Hypersonic: The Story of the North Amercian X-15

Nineteen years before Space Shuttle, the small, black, rocket-powered, bullet-shaped X-15 showed it was possible to fly into space. With a million-horsepower engine it could fly twice as fast as a rifle bullet, and this spectacular airplane set records that stood for years. This new softbound edition of the best-selling title is the most extensively researched history of the X-15 program yet produced. Written with the cooperation of surviving X-15 pilots, it is based on six years of research in Air Force, NASA, and North American archives. Covering everything from the testing of the B-52 carrier airplanes, building of the first full-pressure suits for pilots, to details of the flight program derived from the original flight data recordings, this is the complete history of this remarkable machine which will delight military modellers and enthusiasts around the world.