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astronautix.com X-1E
X-1E
X-1E

Credit: NASA. 15,324 bytes. 471 x 215 pixels.

Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Nation: USA. Manufacturer: Bell.

The X-1E was designed to test an ultra-thin 4% thickness to cord wing for supersonic flight.

Specification

X-1E Chronology

03 December 1955 X-1E Flight 1 Flight Crew: ?.

Captive flight.

12 December 1955 X-1E Flight 2 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 1. Glide flight for pilot check-out and low speed evaluation.

15 December 1955 X-1E Flight 3 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 2. First powered flight. Engine ran at excessive pressure, 4 overspeeds of turbopump and 2 automatic shutdowns. Power terminated by pilot.

03 April 1956 X-1E Flight 4 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 3. Mach 0.85 at 9150 m. Damping characteristics good; number 1 cylinder failed to fire.

30 April 1956 X-1E Flight 5 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 4. Turbopump did not start; no engine operation.

11 May 1956 X-1E Flight 6 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 5. Wind-up turns to Clmas from mach 0.69 to 0.84; also control pulses.

07 June 1956 X-1E Flight 7 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 6. Mach 1.55 at 13725 m. Longitudinal and lateral trim changes in transonic region found annoying to pilot.

18 June 1956 X-1E Flight 8 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 7. Mach 1.74 at 18300 m. Damaged on landing.

26 July 1956 X-1E Flight 9 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 8. Subsonic because cylinders 3 and 4 world not fire.

31 August 1956 X-1E Flight 10 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 9. Mach 2.0 at 18300 m. Sideslips, pulses, rolls.

14 September 1956 X-1E Flight 11 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 10. Mach 2.1 at 18910 m. Stabilizer, rudder, and aileron pulses.

20 September 1956 X-1E Flight 12 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 11. Brief engine power only; flight aborted, unspecified engine malfunction.

03 October 1956 X-1E Flight 13 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 12. Only 60-sec rocket operation; intermittent pump operation. Flight aborted, turbopump and engine replaced.

20 November 1956 X-1E Flight 14 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 13. No engine operation, ignition failure due to lack of manifold pressure.

25 April 1957 X-1E Flight 15 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 14. Mach 1.71 at 20435 m. Aileron and rudder pulses.

15 May 1957 X-1E Flight 16 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 15. Mach 2.0 at 22,265 m. Aileron pulses and rolls, sideslips, and wind-up turns. Plane severely damaged upon landing.

19 September 1957 X-1E Flight 17 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 16. Planned mach number not attained, loss of power during pushover from climb.

08 October 1957 X-1E Flight 18 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 17. Mach 2.24.

14 May 1958 X-1E Flight 19 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 18. First flight with ventral fins; longitudinal and lateral stability and control maneuvers. Engine airstart made at 21,350 m.

10 June 1958 X-1E Flight 20 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 19. Flight aborted after only 1 cylinder of engine fired. Plane damaged on landing.

10 September 1958 X-1E Flight 21 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 20. Stability and control investigation with ventral fins.

17 September 1958 X-1E Flight 22 Flight Crew: Walker Joseph.

NACA flight 21. Stability and control with ventral fins and a new stabilizer bell crank permitting greater stabilizer travel.

19 September 1958 X-1E Flight 23 Flight Crew: McKay.

NACA flight 22. Checkout flight for John McKay.

30 September 1958 X-1E Flight 24 Flight Crew: McKay.

NACA flight 23. Check of low-speed stability and control.

16 October 1958 X-1E Flight 25 Flight Crew: McKay.

NACA flight 24. First flight with elevated chamber pressure; cut short because overcast obscured pilot's view of lakebed.

28 October 1958 X-1E Flight 26 Flight Crew: McKay.

NACA flight 25. Elevated chamber pressure; good stability and control data gathered.

06 November 1958 X-1E Flight 27 Flight Crew: McKay.

NACA flight 26. Elevated chamber pressure; low-altitude and low-mach investigation of U-Deta fuel. Last NASA flight.

Bibliography:

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Last update 12 March 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .