to a staphylococcal infection. Portions of M2-F2 footage including Peterson's spectacular crash landing were used for the 1973 television series The Six Million Dollar Man though some shots during the opening credits of the series showed the later HL-10 model, during release from its carrier plane, a modified B-52. Four pilots flew the M2-F2 on its 16 glide flights. They were Milton O. Thompson (five flights), Bruce Peterson (three flights), Don Sorlie (three flights) and Jerry Gentry (five flights). NASA pilots and researchers realized the M2-F2 had lateral control problems, even though it had a stability augmentation control system. When the M2-F2 was rebuilt at Dryden and redesignated the M2-F3, it was modified with an additional third vertical fin—centered between the tip fins to improve control characteristics. The M2-F2/F3 was the first of the heavyweight, entry-configuration lifting bodies. Its successful development as a research test vehicle answered many of the generic questions about these vehicles. M2-F2 flights NASA M2-F2 - NASA 803, 16 unpowered flights Specifications (M2-F2) See also References External links Most of text taken from NASA Dryden webpage. NASA Dryden M2-F2 Photo Collection NASA Dryden M2-F2 Video Collection Wingless Flight: The Lifting Body Story. NASA History Series SP-4220 1997 PDF Video of Peterson's crash Lifting bodies M2-F2, Northrop M2-F2, Northrop M2-F2, Northrop