite, to the
collection of a few drops for that vast and wonderful pool. A small
contribution which would ease my children’s way, or perhaps in time
open men’s eyes to a part of the grand mystery.
* * * * *
It was quite late when I pulled into our driveway in Westchester. I
strode briskly to the front door and entered quietly. The children
were asleep. I mixed a drink and Alice and I relaxed in the living
room.
“Well, you look all right to me,” she said.
“There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“So what’s next?” It was many years since she had put that question
to me.
“I don’t know.” A thousand thoughts flashed through my mind. A
thousand imperfections, a thousand horizons, a thousand Mount
Everests, the story of man since time began. I was in a strange mood.
“Well,” Alice said, “they say life begins at forty. You’ve got a full
year and a half to make up your mind.”
“You know what I’ve been thinking,” I said absently. “This house is
getting pretty crowded with five lads. Maybe we ought to add a new
wing. Then there’s another thing I’d like to do. Maybe we could build
a little summerhouse out in the back yard--you know, one of those
lattice-work things--with a tower, or cupola, on top. If we built one
tall enough, we could see over the shrubbery and the fence. We could
sit up there and watch the airplanes taking off and landing at the
airport. We could see the sky and the horizon unobscured.”
The tower is not yet begun. But that is a new story, another dawn.
_Chronology_
DATE PLANE PILOT COMMENT
_1946_
Sept. NACA contingent arrives
at Edwards
Oct. X-1 Goodlin First powered flight
_1947_
Mar. D-558-I May First flight
Aug. D-558-I Caldwell 640.7 mph
Aug. D-558-I Carl 651 mph
Oct. X-1 Yeager Mach 1.0
_1948_
Feb. D-558-II Martin First flight; Ground take-off
Mar. X-1 Hoover First civilian; Mach 1.0
Sept. XF-92A Yeager First flight
Dec. X-4 Tucker First flight
_1949_
Aug. X-1 Everest 73,000 ft.
_1950_
June D-558-II Bridgeman First air-launch
_1951_
June X-5 Ziegler First flight
Aug. D-558-II Bridgeman 79,000 ft.; Mach 1.89
Nov. X-1 (#3) Cannon Blew up--destroyed
Fall X-1-D Everest Blew up--mother plane
_1952_
June X-2 (#1) Ziegler Ballast--at Edwards;
Glide
Oct. X-3 Bridgeman First flight
_1953_
Feb. X-1-A Ziegler First powered flight
May X-2 (#2) Ziegler Captive--Buffalo; Blew
up--Ziegler killed
Aug. D-558-II Carl 83,235 ft.
Oct. XF-92A Crossfield Wheel collapsed; Plane
retired
Nov. D-558-II Crossfield Mach 2.0
Dec. X-1-A Yeager Mach 2.5; Tumble
_1954_
Apr. (X-15) NACA Summary Report;
Plane born
June X-1-A Murray 90,000 ft.; Tumble
Aug. X-2 (#1) Everest First glide flight; Ballast;
Damaged
Oct. (X-15) Recommended by NACA
Oct. X-1-B Murray First flight
Dec. (X-15) Competition announced
_1955_
Aug. X-1-A Walker Fire--jettison plane
Nov. X-2 Everest First powered flight
Dec. X-1-E Walker First powered flight
Dec. (X-15) Contract awarded to
North American
_1956_
May X-2 (#2) Kincheloe First flight
July X-2 Everest Mach 2.93
Sept. X-2 Kincheloe 126,200 ft.
Sept. X-2 Apt First flight 2,094 mph;
Crashed--killed
Dec. (X-15) Mock-up complete
_1958_
July F-104 Kincheloe Killed
Oct. (X-15 #1) Completed, shipped to
Edwards
_1959_
Mar. X-15 #1 Crossfield First captive flight
June X-15 #1 Crossfield First glide flight
Sept. X-15 #2 Crossfield First powered flight
_1960_
Feb. (X-15 #1) Delivered to Air Force
and NASA
June X-15 #3 Crossfield Explosion during XLR-99
engine ground test
Aug. X-15 #1 Walker 2,196 mph
Aug. X-15 #1 White 136,500 ft.
_Index_
Aase, Carl, 72, 79
aero-space medicine, 187
aircraft:
B-17, 107
B-25, 206
B-29, 48-50, 125, 127, 147, 171, 176, 201, 203
B-36, 222, 264
B-45, 30
B-47, 20, 25, 216
B-50, 146, 147, 151, 152
B-52, 264-265, 299, 301, 310, 316, 322, 331, 335, 352, 358, 377,
392
B-58, 215, 367
B-70, 293, 295, 357, 373, 397
“Banshee” (McDonnell’s F2H), 25, 299
Boeing’s Clipper, 76
Boeing’s 707, 20
British Comet Jet airliner, 235
C-3 Cub, 66
Convair’s 880, 297
Curtiss Robin, 74
DC-6, 139
DC-8, 297
DeHavilland Swallows, 33
Douglas D-558-II “Skyrocket,” 34, 46, 135, 139, 145, 149, 157,
158, 171, 177, 198, 212, 216, 223, 231, 241, 285
Douglas D-558, “Skystreak,” 47
Douglas D-558-I “Skystreak,” 33, 39, 47, 135, 159, 216
Eagle Rock, 64, 66
F4H, 287
F4U, 109, 110, 111
F6F, 104, 109
F8U, 287
F9F, 216
F11F, 287
F-80, 25
F-84, 25, 39
F-84-F, 193, 195, 216
F-86, 25, 193-194, 206, 216, 220, 233, 299
F-100, 45, 186, 194-198, 206, 221, 231, 289, 299, 341
F-101, 45, 186
F-102, 45, 167, 193, 216
F-104, 45, 185, 278, 300, 304, 341, 372, 381
F-105, 186, 215, 297
F-106, 167, 297
F-107, 215, 297, 299
F-108, 206, 293, 295, 357
“Glamorous Glennis,” 31, 127, 145
Hiller Helicopter, 216
Howard “Ike,” “Mike,” and “Pete,” 65
Howard “Mr. Mulligan,” 65, 75
Lancaster (British), 70
N3N (“Yellow Peril”), 90
P-51, 206, 241
R-4-D, 107
T-39, 299, 374
Travelair “Mystery Ship,” 65, 66
U-2, 275
Weddell-Williams “Special,” 65
X-1, 21-23, 26, 28, 31, 33, 47-58, 119, 125, 126, 128, 135, 137,
139, 158, 198, 223, 228, 237, 293, 311
X-1-A, 137, 138, 145, 159, 162, 180, 184, 200-205, 238, 286, 293,
299, 368, 381, 391
X-1-B, 137, 145, 148, 185, 201, 204, 212, 224, 286
X-1-C, 137, 145
X-1-D, 137, 145, 146, 159, 201, 381
X-1-E, 185, 204, 208, 211, 286
X-1-3 (“Queenie”), 145, 147, 148, 201, 350, 381
X-2, 34-35, 135, 137, 139, 149, 150-153, 157, 165, 185, 201-207,
228, 231, 238, 247, 275, 286, 293, 343, 371, 381, 396
X-3, 34, 141, 148-149, 152, 165, 198, 286, 293, 396
X-4, 32-33, 38-44, 47, 135, 158, 198, 278, 286
X-5, 34, 154-155, 158, 198, 216, 286
X-15, 35, 49, 158, 165, 186, 187-189, 204, 207-208, 212, 216,
220, 222, 227, 231, 245, 249, 251, 264, 268, 272, 277, 282,
286, 290, 295, 299, 300, 304, 310, 322, 325, 338, 343, 358,
377, 389, 392, 401, 405, 409
X-15 Number 2, 346, 350
X-15 Number 3, 407
X-15B, 279, 280-283, 287, 295, 318
XF-85, 299
XF-92A, 148, 165, 167, 193, 216, 278
YF-84, 216, 276
Allavie, Capt John E. (“Jack”), 266, 314, 325, 328, 335, 367 ff.,
371, 376, 394
Allen, Edward (“Eddie”), 23, 27, 76, 373
Ames, NACA laboratory, 26, 29, 35, 156
Ankenbruk, Herman O., 174, 175, 177
Apt, Capt. Milburn (“Mel”), 213-214, 215-216, 247, 270, 367, 389,
396
Army’s Ballistic Missile Agency, Huntsville, Ala., 374
Atwood, J. Lee, 209-212
auxiliary power unit (APU), 310-312
Babb, Harold, 60
Baker, Joel R. (“Bob”), Jr., 210
ballistic-missile nose, 224
Barker, Peter R. (“Pete”), 314, 315, 328 ff.
Barnes, Francis Lowe (“Pancho”), 29, 40, 65, 215
Beach, Melvin L. (“Mel”), 309, 326
Beal, Arthur, 78, 81, 84
Bell (aircraft company), 21-23, 31, 34, 127, 137, 146, 149, 153,
201, 204
Benner, Roland R. (“Bud”), 226, 349, 356
Berkowitz, Harry W. (“Bill”), 300, 314, 352, 359, 360, 367
Bikle, Paul, 298, 390
Blossom, Mrs. (author’s sixth grade teacher), 72
Bock, Capt. Charles, 266, 314, 315, 316, 320 ff., 328, 329, 331
ff., 338, 339, 340, 352, 355, 360, 361, 367, 394
Boeing (aircraft company), 20-21, 82, 85, 88, 287
Bonney, Walter, 169, 170, 178
Boyd, Col. Albert, 31, 40, 41, 146, 165, 190
Braun, Wernher von, 374, 377
Bridgeman, William B. (“Bill”), 34, 46, 48-49, 52, 139, 148, 159,
210, 216, 238
Brown, Claude (brother-in-law), 36
Brown, Clinton, 163
Brown, Elena Ruth (“Babe”)--sister, 36, 62, 78, 102
Brown, Louise, 56
Bryan, John C. (“Jack”), 210
Buchanan, G. A., 84, 85
Butchart, Stanley P. (“Stan”), 175, 176, 193, 200 ff.
Butler, Capt. Francis M., 190
Caldwell, Comdr. Turner F., Jr., 47
Canary, John O. (“Jack”), 221
Cannon, Joseph A. (“Joe”), 147, 148, 299
“captive” fuel tests, 152
Carl, Maj. Marion, 47, 159, 216, 241, 287
Carmen, L. Robert, 35, 142, 157, 226, 293-294
Carpenter, Brig. Gen. John W., 297
Century Series supersonic fighters, 45, 136, 185
Champine, Robert S. (“Bob”), 30, 128
Civilian Pilot Training (CPT), 84
Clark, Dr. David M., 239-240, 242, 243, 253 ff.
Clark, Mrs. (author’s first grade teacher), 72
Clousing, Laurence, 27
Cokely, E. R. (“Ed”), 298-299
Colvin, Lou, 111, 112
commercial jet airliner (U. S.), _see_ Boeing 707
Cooper, Brig. Gen. Marcus, 297
cosmic radiation, 164, 187
Crossfield’s family:
Albert Scott (father), 56, 407;
Alice (wife), 22, 28-29, 37, 96, 102, 120, 285;
Amasa Scott (grandfather), 56;
Becky (daughter), 37, 121;
Lucia (mother), 55;
Mary Ann (sister), 62, 80;
Tommy (son), 37
_See also_ Elena Ruth Brown
Crow, Sgt. Herbert G., 314
Doolittle, James H. (“Jimmy”), 23, 76, 152, 186
Douglas (aircraft company), 34, 186, 204
Drake, Hubert M., 35, 142, 157, 226
Drakeford, Sir Arthur, 57
Drakeford, Peter A., 57
Drakeford, Ruth, 57
“Dry lakes,” 42, 44, 282;
Cuddeback Dry Lake, 42, 380;
Harper Dry Lake, 43;
Rogers Dry Lake, 42, 52, 129, 151, 223, 301, 321, 340;
Rosamond Dry Lake, 43, 338, 355, 380;
Three Sisters Dry Lakes, 43, 380
Dryden, Dr. Hugh, 152, 153, 159, 161, 168, 179, 188, 206, 283
Durrup, Lt. Paul, 237, 238
Dwyer, Bessie, 57
Dwyer, Thomas Aloysius, 54
Dwyer, Thomas Aloysius, Jr., 55
Earhart, Amelia, 65
Edwards (desert test center), Calif., 28
ejection seat, 230, 233, 259, 260
Elkin, Hugh, 222, 396
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 319, 409
“escape capsule,” 230-232
Everest, Maj. Frank K. (“Pete”), 31, 32, 40, 42-43, 127, 146,
147, 165, 180, 184, 190, 201, 204, 207, 210, 213, 214, 216,
237-238, 367, 371, 389, 396
Everest, Frank K., _The Fastest Man Alive_, 146
“extra-atmospheric” flight, 164
Feltz, Charles, 220-222, 225, 226 ff., 244, 251, 260, 261, 262 ff.,
267-270, 275 ff., 284, 289, 290, 292 ff., 303, 307 ff., 316,
326, 333, 336, 342, 349, 356, 359, 364, 365, 371, 385, 391,
395, 406
Ferren, Roy, 380, 382
Finch, Thomas, 154
Flagg, John, 255, 256, 257
Flateboe, Comdr. William, 111, 112
Flickinger, Brig. Gen. Don, 258, 267, 268, 277, 282, 283
Fohl, Simon S. (“Si”), 309-310
“forced eating” methods, 277
Freedman, Toby, 301, 383-384
Freeman, Oscar, 315, 328
Fulton, Fitzhugh, 49, 51-52, 367, 368, 394
Gahl, Capt. Edward C., 266
Gallanes, Harry, 400-401
Gates, Thomas S., Secretary of Defense, 396
Gibb, John, 349, 353, 356
Givens, Capt. Vergil C., 176
Glennan, Dr. T. Keith, 283
Goodlin, Chalmers (“Slick”), 21, 23, 30
Goodrich Tire and Rubber Company, 237
Gravity, positive (positive G), 129
Gregorious, Capt. John, 190
Griffith, John, 28, 29, 31, 39, 126
Grumman (aircraft company), 76
Harper, John, 30
Harvey, Quinton C. (“Q.C.”), 147, 299 ff., 308, 316, 322, 324,
328-329, 335-336, 339, 342, 346, 349, 355, 356, 359, 360,
365, 368, 371, 373, 376 ff., 386, 389, 401, 403, 407
Helsell, William A. (“Bill”), 111, 112, 113, 115, 116, 117
Henry, Dr. James P., 237
High Speed Flight Station, NACA, Edwards, 30, 191, 298
Hoffmann, “Bogie,” 94
Holguin, Paula, 55
Holtoner, Gen. Stanley, 190, 297
Hoover, Herbert R., 30, 31
Hoover, Robert A. (“Bob”), 196
Howard, Ben O. (“Benny”), 65, 75
Humphries, Mrs. (author’s fourth grade teacher), 72
Inconel X, 224, 229, 262, 290, 320, 343
International Harvester Company, 245
International Geophysical Year, 267
International Livestock Show, Chicago, 78
Jansen, George, 48, 50, 140
JATO, 47-48, 139
Jingle, Joe, 351
Johnson, Louis, Secretary of Defense, 45
Johnson, Col. Richard, 40
Johnston, E. W. (“Bill”), 248
Johnsville Centrifuge, 271-272
Jones, Harold, 81
Jones, Walter P., 126
Kincheloe, Iven, 213-214, 216, 286, 304-305, 367, 396
Kindelberger, J. H. (“Dutch”), 210
Kingsville Naval Air Station, 93
Kirsten, Professor Frank K., 19
Kotcher, Ezra, 26, 158
Konrad, John, 49, 52
Korean War, 25, 45
Laird, Norman, 66
Lamb, Comdr. William, 104, 105
Langley, NACA laboratory, 26, 30, 32, 157, 283
Lathrop, Neil T., 190
Lauffer, Brian, 383
Lawrence Sperry Award, 210
Layne, Eddie, 46
LeBlonde (French mfg. company), 79
Le May, Gen. Curtis, 266
Le Vier, Anthony W. (“Tony”), 186
Lewshon, William T., 152
Lienesch, Charles (“Carl”), 64, 66, 76, 80
Lilly, Howard C., 30, 33, 47
Lindbergh, Charles A., 21, 24, 75
Lox (liquid oxygen), 160, 172, 201
Lunn, Rose E., 265
Mach number, 16, 33-34, 39, 48, 129, 137, 143, 158, 171-172,
177-178, 183, 186, 247, 269, 362, 371, 391, 395
Marshall, Gen. George C., 45
Martin, Ernest (“Ernie”), 242
Martin, John, 48
May, Gene, 33, 34, 48
McDonnell (aircraft company), 20, 283
McKay, John B. (“Jack”), 193, 201-202, 224
McNulty, Vaughn, 66
Meade, Mrs. (author’s second grade teacher), 72
Mellinger, George, 373
Mercury Astronauts, 243, 283
MIS (Man in Space) program, 267, 268, 277, 282
missiles:
Bomarc, 356;
medium- and long-range (Thor, Jupiter, Atlas, Titan), 27, 156,
187, 206, 228, 269;
Nike, 356;
Navaho, 268-269, 279, 281;
Redstone, 157, 399;
Regulus, 215;
surface-to-surface (Atlas, Titan, Polaris), 357, 404;
Vanguard, 399;
V-2, 156
Moise, John W. (“Jack”), 173, 368
Murphy’s Law, 352, 368, 404
Murray, Maj. Arthur (“Kit”), 181, 182, 184, 201, 202-203, 207, 216,
241, 299, 367, 391
NACA High Speed Flight Station, 30, 191, 298
NACA testing laboratories:
Ames, Calif. (Moffett Field, near San Francisco), 26;
Lewis, Cleveland, Ohio, 26;
Langley, Hampton, Va., 26, 30, 32, 157, 283
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), 26-28, 30-33,
38, 40, 45, 65, 136, 141, 152
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 283, 287
Nautilus submarine, 269
Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland, 105, 159
Naval Air Training Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, 91
Naval Air Training Center, Jacksonville, Florida, 99
Navy Aero-medical Acceleration Laboratory, Johnsville, Pa., 272
Newman, James (“Jim”), 172, 176
Nixon, Richard M., 303
North American Aviation, Inc., 204, 209, 247, 268, 312, 318, 334
Northrop, John K. (“Jack”), 40
“Nose Wheel Club,” 132
O’Sullivan, William J., 163
Owl, George A., Jr., 221, 229
Paymiller, Mrs. (author’s fifth-grade teacher), 63, 72
Payne, Richard E. (“Dick”), 128
Pearl Harbor, 86, 93, 247
Perkins, Oliver R. (“Perk”), 167, 168
Petersen, Lt. Comdr. Forrest S., (“Pete”), 287
“Phase Two” airplanes, 47
Popson, Maj. Raymond A., 155, 190
Post, Wiley, 237
_Press-Telegram_, newspaper of Long Beach, Calif., 66
pressure suit and equipment, 236-239, 240-242, 253, 258
“pressurized” cabin, 235
Project Mercury, 158, 283, 287
Puckett, Elvin V., 84
radiation disease, 274
Reaction Motors, Inc., 223
Reed, Elden, 78, 81, 84
Republic (aircraft corporation), 204, 205
reserve squadron VF-74, 109, 113-114, 118
Rice, Ray, 212, 246
Richardson, Capt. Ralph N., 314, 326, 334, 344, 373, 390
Richter, Donald M. (“Sam”), 300, 301, 309, 316, 331, 342, 363, 364,
365, 366, 379, 384, 386-387
Ridley, Capt. Jackie L. (“Jack”), 31, 127, 130, 146, 181, 190
Robinson, Raun, 226
Robinson, Russell E. (“Robby”), 310-311, 313
rocket engines, 46
rocket engine XLR-99, 223, 227, 233, 251, 281, 292-294, 301, 361,
399
Roosevelt, Theodore, 259
Rowan, Dr. E. J., 63
Russell, Jack, 160
Sand Point Naval Air Station, Seattle, Wash., 88
Satellites:
Dyna-Soar, 287;
Sputnik, 270, 280-283, 288, 302
Scott, Gen. Winfield, 56
Seeger, Oscar, 119, 123
Sellers, Capt. Wilbur (“Pete”), 125, 127, 190
“Semi-empirical Method of Obtaining Static and Dynamic Aerodynamic
Parameters of Swept-back Wings Analyzed on a Basis of Plan
Form,”--Crossfield’s master’s thesis, 122
Semone, Arthur (“Art”), 403
Sigma Xi, 121
Simons, Maj. David, 275
Smith, boot ensign, 104
Smith, George, 230-231
Smithsonian Institution, 31
sonic barrier, 23, 28, 30, 31, 47
Soucek, Rear Adm. Apollo, 168
Soule, Hartley, 26
“space suit,” 242
Sparks, Ralph (“Sparky”), 38, 40
speed of sound, 16, 21, 26
stability augmentation system (SAS), 193, 339
Stack, John, 26, 157
Stanley, Robert, 127, 137, 152
Stapp, Col. John Paul, 259
Staub, Blake, 313, 339
Storms, Harrison (“Stormy”), 205, 246-250, 252, 262, 267-270, 280
ff., 293, 311, 316, 326, 327, 330 ff., 342, 344, 349, 356,
359, 374, 375, 378, 384, 386, 393, 406
Strategic Air Command, 20, 21
“supersonic yaw,” 142, 160
Taft, William Howard, 57
“tail chase,” 95
Tau Beta Pi, 121
Taylor, James, 76, 373
Thach, Capt. John (“Jimmy”), 94
Thomas, Mrs. (author’s third grade teacher), 72
Thompson, Capt. Allen W., 190
Tucker, Charles E., 40
Turner, Roscoe, 65
twenty-mule teams, 29
Tymczyszyn, Joseph J., 20, 21, 121
Union Oil Refinery, Wilmington, Calif., 58, 76
University of Nebraska, 81
University of Washington, 19, 20, 80-81, 111, 119
Van Allen radiation belt, 275
Vensel, Joseph R. (“Joe”), 30, 31, 39, 44, 126, 153, 193, 198, 202,
203
Walker, Joseph A. (“Joe”), 126, 149, 154, 193, 200, 202, 286, 354,
359, 363, 368, 371, 372, 392-393, 405, 406
Walko, Frank, 152
Wallin, Mrs. (author’s kindergarten teacher), 72
Wedell, James (“Jimmy”), 65
weightlessness (zero G), 129, 164, 187, 276
Welch, George, 194
Weldon, Lt. Comdr. Harry, 238, 239, 241
White, Maj. Robert, 286, 305, 340, 354, 359, 364, 371, 381-383,
392, 397, 405, 406
Williams, Esther, 179
Williams, Walter C. (“Walt”), 28, 30-31, 38-39, 44, 52, 126, 138,
149, 153, 162, 169, 178, 199, 206-208, 213, 250, 251, 298,
305, 408
Wilrich, Louise, 78, 81, 84
Wilson, Charles E., Secretary of Defense, 270
Wilson, Woodrow, 26
wind-tunnel tests and data, 20, 33, 120, 163, 186, 211, 231, 248
wings:
cantilever, 19, 20;
delta, 32;
straight, 32;
swept, 32
Wolfe, Maj. Joseph E., 190
Woods, Robert, 26, 156, 157, 158
Yeager, Capt. Charles (“Chuck”), 23, 28, 32, 40-41, 47, 104, 125,
138, 149, 159, 162, 165, 180, 181, 198, 201, 207, 210, 215,
216, 221, 276, 299, 342, 367, 371
York, Sergeant, 104
Young, William (“Bill”), 78, 81, 84, 409
Ziegler, Jean L. (“Skip”), 146, 149, 151-152, 204, 299
Zimmerman, Charles H., 163
[Illustration: (Colophon)]
_This book was set in
Futura and Caledonia types by
Harry Sweetman Typesetting Corp.
It was printed and bound at
the press of The World Publishing Company.
Typography and design are by Larry Kamp._
Transcriber’s Notes
Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been
silently corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences
within the text and consultation of external sources. Some hyphens
in words have been silently removed and some silently added when
a predominant preference was found in the original book. Except
for those changes noted below, original spellings in the text and
inconsistent usage have been retained.
Page 173: “high-pressure propellents” replaced by “high-pressure
propellants”.
Page 229: “add considerable” replaced by “add considerably”.
Page 258: “look of horrow” replaced by “look of horror”.
Page 293: “turned to on the” replaced by “turned to the”.
Page 397: “Project Mecury capsule” replaced by “Project Mercury
capsule”.
Page 418: “Holtner, Gen. Stanley” replaced by “Holtoner, Gen.
Stanley”.
Page 419: “Mach number, 15” replaced by “Mach number, 16”.
Page 419: “near San” replaced by “near San Francisco), 26”.
Page 420: “speed of sound, 15” replaced by “speed of sound, 16”.
Three consecutive pictures in the second photo insert shared the
same caption (“Clips from the horror film. NAA photos.”) in the
original text. The caption “Clip from the horror film. NAA photo.”
has been added to all three pictures for clarity. Italicized text is
surrounded by underscores: _italics_.
New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the
public domain.