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
First Time in the Clouds
“As a newbie Lt in the 510th TFS at Bien Hoa in the spring of 1969, I had just completed my combat check and was scheduled for my first mission from the Alert Pad. After “cocking” the jets, the Lead, Major Old Head (sorry forgot his name) called the Command Post to report that we were “On Status”. I remember hearing him talking about the weather being close to minimums (300/1) and that there was a big thunderstorm off the end of the runway.
Sure enough, halfway through breakfast, the Klaxon sounded and the Command Post speaker blared, “Scramble Buzzard 1.” We jumped into the jets and as we taxied out, I remember that the weather was stinko, low clouds, rain and fog. Undeterred though, we pulled onto the runway and Lead began his takeoff roll. 30 seconds later, I began my roll. I looked out and noticed that not only had Lead disappeared into the fog and mist, but I could not see past the middle of the runway. At rotation, the entire outside world disappeared and I transitioned to instruments. It was then that I had a fleeting thought that even though I was a current and qualified instrument pilot, I had never flown in the clouds and, I just did a “for real” ITO, (Instrument take off). It was dark, rough and sheets of rain pelted the canopy as I turned left to avoid going into Cambodia. I remember hoping that the engine would not flame out due to the massive amounts of water inside the thunderstorm.
A short time later, Lead called for the second time and asked if I had him in sight, “Negative, I’m still in the clouds.” This was followed moments later by, “Buzzard One is at xx DME, 5000 feet, in the clear.” I looked at my altimeter and was startled to see that I passing through 15,000! I retarded the throttle and began a descent, broke out at about 8000 feet, found Lead, joined up and completed the mission.
It never came up in the debrief and now, 38 years later, I can fess up that I as I fought vertigo and struggled to stay upright during my first time in the clouds, I had forgotten to come out of afterburner and had just made a full afterburner climb!”
After retiring from the USAF, Jim Serrill worked for the Port of Seattle in Airport Operations at SEA-TAC Airport, General Manager, Fishermen’s Terminal and Director of Seaport Security.
