Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket

The Douglas D- 558- II Skyrocket (also Douglas D -558 -2) was an experimental aircraft of the United States Navy. It was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company and was the first manned aircraft to reach twice the speed of sound.

The machine was a mid-wing -pressurized with a retractable landing gear. The aim was to investigate the aerodynamic effects in the transonic range, and the supersonic flight. The wing had therefore a sweep of 35 °, the horizontal stabilizer of 40 ° and 49 ° of the vertical stabilizer.

History

The first flight took place on the Muroc Army Airfield on February 4, 1948.

Three machines were produced, differing in details. A total of 313 flights are made ​​: the first 123 of the Bureau Number ( BuNo ) 37973 ( NACA -143 ), 103 of the second BuNo 37974 ( NACA -144 ) and 87 of the third machine BuNo 37975 ( NACA -145 ).

The first machine was originally equipped with a Westinghouse J34 -40 jet engine of 13 kN thrust and self- bootable with a takeoff weight of 4795 kg. The amount of fuel amounted to 980 liters of kerosene. The machine received a 1954-55 Reaction Motors XLR -8 rocket engine with four combustion chambers and thus corresponded to the drive side of the NACA 144. In this configuration, but only one was carried out ( 17 September 1956).

The second machine, NACA -144, initially had a jet engine. During the flight tests in 1949 showed aerodynamic effects, the so-called pitch -up, in the transonic range. Nevertheless, the machine was in 1950 converted to the Reaction Motors XLR -11 engine with a thrust of 27 kN and flown to Mach 1.88 at an altitude of 25,370 m, which in turn showed aerodynamic instabilities. For this purpose, the machine of a Boeing B-29 was towed to height and then dropped. It could be conducted with a takeoff weight of 7161 kg, 1306 l 1431 l liquid oxygen and alcohol.

It was decided to airlift the machine up to Mach 2. For this, the exhaust nozzle was modified, filled the fuel frozen and the surface polished again. Scott Crossfield reached with the thus prepared machine on November 20, 1953 in 21,900 m Mach 2.005 (corresponding in this altitude at a speed of 2078 km / h ). This speed was outbid on any other flight with the D -558 -2.

The last flight of all three machines was carried out on 20 December 1956.

The third machine, NACA 145 had both the jet engine with 13 kN thrust and the rocket engine with 27 kN thrust. It has been used with a number of modifications of the wing, in order to investigate the effects of the transonic range and to improve the handling. The data thus obtained were needed for combat aircraft development. The last flight of the NACA -145 took place on 28 August 1956. The initial weight of this variant was 6925 kg. As fuel was 984 liters of kerosene, 644 l of liquid oxygen and 727 liters of alcohol be carried.

All three machines have been preserved. NACA 143 is at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino (California), NACA 144 is in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC issued, NACA 145 is facing the Antelope Valley College, Lancaster ( California).

Technical data (NACA 144)

  • Length: 12.8 m
  • Wingspan: 7.6 m
  • Height: 3.8 m
  • Wing area: 16.2 m²
  • Empty weight: 4273 kg
  • Take-off weight 7161 kg
  • Powerplant: 1 × Reaction Motors XLR -8 -RM -5 with 27 kN thrust
  • Maximum speed 2078 km / h
Mach number United States military aircraft serials Chino, California Lancaster, California McDonnell Aircraft Douglas A-1 Skyraider Douglas A2D Skyshark Douglas A-3 Skywarrior Douglas TBD Devastator Douglas BTD Destroyer Douglas DT Douglas A-20 Havoc Douglas Y1B-7 Douglas B-18 Bolo Douglas XB-19 Douglas B-23 Dragon Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster Douglas XB-43 Jetmaster Douglas C-1 Douglas C-54 Skymaster Douglas C-74 Globemaster Douglas DC-5 Douglas C-124 Globemaster II Douglas C-133 Cargomaster Douglas XCG-17 McDonnell Douglas YC-15 Douglas F3D Skyknight Douglas F4D Skyray Douglas F5D Skylancer Douglas F6D Missileer McDonnell FH Phantom McDonnell F3H Demon McDonnell XP-67 McDonnell XF-85 Goblin McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo Douglas O-46 Naval Aircraft Factory PN Boeing Bird of Prey McDonnell XV-1 Douglas X-3 Stiletto McDonnell Douglas X-36
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