The X-15 crew at the Flight Research Center celebrate the 100th flight of the X-15 program. Mission 1-44-70 on 28 Jan. 1964 with pilot Robert Rushworth.

(top rear) LeRoy Adelsback and Bruce Laub. (center rear group L-R) Price Workman, Merle Curtis, Henry Maag, Ralph Haley, and Clyde Baily. (standing L-R) Herm Dorr, Darwin Gray, John Gordon, Cyril Brennan, Chester Bergner, Ed Nice *, Frank Brown, Homer Hall, unidentified, Cecil Dome, Harold Bryan, Bryon Gibbs *, Jim Wilson *, Dave Stoddard *, Don Hall, Norman Gravatt, Jack Russell, James Daniels, Ed Sabo, Bill Lovett, and Larry Barnett *. (kneeling L-R) Ron Waite, Billy Furr *, unidentified, unidentified,

William Bastow, Hank Steiginga, Willard Glasscock, and Anthony Miksic.

* throughout this page, denotes interview for "The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space."

Armstrong Flight Research Center

The women of the NASA Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB in front of X-15 no. 3.

They served as the "computers." Without their work the data derived from the 199 research flights on the X-15 would mean nothing.

Tahir Rahman collection

X-15 chief pilot Joe Walker (in the cockpit) shows off the rocket plane to six of the seven Mercury astronauts in the hangar at the Flight Research Center on 14 Sep. 1959.

(L-R from Walker) M. Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon "Gordo" Cooper, and Walter M. "Wally" Schirra, Jr.

Behind them are Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom and Alan B. Shepard, Jr., with John H. Glenn, Jr. at the top. Not present was Donald K. "Deke" Slayton.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

— Paul Bikle, X-15 Program Director —

Paul F. Bikle, Hugh L. Dryden, and Walter C. Williams. Bikle took over the X-15 program from Williams on 15 Sep. 1959 when Walt left to head Project Mercury.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Chuck Yeager (L) checks out the X-15, while Bikle * (R) stands by on 19 Apr. 1963.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Paul Bikle speaks to the audience in the movie "Research Project: X-15" in 1964. In this scene, Bikle is interrupted by Joe Walker, who wants Paul to check out his clipboard.

NASA Headquarters

— Fitz Fulton, Father of the Motherships —

Maj. then Lt. Col. Fitzhugh "Fitz" Fulton, Jr *. B-52 mothership pilot for 94 out of 199 X-15 missions.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Fitz in the cockpit of the B-58 Hustler that he used to break a record of carrying an 11,023 pound payload to 85,360 feet on 8 Sep. 1962.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Capt. Fulton at the controls of a B-26 Marauder that he flew on night bombing raids into North Korea during the Korean War in 1951.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Fitz (standing R) with the crew of B-52 no. 008.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Fitz with fellow mothership pilot Jack Allavie.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Fitz also was also the mothership pilot for the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft that carried the Space Shuttle on test flights in 1977, as well as cross country ferry flights throughout the Shuttle program.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Fitz and his B-58 crew after their record flight in 1962.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

— John Perry, "Iron Bird" X-15 Simulator Chief Engineer —

Engineer John Perry * in the Analog Computer Room connected to the X-15 simulator. Note the spiderweb of cables on the patchboard.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

— Dave Stoddard, X-15 Rocket Shop Aerospace Engineering Technician —

Dave Stoddard * receives a suggestion award at the NASA Flight Research Center. Stan Butchart * is handing Dave the check with Ralph Haley standing by.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Upon his retirement, Dave was presented a Reaction Control System thruster.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Dave (red jacket) with his family at the 10th anniversary re-dedication of the Michael Adams Memorial on 18 May 2014.

photo by Michelle Evans

Dave was there to celebrate the life of Mike Adams on the 50th anniversary of his terrible accident. Here he holds a piece of X-15 no. 3 recovered from the crash site.

photo by Michelle Evans

— Miscellaneous X-15 Personnel —

On 24 Oct. 2008 a group of X-15 retirees gathered in front of the X-15 no. 3 mockup at the then Dryden Flight Research Center.

(L-R) Johnny Armstrong *, Betty Love *, Paul Reukauf, Bob Hoey *, Dave Stoddard *, Dean Webb *, Vince Capasso *, Bill Dana *, John McTigue *, and TD Barnes *.

photo by Tony Landis

X-15 ground crew in February 1961.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Crew for X-15 no. 2 on 27 Sep. 1962.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Early X-15 flights featured a long nose boom rather than the later Q-Ball sensor to give the pilot attitude and other infomarion during flight. Here, two technicians check out the nose boom calibration prior to flight.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Working in the X-15 Rocket Shop.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Cast and crew of the "Star Trek" television series visit Edwards AFB on 13 Apr. 1967.

(far L) James Doohan, (center) Gene Roddenberry, (2nd from R) DeForest Kelly.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

(L-R) Launch Panel Operator Bill Berkowitz with B-52 mothership pilots

Capt. John E. "Jack" Allavie and Capt. Charles C. Bock, Jr.

author's collection

Dr. Wernher von Braun checks out the X-15's instrument panel on 30 Nov. 1961.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Von Braun checks out the view from the X-15 cockpit, envisioning wings into space.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Ed Buckbee shows off X-15 no. 1 to von Braun at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

U.S. Space and Rocket Center

The crew at the Propulsion System Test Facility on 20 Sep. 1964.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Joe Walker talks about his flight 1-26-46 in X-15 no. 1 on 19 Apr. 1962 with NASA's Roger Barnicki * (L) and Maj. Ralph Richardson * (R) from the U.S. Air Force. These men were the ones in charge of the X-15 spacesuit and life support systems.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Working in the new computer center.

author's collection

Mechanics Peter Sterk and Ed Nice * working on the liquid oxygen jettison tube brace.

author's collection

Joe Walker with X-15 no. 3 Project Engineer John McTigue *.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Ed Nice * and Robert Allen.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Walt Williams * (L) was the director of the High Speed Flight Station at the beginning of the X-15 program, before leaving to take on Project Mercury. Joe Vensel (R) was the X-15 Director of Flight Operations, and thus was the pilot's boss. Scott Crossfield * discusses his D-558-2 Mach 2 flight with them before he left for North American.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

A 1966 photo of Simulator Group Programmer Larry Caw. Note the camera at top center shooting downward to capture the simulated X-15 flight plot

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Unidentified visitors to Edwards AFB out on the Rogers dry lakebed following a flight of X-15 no. 1. Technicians are still preparing the vehicle to be towed back to the hangar.

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Chuck Yeager with an X-15 Topping model. He had hoped to acquire an X-15 for the Test Pilots School, but NASA and the U.S. Air Force quickly shut down his request.

author's collection