WORLD OF X-PLANES

Air Classics, Feb 2005 by Hulett, George

Excellent photographic collection

X-Planes Photo Scraphook compiled by Dennis R. Jenkins (Specialty Press, 800-8954585) conjures up images of Chuck Yeager first breaking the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 and of the black, bulletshaped X-15 streaking through the skies at over Mach 6. But there have been 48 more X-designations assigned, as well as a host of other experimental aircraft that did not fall into the formal X-series. Some of these investigated very low-speed flight, vertical takeoff, or were technology demonstrators for production military aircraft. Others were missiles and gliders. Several were supposed to be spacecraft. This book does not limit itself to the formal X-series of aircraft, but also covers many of the experimental aircraft used by the US military and NASA for flight research.