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
Tom Mahan spent a short time in the F-100 C and D models during CCTS at Luke. He has a familiar F-100 story, one of a 2/LT getting his feet blown off the rudder peddles as he selects afterburner (AB) while turning hard during his first BFM defensive maneuver. There was an impressive fire out the front end and the Lieutenant had to repeat the defensive maneuver, this time with judicious use of AB and loading up the F-100.
After retiring from the USAF Tom joined Rob “Blitz” Pollock in Ops Analysis of the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. Tom spent twelve years with the Skunk Works working survivability requirements with USAF, Army, and USN special units. He then became the West Coast Representative for Pratt & Whitney’s Military Engines for the next ten years.
