Crossfield, Albert Scott (1921–2006)
Test pilot of the early X-planes and the
first human to fly at twice the speed
of sound. Crossfield learned to fly with the Navy during World War II
and became an aeronautical research pilot with NACA
(National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) in 1950, flying the X-1
as well as the Douglas Skyrocket
(D558-II) and other experimental jets. He was the chief engineering test
pilot for North American Aviation
(1955–61). In 1953, he achieved Mach 2 in a Skyrocket, and on the
first powered flight of the X-15 in 1959 reached
Mach 2.11 and an altitude of 15,953 meters. Crossfield died in a plane crash
in 2006.
Reference
- Crossfield, A. Scott, with Clay Blair, Jr. Always Another Dawn.
Cleveland, Ohio: World Publishing, 1960.
Related category
• AVIATION
PIONEERS
Also on this site:
Encyclopedia
of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living
Encyclopedia
of History
BACK TO TOP
|
