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
Charter Member Davy got a head start on his 509th FBS mates at Langley with an early A-model checkout at Nellis as this tale tells. After the D-model Phase VI Gunnery testing stint, he helped ferry D’s back to Langley, and when the squadron was combat ready, they deployed to Landstuhl, Germany, for six months of Nuclear Alert duty.
When the 405th FBW was deactivated, most of the pilots were “SACumcised.” Davy avoided that by taking charge of the T-33 Training and Proficiency Flight at HQ TAC. However, that fork ended the 300-plus hour Hun portion of his adventurous flying career. (1)
Source (1): From Issue 9 of The Intake