U.S. Air Force test pilot Maj. Arthur "Kit" Murray is shown with the Bell X-1A rocket plane. Murray and Maj. Charles "Chuck" Yeager made 18 test flights between Nov. 21, 1953 and Aug. 26, 1954 when the X-1A was turned over to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) for further flight research. NACA test pilot Joseph Walker made one successful flight on July 20, 1955 but an explosion prior to launch from its mothership during its second NACA flight on Aug. 8, 2955 forced it to be jettisoned and it was destroyed in the ensuing crash. Walker escaped unhurt before the X-1A was jettisoned.
NASA
1954-07-20
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