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
Just before graduation, led a 5-ship of solo studs to make a flyover of Reese AFB “to show those B-25 pukes what the REAL pilots were doing”. Had Reese all reccyed from the air, or so I thought. In contact with Reese tower, made a perfect 5 ship flyby, when Reese asked: “what is your position”? We had just buzzed Lubbock Municipal. When he pinned my wings on a couple of days later, my instructor, Frank Rodkey, said in a low voice, “Don’t know where Reese is, huh”.
After USAF service, in 1976 Mick worked as Project Engineer, Chief Engineer, Program Manager with several Aerospace companies. He worked on Aircraft Ground Support Equipment Development, MX First Stage propulsion, and FTOS and OIS; Nav/Wep delivery systems retrofit for foreign aircraft, Tacit Rainbow Autonomous radar killer, Anti-missile propulsion systems, Saudi Radio production, and PM training, Comanche Helicopter development, and Standard Missile Interceptor Third Stage Rocket Motor.
Mick’s Daughter Kathy is married to JAG B/G Steve Lepper USAFA 1979 and his Granddaughter Jen, USAFA ’04 is a Capt Bioenvironmental Engineer at Patrick. His Granddaughter Helen is a Colo State grad and a Bio Research Scientist in Denver.
