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This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

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Belinne, Francis

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  • Belinne, Francis

Francis Belinne

Preferred Name: Frank
Date of Birth: October 24, 2934
Highest Military Grade: Select
Hometown: La Louviere, Belgium
Biography
Pilot Information
Album

I flew the F-100A at Nellis in 1957 for transition prior to going to Etain AB in the F-100D.

I recall during an ACM training mission I experienced a compressor stall starting at 30,000 ft. Multiple attempts to clear failed. When we reached 8000 my instructor advised me to try one more time and if unsuccessful to eject. Guess it was my lucky day because the engine finally cleared and I made it back to base.

Frank also “flew the F-104 at test pilot school, class 65-A. He got to zoom one to 85,000 ft (with a pressure suit). The burner quit at 65,000 ft, the engine quit at 75,000 ft, and he coasted to 85,000 ft.

During his school, he got to do some interesting L/D approaches. Dirty L/D started at 12,000 ft, throttle idle, gear down, full flaps and speed brakes, dive at max gear speed and then pulled up in time for a greaser. Most of Frank’s time was in F-100 and F-4 (156 combat missions, Udorn, Thailand, 1969). Frank lives in Sparks NV. “(1)

(1) source: https://www.i-f-s.nl/f-104-pilot-gallery/

Units Assigned

  • RTU Nellis AFB,NV (F-100A)
  • 1957-1959 56th Tactical Fighter Squadron/388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Étain-Rouvres AB, France
  • 1959-1961 563rd Tactical Fighter Squadron/9thTactical Fighter Squadron/49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Spangdahem, Germany
  • 1966-1968 Holloman AFB
  • 7/1974 A/AIRA to Israel

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-100 A/D
F-4
F-104A

156 combat missionss out of Udorn, Thailand, 1969

Military & Civilian Education

From Commanders Digest August 5, 1967
Album Slideshow
Slideshow
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Wall of Honor Location

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