Douglas D-558-1 Skystreak
The Douglas D -558 -I ( also D -558 -1) Skystreak is an American experimental aircraft for the study of flight in the transonic range. It was developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the Bureau of Aeronautics of the Navy and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics ( NACA ) in 1945. The D -558 -I was powered by a jet engine, could on its own off the ground and had unswept support and tail surfaces. The first of the three Skystreaks (# 37970 ) made its maiden flight on 14 April 1947. On August 20 of the year was with the Douglas D 558-1 Skystreak in the Dryden Flight Research Center, the first world speed record of 1030.870 km / h ( 640.7 mph ) set up.
Development
Developed in the year 1945 " Skystreak " part together with the X 1, X 4, X 5 and XF 92A to early aircraft reached the transonic speed range. Three of the Einsitzerflugzeuge was used from 1947 to 1953 in a collaborative program of NACA, the Navy - Marine Corps and the Douglas Aircraft Company. In the course of the D -558 -I set several world records. The Skystreaks were greeted by a Allison J35 -A -11 turbojet engine (originally developed by General Electric as " TG -180" ) propelled by a thrust of 22 kN. The Skystreaks could hold a total of 871 liters ( 230 U.S. gallons) of fuel ( kerosene).
Use
The Skystreaks were originally painted scarlet, which earned them the nickname crimson test tube ( purple tube ). The NACA later changed the color to white to improve optical tracking and course photograph the aircraft better. The D -558 -I could lead instruments with a weight of 288 kg with it. She was an exemplary simple transonic aircraft in the first generation. In the public consciousness, the research results of the D -558 -I, however, were soon superseded by Chuck Yeager and the X -1 Raktenflugzeugen. The D- 558- I plays an important role in aeronautical research by allowing operations over extended periods in the transonic range. This allowed the X-1 to be released for their short supersonic operations.
The first of the three Skystreaks (Bureau No.. 37970 corresponds to the U.S. Navy serial number) made its first flight on 14 April 1947 the Muroc Army Air Field (later Edwards Air Force Base ). Was on 20 August 1947 with the Douglas D 558-1 Skystreak in the Dryden Flight Research Center, the first world speed record of 1030.870 km / h ( 640.7 mph ) set up. Less than four months after the maiden flight of this aircraft provided under Commander Turner Caldwell at 1032 km / h new record. However, this only lasted five days and was from the Navy pilots Marion Carl in the second Skystreak (Bureau No.. 37971 ) exceeded by 16 km / h. The first D -558 -I has been in April 1949 after 101 test flights for the Navy, the Air Force and Douglas were completed, the NACA Muroc Flight Test Unit brought, but there never used again. Today they can be seen in the National Museum of Naval Aviation.
After 27 flights for the Navy and the second Douglas D -558 -I was taken in November 1947 to NACA. She was examined in detail by the metrology department of the NACA Muroc Flight Test Unit. The aircraft completed 19 missions for the NACA before it crashed on May 3, 1948 during a starting operation as a result of compressor damage in the engine. Here, the NACA pilot Howard C. Lilly was killed.
The third D -558 -I ( Bureau No.. 37972 ) was transferred in 1949 to the NACA Muroc Flight Test Unit after three Douglas test pilot Howard Lilly, and they had flown. This third Skystreak completed the flight program, which was scheduled for the second D -558 -I. From the first application in 1949 to the year 1953 flew the Skystreak an intensive research program under seven NACA test pilot. However, many useful data on the operation of aircraft in the velocity range near the speed of sound could be collected. Until decommissioning on 10 June 1953, the third D -558 -I completed a total of 79 research flights for the NACA. The aircraft was then first in the Carolinas Historical Aviation Museum (North Carolina) issued today can be seen in the Marine Corps Air Ground Museum ( Virginia).
Overall, only three Skystreak were built.
Skystreak at the Museum
Two Skystreak are still preserved. A (NACA 140) is located in the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Naval Air Station Pensacola Florida. The second (NACA 142) is on display at the Marine Corps Air Ground Museum in Quantico, Virginia.
Serial numbers
D -558 -I Skystreak
- D- 558- I # 1 - # 37970 NACA 140-101 flights
- D- 558- I # 2 - # 37971 NACA 141-46 flights
- D- 558- I # 3 - # 37972 NACA 142-81 flights
- D- 558- I # 4, # 5, # 6 - Additional aircraft whose order was canceled again.