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
In His Words…
“A wonderful flying career in the Air Force, by accident. Enlisted to 0-6 in 20 years, 11 months, 11 days and out the door! What a hoot.” Steve Dwelle’s career highlights include 198 combat missions in Vietnam in the F-100 and two years with the “Thunderbirds” jet aerobatic team. In 1971 then Capt. Steve Dwelle took over as the Thunderbird’s solo pilot.”
In a European tour that same year, attendance at a one-day Paris airshow exceeded the attendance of all shows in 1967. His team performed 114 shows. Steve also served two years in the US Senate as a liaison officer and several years as commanding officer of a fighter squadron in the Air Forces TOP GUN program called Red Flag.
Upon retiring in 1984 as a Colonel, he began an active role in Flyers Energy, LLC where he serves as Co-Founder and Partner. Flyers Energy, LLC provides fueling and information management solutions to commercial, industrial, and government fleets.
