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Everest, Frank K
Everest |
American test pilot. Flew 161 combat missions in WWII, shooting down six enemy aircraft. Flew the X-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Status: Inactive. Born: 1920-08-09. Died: 2004-10-01. Birth Place: Fairmont, West Virginia.
Official USAF Biography
BRIGADIER GENERAL FRANK K. EVEREST JR.
Retired March 1, 1973
Brigadier General Frank Kendall Everest Jr., is commander, Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service, Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The organization provides a worldwide capability to search for, locate and recover personnel and aerospace hardware in support of U.S. Air Force and other Department of Defense aerospace operations.
General Everest was born in Fairmont, W.Va., in 1920. After he graduated from high school in 1931, he attended Fairmont State College for one year. He later studied engineering at West Virginia University to prepare himself for a flying career. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va., in 1956.
He entered the U.S. Army Air Forces pilot training in November 1941, graduated and received a commission in July 1942. After P-40 aircraft training, he was sent to North Africa and flew 94 combat missions in Africa, Sicily and Italy. During that tour of duty he shot down two German aircraft and damaged another.
In May 1944 he was assigned to a fighter squadron at Venice, Fla., as an instructor. He asked for combat duty again and was assigned to the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations where he commanded the 17th Fighter Squadron of the 5th Fighter Group at Chinkiang, China. He completed 67 combat missions and destroyed four Japanese aircraft before his plane was shot down by ground fire in May 1945. He was captured and remained a Japanese prisoner of war until the end of hostilities.
Following a rest leave, General Everest was assigned in February 1946 to the Flight Test Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, as a test pilot. He took part in many experimental tests of the Bell X-1 and established an unofficial world altitude record of 73,000 feet.
In September 1951 he was transferred to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and became the chief Air Force test pilot as head of the Flight Test Operations Division. During his stay at Edwards, General Everest tested the X-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; XF-92 and YB-52. He also took part in test programs for the F-100, 101, 102, 104 and 105; the B-52, 57 and 66 aircraft. On Oct. 29, 1953, he established a world speed record of 755.149 mph in a YF-100.
General Everest test-flew the Bell X-1B to a speed of Mach 2.3 (2.3 times the speed of sound) in December 1954, making him the second fastest man in the world, Later flights in the Bell X-2 rocket plane established him as "the fastest man alive" when he attained a new unofficial speed record of 1,957 mph or Mach 2.9.
He was transferred to Hahn Air Base, Germany, in March 1957, as commander of the 461st Fighter Squadron of the 36th Fighter Wing. He was assigned to North Africa in July 1958 as a group commander and later became deputy for operations at Wheelus Air Base, Libya. He became director of operations, 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, England Air Force Base, La., in January 1961, upon returning to the United States.
General Everest next commanded the 4453d Combat Crew Training Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and in June 1964 he transferred with the wing to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. In May 1965 he was transferred to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to become commander of the 4520th Combat Crew Training Wing.
In June 1966 General Everest became director of aerospace safety in the Office of the Deputy Inspector for Inspection and Safety, Norton Air Force Base, Calif. He was transferred to the Pentagon in January 1969 as assistant director (Operational Test and Evaluation), Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering.
General Everest assumed command of Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service, of the Military Airlift Command, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., in April 1970.
His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon, and the Chinese Aviation Award. He is a command pilot with more than 9,000 flying hours and a graduate of the U.S. Army Parachutists School at Fort Benning, Ga.
In addition to these and other military honors, General Everest has been recognized repeatedly for his contributions to aerospace progress. He was chosen as one of 1955's "Ten Outstanding Young Men" by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. In 1956 the U.S. Chamber of Commerce named him one of the nation's "Greatest Living Americans." A year later he was awarded both the Harmon Trophy and the Octave Chanute Trophy.
General Everest's hometown is Fairmont, W.Va.
He was promoted to the temporary grade of brigadier general effective Nov. 1, 1965, with date of rank Oct. 29, 1965.
(Current as of March 15, 1972)
Country:
USA.
Agency:
USAF.
Bibliography:
570,
5362.
1920 August 9 - .
- Birth of Frank K Everest. - .
Related Persons: Everest.
American test pilot. Flew 161 combat missions in WWII, shooting down six enemy aircraft. Flew the X-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5..
1949 March 21 - .
- XS-1 Flight 107 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 64. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight 42. Familiarization flight. Mach 1.22 at 12200 m..
1949 March 25 - .
- XS-1 Flight 108 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 65. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight 43. Check of pressure suit for altitude operation. Mach 1.24 at 14640 m. Rocket fire and automatic engine shutdown..
1949 April 19 - .
- XS-1 Flight 110 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 67. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight 45. Altitude attempt. Only 2 cylinders fired..
1949 May 5 - .
- XS-1 Flight 112 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 69. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight. Engine chamber exploded, jamming rudder. Everest landed safely..
1949 July 25 - .
- XS-1 Flight 120 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 70. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight 48. Altitude attempt. Attained 20388 m altitude..
1949 August 8 - .
- XS-1 Flight 123 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 71. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight 49. Altitude attempt. Attained 21930 m altitude..
1949 August 25 - .
- XS-1 Flight 124 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 72. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight 50. First use of partial pressure suit to save life of pilot during flight at high altitude. X-1 # 1 lost cockpit pressurization about 21000 m. Everest made safe emergency descent..
1949 November 29 - .
- XS-1 Flight 128 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 75. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight 53. High-altitude wing-tail loads investigation..
1949 December 2 - .
- XS-1 Flight 130 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 76. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight 54. High-altitude wing-tail loads investigation..
1950 February 21 - .
- XS-1 Flight 131 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 77. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1.
AF flight 55. Wing-and-tail-loads investigation..
1951 August 22 - .
- X-1D Flight 2 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-1D flight 2. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-1D.
AF flight 1. Launch aborted, but X-1D suffered low-order explosion during pressurization for fuel jettison. Plane jettisoned from B-50. X-1D exploded on impact with desert. Everest managed to get into B-50 bomb bay before drop..
1954 August 5 - .
- X-2 Flight 1 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 1. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
First glide flight of the second X-2, number 46-674, after delivery to Edwards AFB a month earlier. Damaged on landing..
1954 November 30 - .
- X-1B Flight 10 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-1B flight 9. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-1B.
AF flight 9..
1954 December 2 - .
- X-1B Flight 11 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-1B flight 10. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-1B.
AF flight 10. Mach 2.3 at 19825 m..
1955 March 8 - .
- X-2 Flight 2 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 2. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
Second glide flight. Propellant system check. Minor damage on landing..
1955 April 6 - .
- X-2 Flight 3 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 3. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
Third glide flight. Damaged on landing. Following flight, plane returned to Bell plant for extensive modifications to landing gear system to prevent further landing accidents and for installation of its rocket engine..
1955 October 25 - .
- X-2 Flight 4 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 4. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
Aborted powered flight attempt; became 4th glide flight..
1955 November 18 - .
- X-2 Flight 5 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 5. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
First powered flight. Mach 0.992 at 10,675 m. Slight fire damage from engine bay fire..
1956 March 24 - .
- X-2 Flight 6 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 6. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
Second powered flight, mach 0.91..
1956 April 25 - .
- X-2 Flight 7 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 7. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
3d powered flight, mach 1.4 at 15250 m..
1956 May 1 - .
- X-2 Flight 8 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 8. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
Fourth powered flight, mach 1.683 at 16,378 m..
1956 May 11 - .
- X-2 Flight 9 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 9. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
Fifth powered flight, mach 1.8 at 18,300 m..
1956 May 22 - .
- X-2 Flight 10 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 10. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
Sixth powered flight, mach 2.53 at 17.803 m..
1956 July 12 - .
- X-2 Flight 12 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 12. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
Eighth powered flight, premature engine shutdown..
1956 July 23 - .
- X-2 Flight 13 - .
Crew: Everest.
Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 13. Nation: USA.
Related Persons: Everest.
Class: Manned.
Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1.
Spacecraft: X-2 .
Ninth powered flight, Lt. Col. Frank K. Everest (USAF) flew the Bell X-2 rocket-powered research plane at a record speed of Mach 2.87, ust over 1,900 mph, at 20,802 m..
2004 October 1 - .
- Death of Frank K Everest. - .
Related Persons: Everest.
American test pilot. Flew 161 combat missions in WWII, shooting down six enemy aircraft. Flew the X-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5..
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