North American X-15

By Peter E. Davies

One of the great pioneers of both aviation and spaceflight, the X-15 was built to explore speeds and altitudes never previously approached. With its massive rocket thrust, wedge-shaped tail and immense airframe strength, the X-15 was capable of hypersonic speeds of Mach 6-plus and could reach suborbital space, more than 60 miles up. It not only shattered existing records, but its test-flight career produced data and experience that would be invaluable for other space programs and high-performance military aircraft. Half a century on, the X-15 remains the fastest, most spectacular, highest-flying, and arguably most successful of the X-planes. Fully illustrated with rare photos and new artwork, this book explains the X-15's development, technology, and the test-flight career that in the hands of pilots like Neil Armstrong and Joe Walker, made it a legend. Throughout the last century, one-off experimental aircraft and cutting-edge military prototypes have pushed the boundaries of what is possible. Authoritative and accessible, X-Planes is the series that explains the technology behind the world's most important prototype and research aircraft, their often dangerous flight-test careers, and how their successes and failures influenced frontline aircraft development. Each book contains: The best archive photography, Meticulously detailed original artwork, Expert history and analysis Book jacket.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1472819918
• ISBN13: 9781472819918
• Release Date: May 2017
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (UK)
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 7.2" x 9.7"