X15_v_bw_o_n (White - 12 APR 60 flt, unnumbered prob. USAF photo)
“NB-52A launches the X-15-1 on what may be Bob White's flight to 131,000 feet altitude on August 12, 1960. Photo courtesy AFFTC/HO.”
The above from/at the following excellent website:
www.air-and-space.com/x-15%20forty%20years%20later%202000...
Credit: Air-and-Space.com (the former Goleta Air & Space Museum) website, via AFFTC/HO
And, since the link doesn't work when copied/pasted, should you exert the extra effort, it's the last/only color image at the site.
Additionally:
"13 April 1960: Major Robert M. White, USAF, made the first flight of an X-15 by an Air Force test pilot.
Carried aloft by a Boeing NB-52A Stratofortress, serial number 52-0003, the first of three X-15 hypersonic research aircraft, 56-6670, was airdropped at 0915 above Rosamond Dry Lake. Major White ignited the two Reaction Motors XLR-11 rocket engines and with a burn time of 4 minutes, 13.7 seconds, the X-15 accelerated to Mach 1.9 (1,254 miles per hour/2,018 kilometers per hour) and reached 48,000 feet (14,630 meters). Both numbers were slightly short of the planned Mach 2.0 (1,320 miles per hour/2,124 kilometers per hour) and 50,000 feet (15,240 meters).
After 8 minutes, 52.7 seconds, Bob White and the X-15 touched down at Edwards Air Force Base."
www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/north-american-aviation-x-15/
static.thisdayinaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/tdia//201...
ALL above credit the also excellent "This Day In Aviation" website.
Possibly from the same flight (note the similar vertical linear film/emulsion/lens defect/artifact), although unidentified, associated with a wonderful story:
futuredude.com/x-15-my-dads-favorite-plane/
Credit: Jeffrey Morris/"FutureDude Entertainment" website
To add further confusion to the perpetual ambiguity with respect to X-15 photographic documentation, it's been brought to my attention (see comment below) that this photo is of Scott Crossfield's first powered flight in 1959, originating from what would expected to be an even more knowledgeable source...maybe.
Frankly, if you care to, your guess is as good as mine & possibly, anybody else's.
Reminder to myself: The worn "U.S." lettering on the NB-52A will potentially aid future photo identifications.
X15_v_bw_o_n (White - 12 APR 60 flt, unnumbered prob. USAF photo)
“NB-52A launches the X-15-1 on what may be Bob White's flight to 131,000 feet altitude on August 12, 1960. Photo courtesy AFFTC/HO.”
The above from/at the following excellent website:
www.air-and-space.com/x-15%20forty%20years%20later%202000...
Credit: Air-and-Space.com (the former Goleta Air & Space Museum) website, via AFFTC/HO
And, since the link doesn't work when copied/pasted, should you exert the extra effort, it's the last/only color image at the site.
Additionally:
"13 April 1960: Major Robert M. White, USAF, made the first flight of an X-15 by an Air Force test pilot.
Carried aloft by a Boeing NB-52A Stratofortress, serial number 52-0003, the first of three X-15 hypersonic research aircraft, 56-6670, was airdropped at 0915 above Rosamond Dry Lake. Major White ignited the two Reaction Motors XLR-11 rocket engines and with a burn time of 4 minutes, 13.7 seconds, the X-15 accelerated to Mach 1.9 (1,254 miles per hour/2,018 kilometers per hour) and reached 48,000 feet (14,630 meters). Both numbers were slightly short of the planned Mach 2.0 (1,320 miles per hour/2,124 kilometers per hour) and 50,000 feet (15,240 meters).
After 8 minutes, 52.7 seconds, Bob White and the X-15 touched down at Edwards Air Force Base."
www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/north-american-aviation-x-15/
static.thisdayinaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/tdia//201...
ALL above credit the also excellent "This Day In Aviation" website.
Possibly from the same flight (note the similar vertical linear film/emulsion/lens defect/artifact), although unidentified, associated with a wonderful story:
futuredude.com/x-15-my-dads-favorite-plane/
Credit: Jeffrey Morris/"FutureDude Entertainment" website
To add further confusion to the perpetual ambiguity with respect to X-15 photographic documentation, it's been brought to my attention (see comment below) that this photo is of Scott Crossfield's first powered flight in 1959, originating from what would expected to be an even more knowledgeable source...maybe.
Frankly, if you care to, your guess is as good as mine & possibly, anybody else's.
Reminder to myself: The worn "U.S." lettering on the NB-52A will potentially aid future photo identifications.