List of X-3 flights

Last updated

Following is a list of flights of the Douglas X-3 Stiletto , the American experimental aircraft that first flew in October 1952 and retired in 1956.

X-3 pilots

PilotAgencyFlightsAircraft
Bill Bridgeman Douglas Aircraft2649-2892
Frank Everest USAF-NACA349-2892
Joseph Walker NACA2049-2892
Chuck Yeager USAF-NACA349-2892

X-3 flights

Vehicle
Flight #
DatePilotAircraftAgencyVelocity
-Mach-
Altitude
- m -
Comments
X-3 #0October 15, 1952Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 0 ? ?Scheduled taxi test. Became airborne for 1-mile.
X-3 #1October 20, 1952Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 1 ? ?First "Official" flight. Flew 20-minutes.
X-3 #2 ?, 1952Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 2 ? ?-
X-3 #3 ?, 1952Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 3 ? ?-
X-3 #4 ?, 1952Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 4 ? ?-
X-3 #5 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 5 ? ?-
X-3 #6 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 6 ? ?-
X-3 #7 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 7 ? ?-
X-3 #8 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 8 ? ?-
X-3 #9 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 9 ? ?-
X-3 #10 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 10 ? ?-
X-3 #11 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 11 ? ?-
X-3 #12July 28, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 121.208 ?Fastest X-3 flight.
X-3 #13 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 13 ? ?-
X-3 #14 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 14 ? ?-
X-3 #15 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 15 ? ?-
X-3 #16 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 16 ? ?-
X-3 #17 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 17 ? ?-
X-3 #18 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 18 ? ?-
X-3 #19 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 19 ? ?-
X-3 #20 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 20 ? ?-
X-3 #21 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 21 ? ?-
X-3 #22 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 22 ? ?-
X-3 #23 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 23 ? ?-
X-3 #24 ?, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 24 ? ?-
X-3 #25December, 1953Bill Bridgeman49-2892Douglas 25 ? ?Last Douglas evaluation flight.
X-3 #26July, 1954Frank Everest49-2892USAF 1 ? ?Joint USAF-NACA evaluation flight.
X-3 #27July, 1954Frank Everest49-2892USAF 2 ? ?Joint USAF-NACA evaluation flight.
X-3 #28July, 1954Frank Everest49-2892USAF 3 ? ?Joint USAF-NACA evaluation flight.
X-3 #29July, 1954Chuck Yeager49-2892USAF 4 ? ?Joint USAF-NACA evaluation flight.
X-3 #30July, 1954Chuck Yeager49-2892USAF 5 ? ?Joint USAF-NACA evaluation flight.
X-3 #31July, 1954Chuck Yeager49-2892USAF 6 ? ?Joint USAF-NACA evaluation flight.
X-3 #32August 23, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 1 ? ?Pilot familiarization.
X-3 #33September 3, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 2 ? ?Static longitudinal stability and control, wing and tail loads, and pressure distribution.
X-3 #34September 9, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 3 ? ?Same as flight 2.
X-3 #35September 9, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 4 ? ?Same as flight 2.
X-3 #36September 16, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 5 ? ?Same as flight 2.
X-3 #37October 19, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 6 ? ?Same as flight 2.
X-3 #38October 21, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 7 ? ?Same as flight 2.
X-3 #39October 21, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 8 ? ?Investigation of lateral and directional stability and control.
X-3 #40October 21, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 9 ? ?Same as flight 8.
X-3 #41October 27, 1954Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 101.1549,862Walker's 10th flight. Tumbled out of control. Pilot recovered. Airframe stressed to limit.
X-3 #42September 20, 1955Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 11 ? ?Investigation of longitudinal stability and control, wing and tail loads, and wing pressure distribution.
X-3 #43September 22, 1955Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 12 ? ?Same as flight 11.
X-3 #44October 6, 1955Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 13 ? ?Directional stability and control, vertical tail loads.
X-3 #45October 12, 1955Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 14 ? ?Same as flight 13. Drag chute inadvertently deployed in flight without damage to aircraft.
X-3 #46October 20, 1955Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 15 ? ?Dynamic lateral stability and control, vertical tail loads.
X-3 #47October 21, 1956Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 16 ? ?Same as flight 15.
X-3 #48October 23, 1955Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 17 ? ?Same as flight 15. flight marked conclusion of NACA X-3 static and dynamic stability and control and tail loads programs on the aircraft.
X-3 #49December 13, 1955Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 18 ? ?Control system evaluation. One engine damaged from ingestion of pressure probe; X-3 grounded for maintenance and repairs.
X-3 #50April 4, 1956Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 19 ? ?Pressure distribution measurements. Nose instrumentation compartment fire caused minor damage to flight-test instrumentation.
X-3 #51May 23, 1956Joseph Walker49-2892NACA 20 ? ?Lateral control investigation; last NACA flight. Plane retired.