This archive report was first published on 13 June 2020.
On October 3rd, 1967, U.S. Air Force test pilot William Knight made history by flying the fastest manned aircraft ever recorded. Knight's achievement was a testament to the technological prowess of the X-15, a rocket-powered airframe developed to research flight conditions at hypersonic speeds.
Just four months prior to his record-breaking flight, Knight had piloted an X-15 over the Nevada desert, but the experimental airframe's entire electrical system had failed. Despite this setback, Knight managed to bring the X-15 safely to the ground, earning him a Distinguished Flying Cross medal.
The X-15 was a marvel of engineering, with a throttleable rocket engine producing 57,000 pounds of thrust. Knight's record-breaking flight also featured two external tanks mated to the airframe's underbelly, providing additional thrust during their 60 seconds of burn time.
At an altitude of 264,000 feet, or about 50 miles, Knight's flight was a remarkable feat of piloting skill and technological innovation. The X-15's wings were relatively short, but the wing and tail control surfaces provided control when flying through denser atmosphere at lower altitudes. Thrusters on the outer edge of the wings and the nose provided control at altitude.
The X-15's skin was made of a special nickel-chrome alloy that could withstand the extreme heat generated by the aircraft's high flight speeds. The cockpit was made of aluminum and was physically separated from the airframe to further insulate the pilot from high heat.
Despite the challenges of landing the X-15, Knight's record-breaking flight has stood for over half a century, and it is unlikely to be beaten anytime soon.
