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X-2

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X-2
Credit: NASA

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AKA: XS-2. Status: Operational 1948.

The X-2 was the first swept-wing X rocketplane. It exceeded Mach 3, but in the course of doing so uncovered the supersonic aircraft problem of inertial coupling. On its last flight the aircraft crashed and the pilot was killed.

• Goddard's rocket team ends its work. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goddard. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-2.

  Goddard's rocket team ends its work at the Naval Engineering Experiment Station at Annapolis, Maryland. During the previous three years the team had developed a variable-thrust rocket motors. This required hundreds of proving-stand tests, but eventually producing a successful motor, later used on the Bell X-2 rocket plane.

• X-2 rocket airplane development starts. - . Nation: USA. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-2. AAF contracted with Bell for development of three supersonic flight research aircraft, powered by liquid rockets. Designated XS-2, and later X-2..

• X-2 explodes in air - . Crew: Ziegler. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Ziegler. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-2 .

  During a Bell captive-carry flight test over Lake Ontario, X-2 number 46-675 suddenly exploded, killing Bell test pilot Jean Ziegler and observer Frank Wolko. The EB-50A mothership managed to land, although damaged. Only after several other mysterious X-plane losses was the cause found to be a rocket engine gasket made of Ulmer leather, which decomposed and became explosively unstable after sustained exposure to liquid oxygen.

• 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..

• 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..

• 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..

• 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..

• 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..

• 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..

• 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..

• 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..

• 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..

• 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..

• X-2 Flight 11 - . Crew: Kincheloe. Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 11. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Kincheloe. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-2 . Seventh powered flight; pilot checkout, mach 1+..

• 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..

• 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..

• X-2 Flight 14 - . Crew: Kincheloe. Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 14. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Kincheloe. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-2 . 10th powered flight, mach 2.5+, 26764 m..

• X-2 Flight 15 - . Crew: Kincheloe. Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 15. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Kincheloe. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-2 . 11th powered flight, premature engine shutdown..

• X-2 Flight 16 - . Crew: Kincheloe. Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 16. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Kincheloe. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-2 . 12th powered flight. Capt. Iven C. Kincheloe (USAF) set new unofficial altitude record for manned flight at Edwards AFB, Calif., piloting a Bell X-2 rocket-powered aircraft to a height of 38,491 m, top speed Mach 1.7..

• X-2 reaches Mach 3. - . Nation: USA. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-2.

  After having been launched from a B-50 bomber over the Mojave Desert in California, Capt. Milburn G. Apt (USAF), flying an X-2 rocket-powered plane on its 13th powered flight, set a record speed of 2,094 mph, or Mach 3.196. In the course of the flight the aircraft crashed and the pilot was killed.

• X-2 Flight 17 - . Crew: Apt, Milburn. Payload: X-2 # 1 flight 17. Nation: USA. Related Persons: Apt, Milburn. Class: Manned. Type: Manned rocketplane. Spacecraft Bus: XS-1. Spacecraft: X-2 .

  After having been launched from a B-50 bomber over the Mojave Desert in California, Capt. Milburn G. Apt (USAF), flying an X-2 rocket-powered plane on its 13th powered flight, set a record speed of 3,377 kph, or Mach 3.196 at 19,977 m. Subsequent loss of control from inertial coupling led to the destruction of the aircraft and the death of the pilot.