X-15 The Ultimate Flying Machine

[@Mermaid4Ever]

My dad worked on the X-15 as a control systems design engineer during his years with North American Aviation. It wasn't associated with Rockwell when he first started working for them. He also spent some time with the Apollo project. I'm proud of him for not only this, but because he grew up on a dairy farm outside a town of less than 700 people. As a teenager he was inspired by the flight of Lindbergh and announced to his family that he was going to fly airplanes for his career. The Army Air Force rejected him due to a minor peripheral vision problem so he announced he was going to build them if he could not fly them. He got an aeronautical engineering degree and started working for Lockheed a couple of years before Pearl Harbor. After working for Lockheed for a year or so he learned that the Army had reduced the peripheral vision requirement and retested. He passed and when he interviewed the Army realized that he was already working for Lockheed. As my dad related the Army not only told him "no you cannot enter the Air Force" they said "hell no you can't join as we need all the aeronautical engineers we can get working on new and higher performing aircraft." He had been working on the P-38's controls as Lockheed was building it for the war effort. No wonder the Army was so emphatic about him not leaving his engineering position!

[@02markcal]

What an accomplished man with a interesting life story, is your father still alive? It's true that the greatest generation, was just that....the greatest. Thanks for sharing your father's story.

[@Mermaid4Ever]

02markcal, my dad passed in 1990 at the age of 75. An unlicensed 16 year old driver ran a red left turn arrow and he slammed into her. His 68 Porsche only had a lap belt and he hit his head on the steering wheel. He was born in 1914 so he would be 103 years old if he was still alive. People really scoffed at him, both family and the rest of town, when he announced he was going to be a pilot. When he could not follow that path they scoffed at him more when he announced he was going to build aircraft. It was the depression and my grandparents didn't have the money to send him to college. No one in the family had been to college either. It took him seven years to work through college, sometimes he would have to take semesters off to earn money. I had a great uncle who had an ambulance dealership and he always gave my dad a job when he needed it. Even during the depression ambulances needed service and my great uncle managed to sell them during the depression, so the income was fairly good in spite of the economy. A bonus was my dad was one of the best shade tree car mechanics you could find. I admire what my parents did, but it took me until I was nearly 40 to fully appreciate the "greatest generation." They faced 17 years of a poor economy and war, a war that affected our nation greater than any war had to that point and since. All of my grandparents were immigrants, those on my mother's side didn't speak a lick of English when they arrived. As you can tell by my last name, my father's father was German. They didn't face any anti German sentiments during WWI or WWII as they lived in an area in southwest Wisconsin where nearly everyone was a German immigrant. They were some damn good dairy farmers.

[@Zopdoz]

Goes to show that Germans wherever they go, they take their spirit of ingenuity & hard work with them! As a person that lives in Belgium, i can attest to the extraordinary will to be the best ingrained in German culture. They're not the powerhouse of Europe for no reason, despite facing such a setback post WWII, it amazes me how it & Japan were able to bounce back so fast, what a people!

[@mk17173n]

your father is amazing person.

[@EricIrl]

Nice to hear your father's story. I presume he was at North American when the Apollo Command/Service Module was being designed?

[@prischm5462]

When I was a teenager in the 60s the government released some videos of the X15 on television. When I watched these videos, I was absolutely mesmerized. I wanted so much to have something to do with that when I grew up! It is one of the main reasons I become an aerospace engineer. I am 65 and retired now but I still think the X15 had the magic. I will always love it!

[@PomazeBog1389]

*_THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, SIR._*

[@repostburner]

*THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, SIR.*

[@JT-rk8ix]

Sus

[@zhongxina9420]

@@PomazeBog1389 wat is isn't that for military

[@paulmartos7730]

I was also a teenager then and as long as I can remember I, too, was mesmerized by aviation and spaceflight. I knew about the X-15 in the 1950s thanks to one of the big picture magazines so popular then. Walker was from Washington, PA; I grew up about 10 miles from there and saw him on (I think) a July 4th celebration. I was thrilled to see someone who I thought was a great man. I wanted to be a pilot like him but that was not to be, although I did become a civilian pilot. I also wanted to be an aerospace engineer but, well, life. I still look at the sky and the stars just about every day and never tire of the incredible beauty -- and promise- that lies just above our heads. We are about to become a multi-planet species in large part due to the work of people like Joe Walker.

[@JohnMichaelson]

This exemplifies why you are my favorite channel these days. You clearly do a lot of research, boil it down to the interesting parts, and present it very concisely. Cheers!

[@daffidavit]

Agreed. I always look for new videos from Droid. They are excellent.

[@mylesbishop1240]

John Michaelson has fucking Varys ever replied... to anyone?

[@viking_II]

Lots of information in short time, the most efficient channel.

[@JohnMichaelson]

Myles Bishop He has, I've seen them elsewhere.

[@mylesbishop1240]

Yeah I eventually seen them. His most recent vid with the moon cameras he responded to many

[@-BuddyGuy]

Good to finally see a youtuber that understands the technical details of making a video properly, like setting up the mic, sound mix, green screen etc. Nice video

[@woodpecker26175]

You forgot a proper T-shirt, very important

[@WarpedYT]

man I LOVE YOUR videos !, reminds me of the documentaries of the 90's. they don't make them like that anymore !!! awesome

[@nitehawk86]

Frontiers of Flight: The Threshold of Space, 1992

[@Salpeteroxid]

nitehawk86 Thanks dude!

[@stuartyoung4182]

I miss those 90s documentaries too - I assume that you are referring to what the Discovery Channel and TLC used to broadcast on cable. That was before the "reality T.V." crap we have now. I believe the average I.Q. of the American public has significantly declined as a result - I'm only half-joking...

[@nitehawk86]

KZbin (well, once you wade through the 90% of it that is crap) has taken the torch with channels like Curious Droid's.

[@patrickgronemeyer3375]

bro this whole this is kinda a LIE the SR71 black bird is faster sorry.....facts....

[@manfromnantucket9544]

"minor crash" shows an X-15 upside down in the sand

[@nc6493]

Taking in account that a perpendicular crash at mach 3 against terrain could vaporize the entire X-15, that really was a minor crash. lol

[@matthewhunter6421]

Yes, but it wasn't a ball of fire, so..

[@HaydenLau.]

@@nc6493 This

[@nc6493]

@@HaydenLau. ok

[@johnlove6206]

Primitiv airecraft ,is like just a stik flaing!!!!

[@SeverityOne]

I really appreciate how you consistently mention both the imperial and metric amounts. I just don't get imperial, and I guess it's the other way around for Americans.

[@werk62]

Severity One I'm american and I prefer Metric for anything scientific or space related. but for daily use like driving or measuring things, imperial is what I grew up with so it's more natural.

[@geoffdearth7360]

I've used imperial and metric measures interchangeably for 60 years. Because I can do arithmetic.

[@mysticmarble94]

@@geoffdearth7360 Just because you can solve the issue by using simple math doesn't make the issue less of an annoying circumstance.

[@space__idklmao]

Tom Rushin, me too

[@negativeindustrial]

Another American engineer here. FYI it’s not just “Americans”. Even if you use the term “American” properly to define anyone from both North or South America, you’d still be incorrect. My colleagues in Britain still use many imperial measurements which are often times slightly different than SAE measurements of the same name, further complicating things. Converting from Metric to SAE is simple, can be estimated in your head quite easily for rough planning and only requires you to remember a few simple conversion factors. (Ie. 25.4mm = 1”) For rough estimates, simply drop the .4 and now 25mm = 1” roughly and hopefully anyone with an education should be able to do that math in their head on the fly.

[@greatjob9999]

I love this guy's shirts

[@muhammadihsanharahap674]

It's called Batik, from Indonesia.

[@miyawakisakura7569]

@@muhammadihsanharahap674 sure

[@emileemarshall7757]

Yea but did he get a match a lil close to the rocket fuel..#nohair#noeyebrows#nobeard

[@gautamsrivastav8330]

Oh how I loved the cold war era. It was the age of an engineers dream

[@Eireann.]

We need another weapon race

[@Shadow77999]

@@Eireann. it never ended

[@yourlocalmilkman916]

@@Shadow77999 just slowed down very significant

[@jackwisniewski3859]

We are in a new era of development and future generations will wish they could see the developments we will live through happen!

[@stevefowler2112]

My Dad was a Radar Guidance Engineer with GE in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. We moved from Huntsville to Cocoa Beach in '57 so I grew up in ground zero of the Space Race years. When I was a young boy I put together an X-15 Model and hung it from my bedroom ceiling and it inspired me to want to be a fighter pilot and Engineer. Turned out I found out in H.S. in the early 70's that my eye vision wouldn't allow for the very strict fighter jets training standards the military had at that time so I went with Engineering (a Ph.D. Engineer who works for a large American defense contractor's Missile Systems company.

[@Skaara2011]

Thanks for yet another great vid!! Well done!! Keep up the good work.

[@reshapedgamer5104]

Skaara Johnson I

[@clydemarshall8095]

I just found your channel last night and I must say I am impressed. Aircraft, space craft, railguns? You've got everything and your style is evocative of the documentaries I grew up watching as a kid. Good stuff. Keep up the good work.

[@jackkevillemedia]

It's great to get nonsense informative video's like this. No wasted time or unnecessary fillers.

[@naynaynay324]

*no nonsense* ;) .

[@jones7000]

Jack Keville thought this was a mean sarcastic comment at first haha, i agree though

[@Kaleb-HD]

How is it nonsense

[@Jermo7899]

This is what America is meant to be. Cutting edge, innovative,not afraid to take chances, powerful. I can’t even imagine how many brilliant minds worked on this x plane. Just bravo all around from the janitor to the Program manager.

[@johnnyroastbeef3048]

I believe this is one of the best presentations I've ever seen on the X-15. I think the American public at that time, didn't really realize the magnitude of what was happening. Thanks for the great insight exact speeds and dates. I was very young at the time when the pilot lost his life, But I do remember. R i p.

[@mauricechevalier8643]

Joe Walker lived in my neighborhood and I went to school with his sons. He had a cool Austin Healy 3000, white with red leather for his commute car out to Edwards. We were all shocked when he died in the 1966 crash of the XB-70 and his F104 chase. Sad days.

[@intrinia]

1:10 The smile on the face of the testpilot says everything. :D

[@yobaafett]

He died in an accident during an XB-70 formation flight, a terrible end to a magnificent career. RIP Joe Walker

[@wellingtonharris7504]

Tom I know it’s kind of bittersweet

[@stuartyoung4182]

Best short video on the X-15 project I have seen! While I was previously aware of the record-velocity flight, and the damage to the X-15 structure and mock scramjet, I have never seen as much detailed photographic and video evidence of the damage before! Very interesting and informative! Many thanks!

[@thefyskoogle134]

This is easily one of the best KZbin channels out there, keep working hard, you deserve millions of subscribers

[@bloozswami]

The testing of the "X" engines by Reaction Motors took place daily at Picatinny Arsenal in Northern N.J.. I lived in a small community just to the east of the test site called Lake Telemark. I grew up hearing the warning whistle followed by a roar that was so loud it cracked windows and sidewalks. While playing touch football we would stop until the engine test was over. We could not hear the hike signal. A constant flow of trucks carrying liquid Oxygen tanks passed through our small crossroad a few times a day. It was a way of life. Sneaking up there to watch or sneak around the entire base was always a summer treat. Never got caught. Great history, thanks for the video.

[@utubetommy]

Watched a lot of X-15 flights on tv back in the 60's. Also saw one suspended overhead at the Air & Space Museum in D.C. Very impressive plane and hats off to those brave men (some who died) who flew them and accepted the risks that went with their jobs.

[@tp7886]

Thank you for including both imperial and metric data in these videos.

[@TgsMaverick]

I've seen the X-15 a2 at the Air Force Museum. Its an awesome machine. Back when I saw it you had to take a bus to get to the research hangar, which had all their x-planes. There were no barriers or barricades around any of the aircraft (Including the sole surviving XB-70 which barely fit in this hangar) so you could get as close as you want to the aircraft, barring actually getting inside of them. Looooved it.

[@steve-ph9yg]

Tragically X15 record setter Joe Walker was killed when he was flying a F104 chase plane on a test flight of the XB70. He may have been pulled in to the XB70 touched wings rolled over the top of it then went into a spin crashing without ever trying to eject.

[@matthewmorrison262]

Dude, I just found your channel the other day and have been burning through your library as quick as I can. The amount of research you do on your various topics is staggering. Not only subbed, but a fan as well.

[@batquad8889]

My Dad worked on the X-15 at Reaction Motors. Let's me legitimately say my Dad was a rocket scientist.

[@tlotlisomoletsane3598]

He is

[@batquad8889]

@@tlotlisomoletsane3598 he is actually dead.

[@donovanhuffine2983]

Badass

[@batquad8889]

@Columbus 1492 and we can all say we are related to Adam and Eve. How many people say they have some distant relation to George Washington? May I suggest that saying my 4th cousin 5 times removed helped empty trash cans in the office of the engineers is not the same as my dad was an actual engineer on the project.

[@batquad8889]

@Columbus 1492 pretty good. You?

[@Darkstar_8473]

The Blackbird is the most gorgeous thing to ever grace the sky ... the mystique of it's era and the role it was built for just adds to it's astonishment :-)

[@Nativusdes]

I didn't know Varys had a youtube channel

[@emsipin9480]

He likes his little birds flying at Mach 6+ at the edge of the atmosphere

[@TTURocketDoc]

That shit is too funny

[@ianzen]

@@emsipin9480 no wonder his little birds knew so much, they were black birds

[@RR-of3qi]

George the Animal Steele? (in fairness, it's easy for bald people to look more the same :) )

[@bigredactionsportsstuff1245]

Came here to say the same thing

[@Jmp5nb]

My Father was an employee of North American, working on the engine fairings of the X-15 and later the XB-70. As a boy got to watch the X-15 fly into space when our class at Sagebrush School was marched out from class to observe the multi contrail of the B-52 launch the X-15. We could see a smaller contrail appear to fall slightly behind the B-52, then rapidly overtake the B-52, then disappear suddenly!

[@linmajon]

You know what you are talking about. That's what makes this quality.

[@santacruz01pca]

Your videos are magnificent. Fascinating subject matter, pleasing personality and voice, clear and logical explanations, obviously great authority and expertise, great graphics, and exceptional quality throughout ... wow! Thanks so much for what you have been doing for us and doing so very well.

[@benschofield1361]

6000 mph?! that means you could theoretically fly around the earth at the equator in roughly 4 hours

[@UnfoundMusic]

If the earth wasn't flat that is! Lol I'm just joking. Flat earthers are degenerates.

[@loreaver3882]

Too bad the fuel runs out quick

[@benschofield1361]

yea physics can be a bitch

[@N75911_]

Sadly the burn time is only about 84 seconds, even with the added external tanks. The flights lasted around 12 minutes from drop to landing. I can only imagine how far it gets though.

[@jackcarter6629]

Ok N75911 let's do this man! The X-15 goes at 6000 miles per hour. There are 3600 seconds in an hour. The X-15 can burn for 84 seconds, right? 84 secs is 2.33% of 3600. So let's see what 2.33% of 6000 is ...139.8 Miles in 84 seconds.

[@marcosm3508]

I’ve lost this channel for years! I’m so happy to have found it again. You’re awesome sir!

[@floydschake1749]

7 March 1973 Colonel Steve Austin piloted an HL 10 that fell apart in midflight, he survived the crash losing both legs an arm and an eye. He was about to become the World's first Bionic Man. They had the technology to rebuild him, make him better, stronger, faster.

[@petermaree]

Easy to understand, well paced and well presented. Truly a wealth of information that is easy to recall.

[@andrewbellinger6120]

I was a mechanic on the x15 and fell asleep on the wing and woke up during a test flight. It was so hard holding on to the wing at mach 8. The wind really buffeted my hair, I was embarrassed to look so messy afterwards.

[@Shadow77999]

Oh no

[@16-bit-trip5]

Great video, my Uncle's dad was the Director at the Flight Research Center (now the Dryden Flight Research Center) during the X-15 days. When I was little kid and getting interested in NASA stuff my Aunt was told me that my Uncle's dad knew the astronauts and used to work for NASA. Years later, when the internet had matured, I Googled his name (Paul Bikle) and sure enough there was a picture of Neil Armstrong presenting him with the flag flown on Gemini 8.

[@IzaakCha7]

These videos have a great format, easily digestible for my pea brain

[@nm628679c]

Isaac Chay - Love that comment!

[@andrewmorton395]

Same with me I have pea brain

[@randycampbell6307]

Slight correction that no one will care about :) at 5:42 the X-15 shown isn't actually equipped with a "ramjet" but what was known as a "Supercharged Ejector Ram Jet" or SERJ engine. It was technically a rocket motor (the "ejector") inside a ramjet duct, (ram jet obviously) which included a powered "fan" (single-stage compressor) that would 'supercharge' (obvious) the ejector-ramjet airflow and could in theory work up to speeds in excess of Mach 6 (free spinning at speeds between Mach 4 and Mach 6) or in later modes being folded up out of the air-stream for higher speed flight. In basic operation the SERJ X-15 could probably have self-flown from the ground being that the SERJ operated as a more 'normal' jet engine at low-speed and altitude with the fan compressing air which was fed into and assisted the intake air-stream of the ejector rocket and used the ramjet as an afterburner system. Once around Mach 2 the fan would be let idle while the engine converted to pure ramjet power to around Mach 5 where the rocket motor would be re-started and push the vehicle to speeds in excess of Mach 6... While the most advanced SERJ concept was to use LH2 and LoX the first flight weight models were to use Hydrogen Peroxided and kerosene and several such motors were built and tested before the program was shut down.

[@ToyManTelevision]

As always, you nailed it!! WOW!! I learned a lot. Great videos!! Photos!! Some untold history. Often amazing things don't get the coverage they deserve.I've built 2 models of this, both gone now. BUT I'm building a third!! You have excited me! THIS TIME a flying model. Hope to hit MACH 1 (not) But a real flying model. Look for the video at some point...

[@planegaper]

omg Toy Man, sounds awesome, but don't build the bugger to scale, I don't think the wings on her will produce enough lift at low speeds to control it.. in the real x 15, the wings were designed to give just enough control to land it in a steep glide , and maybe a tiny bit of lift in the ascent phase ( usually an aoa of 70 degrees or more).. then pretty much dead weight at apex of the flight.. notice the vertical stabilizer is similar in area to the wing .. more of a lawn dart than a plane.. though im sure even those stubby little control surfaces had heaps of control at mach 4/5 etc.. while on a speed run.. I've always thought of it as an F104, with a redstone strapped to the back.. (much more complicated, but similar in ways) .. I believe it was Pete knight that said it put 5 to 7 gs sustained acceleration on you, he said an engine quitting on any other aircraft was a cause for concern,, it was cause for relief in the x15... xlr 99 at idle setting gave you mach 4 at 100,000 feet.. the thing was on another level .. I spoke to a guy who flew chase close to the end of the program at a seminar at Wright Patterson, he said on drop (at launch) he would light up the j79 's burners to try and keep the thing in sight..utterly moot, the 15 was out of sight in less then ten seconds as soon as the engine was lit.. he was told not to bother wasting fuel.. just planning for one of these flights and having chase and emergency equipment all along the flight path, was a major logistical feat.. it was so much faster than anything they had.. wish you the best in your model , maybe give her bigger wings lol..

[@MrSatan1003]

This is so much better than a computer voice or even a human voiceover just speaking over a set of stock footage, as you often see in these kinds of videos. The presentation and detail are also very good too. Really well done!

[@TirarADeguello]

Very informative

[@harrymack3565]

Bruh, my favorite asmrist also likes nerdy space stuff! Damn thats awesome.

[@TirarADeguello]

@@harrymack3565 total space and history nerd, yes, no worries, LOL.

[@GhostDrummer]

I’ve watched this video countless times. Every once and a while, I find myself back here and it’s like I’m watching it for the first time. The way you tell the story is amazing.

[@gkindustrialmachine1]

I was born in 54 and as a kid the x-15 ...I always thought it was so cool

[@HeadsetHatGuy]

@Justin 12O16E26 not funny

[@PomazeBog1389]

*_THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, SIR._*

[@dihydrogenoxide5109]

Justin 12O16E26 just shut up.

[@gregcorwin8316]

I was also born in 1954 and I had an X-15 model hanging from my ceiling as a kid

[@gkindustrialmachine1]

@@gregcorwin8316 Without a doubt it sure stirred my imagination as I'm sure it did yours....hanging from your ceiling 🚀🛸🪐🚅🌎🌛🌞⭐Science was my favorite subject throughout my life....Star Trek my favorite show.

[@purpleshatter9565]

Wow just stumbled on your channel. I Love it absolutely no clickbate or bs filler rants. Just pure facts and information we would love to know. Thanks for your in-depth explanations. Cheers from the US

[@NecumNaTo]

I JUST spent an hour reading about x-15 :P what a interesting machine

[@Flies2FLL]

I remember showing up for class at Kalitta Air in 2003 and Charley Sack had a BMW, the "Ultimate Driving Machine", and I let Bob Morgan drive my '85 Porsche 928S2; We passed him at over 100 mph on the road near the airport in Willow Run, Michigan. I will never believe in that notion "the ultimate driving machine", nor will I call this thing the ultimate flying machine.

[@firefightergoggie]

I've seen the X-15 in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. At that time it was hung by suspension cables and I could actually reach out and touch it. Amazing experience for a 15 year old aviation bug like me.

[@agtshaw]

SuperSix Delta where is it in the museum? I live near DC and ive been there several times but ive never seen the x15

[@rossclements8874]

when you walk in the main front doors, look 45 degrees to your left, and look up. It hangs from the ceiling, just about level with the 2nd floor its sorta nestled in the corner of the second floor .

[@planegaper]

i touched it too.. lol ..

[@johnlove6206]

I am upset because I can t finde nothing abauth TR3 B OFICIALE

[@jshepard152]

@@agtshaw Their website says it's not on display.

[@sembutininverse]

guys you deserve more than 10, 15 or more subscribers and viewers, your channel is awesome ❤️❤️❤️

[@Howtechs]

minor correction @ 1:30 - Neil Armstrong became an astronaut in the Gemini program, Apollo wasn't his first flight.

[@Jeffrey314159]

Did he fly in the X-15,? The trailers for the film FIRST MAN imply such.

[@AvengerII]

Yes, Armstrong was an X-15 pilot and had an incident in that plane that could have been fatal. He basically misjudged part of his flight path and almost overshot Edwards Air Force Base completely! When he ditched the vental fin on the X-15, he did it too soon and supposedly came close to hitting trees on the end of the runway.

[@freespam9236]

I'm sure he knows but video is about x-15 so for flow of the video it was easier to say that both become atronouts in missions these missions instead of splitting it up.

[@RogalloShaolin]

His Gemini trip was a rollercoaster ride

[@dnssvdr]

True.

[@NemeanLion-]

This is really a great channel. Neat, clean, to the point, good narration.

[@borginator1493]

I hope you do a video on the SR-71 Blackbird. Such a remarkable jet, my favorite by far.

[@02markcal]

Over 4,000 missiles were fired at the Blackbird in the 25 years it was flown, but none ever hit it. The Blackbird was just too fast and its evasive tactic was just to speed up until the missile couldn’t keep up with it. Its navigation system called “R2-D2” had a sensor so powerful that it could detect up to 61 stars in broad daylight while the plane was still on the ground. The plane required a large amount of titanium to be built so the CIA created fake companies around the world to buy metal from the USSR, which was the biggest supplier, as well as the United States’ enemy at that time. The plane was covered in over 60 pounds of black paint because the black helped cool down the plane by up to 86 degrees. Traveling at over Mach 3, the plane could hit as high as 1,000 degrees without the black paint dissipating the heat. The SR-71 constantly leaked fuel while not in flight due to the contraction of its titanium skin. The tank was designed to expand as it heated up due to air friction. The SR-71 had enough fuel to take off and then get refueled up in the air by a tanker. Even though it leaked fuel, the fuel had such a high flash point that it would not ignite even if it was hit with fire. The camera on the Blackbird was so advanced that when it took a photo of a car on the ground that was 80,000 feet below it and the plane traveled at over 2,000 mph, the license plate would be visible in the photo. All other planes have either a three minute limit, or five minute limit on that, but you’d be going at full afterburner for an hour, hour and a half. It is the fastest planes that ever took flight. The official fastest record it holds is 2,193.13 mph on July 1976. It earned its nickname “Blackbird” because of how stealth it was. It was also extremely quiet inside the cockpit, according to pilot Richard Graham. “You could hear a pin drop. The view is spectacular, being able to see the curvature of the Earth and the black space above filled with stars,” he said. I agree with you!!

[@borginator1493]

I have been fascinated with the SR-71 since a kid. Never losing one to the enemy makes it even more kickass. That bird was truly ahead of it's time. I want to see it in person someday!

[@02markcal]

Where can the public view the SR-71? (Smithsonian?)

[@x15galmichelleevans]

There are numerous SR-71s on display around the country. The Smithsonian has one at the Udvar-Hazey annex to the National Air & Space Museum. There's also one in Dayton, Ohio, at the National Museum of the US Air Force (there is the X-15A-2 on display there as well). Other locations include the California Science Center in Los Angeles and the Blackbird Park in Palmdale.

[@02markcal]

Thank you for that information, the Smithsonian is a place I have always wanted to view, so this may be the perfect reason to make the trip to Washington DC, plus the cherry blossoms must be blooming now too.

[@williamthethespian]

Wow. Thank you. As a teenager thrilled with exploits of the X-15, you have revealed things I did not know but am thrilled to learn. Will watch this show again now and am subscribed. Thanks again.

[@Sedna063]

Amazing job you are doing. Thank you for the video, made my day even if I haven't seen it yet

[@qtexasbrumley]

Sedna063 It made my hour. 😮

[@Zoydian]

My dad was always fascinated by this aircraft. I remember him telling me about it whenever we touched the subject of aviation. Thanks a lot for this video, and for helping me better understand my old man's fascination!!

[@vladimirgollumputin2166]

After seeing Top Gun: Maverick, this is now my favorite aircraft until we see the SR-72.

[@eddiemelikian2440]

Thank you so much for adding MPH and KPH to your talk. That makes it so much easier for me to get the feel of the speeds involved.

[@lorisdp8917]

to build these planes ... it is necessary to have many psychological problems and to have watched many cartoons

[@josephcuevas8100]

Especially those involving Wile E. Coyote and his Acme Rockets🤣

[@spencerabaker]

Bloody loving these videos Paul (and gang), thank you and "Chapeau"....very clear and concise, unlike mainstream TV documentaries that tell you less and take an hour to do so, with their endless re-capping and padding content. Don't know why it's taken so long for me to discover the Curious Droid channel, but it's now my must-see breakfast viewing (while the brain's fresh, you understand!)

[@MMACHMP]

SR-71 was a lot faster then people realize my step father used to work on it and told me the SR took off at Beale AFB and that it flew to McDill AFB in Tampa Florida in 30 min.

[@yeahx32p69]

recorded speed is 3.5 Mach. But i bet, it could go upto 5 or 6.

[@klilinoklire4403]

Thanks for translating all the speed units. Fits the precision of your entire style.

[@GrasshopperKelly]

0:50 the rocket motor exhaust bell was also optimised for the very top of the atmosphere.

[@DanielESmith-iz7lx]

most of the other comments point out the great qualities of your delivery. Please keep it up.

[@rougie8569]

I like that shirt

[@-danR]

If it were any sharper, it would come under Britain's dangerous-knives statutes.

[@02markcal]

I agree, he has personality and style.

[@Danielo197]

Rougie Droid always has the most interesting shirts on you tube

[@Electobat]

No that is what started all this shit in the beginning.

[@張海鷗-t2t]

這部節目表演賽系統工程必定要與言論自由版性系統工程操縱下預謀犯案動機及滅族人性尊嚴及毀謗科技發展潛力生技醫療機構各類產品設計廣告商機密文件資料來源不明不白之冤案件內容危及生命延續性中職務問題上罪刑終告判審處決死刑處治 。全部被捕獲准中也要一併案件內容接受撤職退出媒體不得與媒體政壇新聞界播報職務執政黨員互通網聯資訊往來用戶相關性不當違法亂紀操縱下經營團隊合作金庫夥伴關係密切接觸傳染途徑 。目前為止已經開始出現這些危及民眾恐慌嚴重影響力的新聞局媒體政壇播報新聞職務職員擅自誇張淒慘言詞辯論終結這些腐敗現象發生率的罪行撤職處治處分。這類威脅性操縱者勢必將會帶來更多禍害的危機後殘局是非常重視實用性的處決重大新聞界媒體政壇職員應該要有心臟停止服務上改善計畫問題經營。個人意見分歧問題書寫一場重大建設失職官員務必要有仔細觀察自己反省檢討改進方案內容報告顯示出自己的錯誤經營。沒有民治市政建設個人意見書寫下永不回頭。旗幟鮮明對比之下才知道原來它是正確使用價值連城路線上的生技產業資源整合服務業界業務至上者。

[@EvanThomas]

wow, great video. Love all the research you've done and archived footage you've dug up.

[@consumidor300]

Man i love your channel, keep up this amazing work

[@amandashenay7095]

Very informed,and the subject variety you bring to the table is what we like,keep it coming.

[@ASLUHLUHC3]

I can't even imagine the thrill of flying in one of those

[@CaptainBobRockets]

My dad worked on the X-15 throughout it's run at NASA/Edwards. My dad told me that at one point he and a friend were walking down a corridor at NASA when they were passed by Neil Armstrong headed in the opposite direction. My dad's friend turned around and said to my dad, "I bet he's going to be the first man on the moon."

[@sparrowthenerd]

I’ve seen the X-15 at the DC Air and Space Museum a few times. It’s a very cool craft.

[@MrBitviper]

one of the best channels on youtube for these kinds of topics love your presentation style keep up the good work!!

[@robertnicholson2522]

I am amazed you got through this without mentioning Scott Crossfield once.

[@thethirdman225]

He didn't mention Milt Thompson either but Thompson wrote a pretty good book about the X-15 program.

[@kevindondrea144]

WOW!!! The pilot that died in the Valkyrie crash is the first pilot that went to space in the X-15

[@KBAZ100]

I love your choice of shirts! Where do you do your shopping?

[@crisp7423]

Aveejit Sengupta India? u must be delusional

[@acnalbassacnoom]

I love this shirt too. Upstages the rocket planes a bit.

[@erikhertzer8434]

KBAZ100: looks like a digitized Hawaiian shirt...

[@phaydon8256]

Pretty Green Hacienda shirt

[@cwboydgo323]

KBAZ100 he got at Ross

[@bigdaddysuperstrut]

Very well done. Historical time's& very detailed information. Thank you for your great work.

[@alanhorowitz3796]

I lost count of how many times I whispered "holy sh--!" during this vid.

[@LRS905]

One of the best channels out there. I enjoy every single video they put out, informative and concise. And let's recognize it: we come for the shirts too, lol

[@mare4363]

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: I am the fastest plane ever created. x-15: Oh really Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: **Left the chat**

[@anels9]

Zonax that’s correct, the sr71 is still the fastest jet

[@guardian8319]

Nah there are faster ones out there

[@helenrennie1527]

the SR 71 is the fastest aircraft and the X 15 is the fastest rocket powered aircraft

[@thomasnettleton289]

Your videos - well-researched and well done. Keep them coming. They are a breath of fresh air here. Cheers!

[@fergalhedge106]

Many thanks for this and reminding us of the first space plane, technically the Americans were the first to reach space with the X15. I always felt that this concept should have been taken further, the space race and the objective of going to the Moon took over and the X15 was cancelled. They were though, ahead of the game and the space plane concept was rediscovered with the Shuttle, only to be wound up in favour of the space capsule atop a rocket, again. Maybe the space plane will be rediscovered in the future, it is less wasteful and landing like an aircraft is more sophisticated than plummeting to the ground and splashing into the sea, or landing with a thump on dry land, as the Russians still do.

[@SirJamestheIII]

first humans in space.... nazis sent the first object into space

[@spinningsquare1325]

Russians have retro thrusters on soyuz. Don't forget that the landing is pretty soft

[@willnettles2051]

I remember these from the late 1950s early 1960s. Very cool. There were articles in the National Geographic. The SR -71 Blackbirds were kept secret much longer. The X-15 was presented to the public the same way NASA's Mercury program was. Great video Curious Droid. Thank you

[@bg73]

awesome shirt. great video

[@jedidrummerjake]

This channel is absolutely fantastic!!!

[@judgedread-q4t]

Ahem, Mr Droid - at 0:30 you said "fastest man-powered aircraft". That's some pretty fast pedalling, lol.

[@nadnavlis240]

He clearly says "Manned, powered aircraft".

[@rogerbunch4411]

Is the space shuttle considered an aircraft if so hes wrong the shuttle goes way faster

[@benpretorius2926]

@@rogerbunch4411 The shuttle is a glider i guess

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

@@rogerbunch4411 - They are technically both spaceplanes but the Shuttle isn't considered a normal aircraft

[@ryanspence5831]

@@PabloGonzalez-hv3td It doesn't utilize lift during the powered portion so it's either a powered rocket or an unpowered glider, not a powered aircraft

[@erikbrigham8807]

This channel is fantastic! Please keep it coming.

[@utubejdaniel8888]

A small point. The NACA was always called the "In-a-see-a", never as "Nakah".

[@mrobvious8598]

The depends on if you use the phonetic spelling...

[@QatarVegan]

Mr Obvious What Jim said is that it was always called the "In-a-see-a". It was a statement of fact. Thanks for the info Jim.

[@ralfiasz]

You have an amazing voice, Sir. Truly an outstanding piece of work!

[@charleshetrick3152]

I wish there was a flight sim. that I could get for my basement that included realistic X15 flight.

[@ExoGhost]

We need a VR game of this

[@paulmaggs3212]

Doesn’t X-plane have an X-15 model ?

[@charleshetrick3152]

Paul Maggs possibly, I should have been clearer I want like a six or seven DOF set up with a VR helmet. I’ve found some pretty interesting off the shelf platforms but they start at roughly $12K.

[@stevemiller6766]

Great to see this - my dad worked at NAA during the lifetime of this program - not in this area but at the company.

[@defencebangladesh4068]

This is so cool... Love this Video Cool shirt also 😉 #Love_From_Bangladesh

[@mgabrysSF]

If anyone doubts these were spaceships - look at the nose of the craft. Those are attitude thrusters. When you don't have any atmosphere to push against and need propulsion to navigate - you're in space.

[@theaceofspades485]

1:08 The pilot wasn't smiling his face was just stuck that way from the G forces. 🤪

[@timbarnett3898]

My uncle Sam and Little Joe drilled holes on canopy an intake dukes, when they came up from Calif. to Oregon for visit, they brought us some of the drill bites used on X-15. I still have 5 or 6! Only one hole was drilled by single bit, so a drill bit for every hole, so employees giving bits away to friends an family, an I have some! Bites are strong but can't handle any side pressure or they snap!

[@bluesrocker91]

Just trawling the comments section, hunting for flat earthers.

[@mrobvious8598]

Same! Happy hunting.

[@feraudyh]

Same here!

[@strayreborn5384]

I found one! Martin Riggs is his name and he is a flat earth bellend.

[@Tenpi000]

Yeah I am surprised we aren't seeing that many. Must not be relevant to them since this is more military related and not space. At least not at first.

[@stinkyfungus]

@@Tenpi000 Its because they don't pay attention to science. The X15 is pure geek porn. So those weiners just don't know about it. (I get the urge to yank every time i hear xlr99... the x program aircraft was geek porn supreme. )

[@davidbecker8227]

My father was a machinist at Emerson Electric. He hand manufactured the nose assembly on the X-15 for the team that built the forward radar assembly.

[@bobmeder7194]

Your videos are generally superb and well researched. One correction here: N.A.C.A. is generally stated as “the N-A-C-A” not “nacka”.

[@youngtusk]

As always, your video's are of superb quality both in images and information alike. Keep up this awesome channel!

[@alexbellotti8423]

Love your vids, but N.A.C.A. was pronounced En Ay Cee Ay not naca. Just as the RAF was Arr Ay Eff not raff.

[@OHUQTU]

British pronunciation?

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

Interestingly I've never heard the NACA duct be referred to as the N.A.C.A. duct

[@johnnyboy5120]

That’s what I love about these videos history, records and what they led towards, another fantastic video

[@TurkiyeCumhurbaskani]

super cool

[@zebidie]

Yet another fantastic video. Thank you for all your hard work in bringing us these insights