The X37-B returned to earth landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base early this morning.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1012/03x37landing/
The X-1 first flew almost a year before I was even born. Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier soon after I was born. I recall as a child the various later X-Plane "Movietone News" clips. I built an X-1 model from a wood kit. I soon found the modern plastic kits much easier to deal with. Seven X-1 planes were built, with 8 numbers: X-1-1, X-1-2, X-1-3, X-1A, X-1B, X-1C, X-1D AND X-1E (a rebuild of X-1-2).
Chuck Yeager flew a lot of other hot planes in his career. His first year in the Army Air Force was as a mechanic and private, he then got into flight school, flying P-51 Mustangs, F86 Sabres, F100 Super Sabres and F4 Phantoms. Not college edcutated he is a solid example of learning on the job. No one has yet asked Yeager of his opinion of a plane flying without a pilot.
Paul in PA
"There are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are no old, bold pilots."
-Chuck Yeager
He was blessed with so-called "combat vision." He could see the enemy aircraft approaching on the horizon a long time before the rest of the squadron which gave them a big advantage against the Germans.
In his book he describes killing people very dryly, like it was just another job being a fighter pilot.
Yeager Had 20/10 Vision
That is what got him into flight school as a pilot.
During WWII he had 11.5 confirmed kills. He also had an "Ace in a day" enough kills to become an Ace (5 in one mission). Two of those kills came without firing a shot. Yeager got into perfect shooting position and the German pilot panicked rolling into his own wingman taking them both out before Chuck could pull the trigger. If someone could find that amazing gun camera footage it would be great. Chuck says both German pilots successfully bailed out. Yeager had another kill that he did not get credit for. While on a combat flying restriction he took a German fighter off the downed crew of a B-17. They gave the film and credit to his wingman. One of his kills was an ME-262 jet fighter. Early in his career he was shot down over France and escaped with help to Spain. Because he had information of the French Resistance he was not supposed to fly combat again. He and another pilot met directly with Ike and convinced him that since the Allies finally occupied France the rule should no longer aply. He was a Captain before the end of the War.
He was a Wing Commander in Viet Nam as well as over Korea during the "Pueblo" incident.
Paul in PA
Yeager Had 20/10 Vision
Hmmmm... X37-B Secret Spaceplane doesn't sound so secret if it's published in the newspaper when and where it takes off and lands.....
Yeager Had 20/10 Vision
I think he amputated his buddy's leg at the knee while they were escaping. I just remember the story from the book I read 20 years ago.
X-37B Secret Spaceplane Just Revealed Recently
The first protopype flew in 2006, and this was the first? orbital flight.
However the X-40 flew in 1998 and is listed as a prototype of the X-37. The X-39, X-41 and X-42 are still classified.
The X-37 design is a part of the original Space Shuttle program. The shuttle first flew in 1981. I have no doubt that parts of the secret have been active since long before that time.
Paul in PA
