List of X-1E flights
This is a list of flights made in the Bell X-1E airplane.
X-1E pilots
[edit]| Pilot | Agency | Flights | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| John B. McKay | NACA | 5 | 46-063 |
| Joseph A. Walker | NACA | 21 | 46-063 |
X-1E flights
[edit]| Vehicle Flight # |
Date | Pilot | Aircraft | Agency | Velocity -Mach- |
Altitude - m - |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-1E #1 | December 12, 1955 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 1 | ? | ? | Pilot familiarization. Glide flight. Low speed evaluation. |
| X-1E #2 | December 15, 1955 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 2 | ? | ? | First powered flight. Engine ran overpressure, overspeeds with two automatic shutdowns. Pilot shutdown engine. |
| X-1E #3 | April 3, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 3 | 0.85 | 9,150 | Cylinder 1 did not fire. Damping characteristics good. |
| X-1E #4 | April 30, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 4 | ? | ? | Turbopump didn't start. No engine start. |
| X-1E #5 | May 11, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 5 | 0.84 | ? | Turns from mach 0.69 to 0.84. Control pulses. |
| X-1E #6 | June 7, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 6 | 1.55 | 13,725 | Longitudinal, lateral trim changes in transonic region bothersome to pilot.. |
| X-1E #7 | June 18, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 7 | 1.74 | 18,300 | Damaged while landing. |
| X-1E #8 | July 26, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 8 | ? | ? | Subsonic flight. Cylinders 3 and 4 didn't fire. |
| X-1E #9 | August 31, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 9 | 2.0 | 18,300 | Sideslips, pulses, rolls. |
| X-1E #10 | September 14, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 10 | 2.1 | 18,910 | Stabilizer, rudder, aileron pulses. |
| X-1E #11 | September 20, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 11 | ? | ? | Brief engine power. Engine malfunction. Flight aborted. |
| X-1E #12 | October 3, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 12 | ? | ? | Engine fired for only 60 seconds. Flight aborted. Engine and turbopump replaced. |
| X-1E #13 | November 20, 1956 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 13 | ? | ? | Engine did not start due to lack of manifold pressure. |
| X-1E #14 | April 25, 1957 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 14 | 1.71 | 20,435 | Aileron, rudder pulses. |
| X-1E #15 | May 15, 1957 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 15 | 1.5 | 22,265 | Aileron pulses, rolls, sideslips, wind-up turns. Aircraft was severely damaged on landing. |
| X-1E #16 | September 19, 1957 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 16 | ? | ? | Planned velocity not achieved due to loss of power during pushover from climb. |
| X-1E #17 | October 8, 1957 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 17 | 2.24 | ? | Highest speed attained by X-1E. |
| X-1E #18 | May 14, 1958 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 18 | ? | 21,350 | First flight with ventral fins. Longitudinal, lateral stability, control maneuvers tests. Engine air start at altitude. |
| X-1E #19 | June 10, 1958 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 19 | ? | ? | Flight aborted. Only 1 engine cylinder fired. Aircraft damaged on landing. |
| X-1E #20 | September 10, 1958 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 20 | ? | ? | Stability, control tests with ventral fins. |
| X-1E #21 | September 17, 1958 | Joseph Walker | 46-063 | NACA 21 | ? | ? | Stability, control tests with ventral fins. New stabilizer bell crank allowed greater stabilizer travel. |
| X-1E #22 | September 19, 1958 | John McKay | 46-063 | NACA 22 | ? | ? | Pilot familiarization. |
| X-1E #23 | September 30, 1958 | John McKay | 46-063 | NACA 23 | ? | ? | Tests of low-speed stability and control. |
| X-1E #24 | October 16, 1958 | John McKay | 46-063 | NACA 24 | ? | ? | First flight of modified engine with increased chamber pressure. Flight shortened due to overcast obscuring view of
lakebed. |
| X-1E #25 | October 28, 1958 | John McKay | 46-063 | NACA 25 | ? | ? | Good data obtained on new elevated chamber pressure, stability and control. |
| X-1E #26 | November 6, 1958 | John McKay | 46-063 | NACA 26 | ? | ? | Low-altitude and low-mach investigation of new U-Deta fuel. Last flight. Aircraft grounded due to significant crack in the fuel tank wall. |