Archives: Today in History

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 […]

D.G. Stanford was assigned to the 352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Phan Rang AB. On a mission over South Vietnam, Stanford’s F-100D was hit by small arms fire. He ejected and was rescued by a USN ship. He suffered minor injuries. Photo by Gary Gulbransen USAF F100 Dart 56-3119

Neil Armstrong and the X-15 by Bob van der Linden, Posted on Tue, July 23, 2019, Aeronautics Department, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum “Released from duty in mid-1952, Armstrong returned to Purdue where he earned his degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. His love of flight and engineering drew him to the National Advisory