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
After retiring from the USAF, Eleas Casillas became a Committee Chair for the Orange Empire Military Officers’ Club in Redland, CA. At one time Eleas owned an L-29 Delfin.
“Cas” Casillas has been flying the L-29 for about a year now. He is a retired USAF Colonel, and had a career spanning three decades and about every fighter from the F-86 Sabrejet to the F-15 Eagle, basically the whole age of USAF jets. Casillas flew 105 missions in Vietnam in the F-105 “Thud”, and is retired now. His military career of over 5000 hours in jet fighters also brought him the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Air Medal with 16 clusters.” (1)
Source (1): http://www.pilotage.com/features/ThunderDelphins/Thunder%20Delphins%20SMALL2.htm
