Beschreibung:

Silver gelatin photograph, 10.5 x 13.25 in., captioned in lower margin, "X-15 Pilots / Air Force Flight Test Center." A remarkable view of six of the twelve original X-15 pilots standing around a parked NASA / Air Force X-15 rocket-powered aircraft, boldly signed by the following pilots (from left to right): Robert A. Rushworth (1924-1993) 34 total flights; John B. McKay (1922-1975) 29 total flights; Forrest S. Petersen (1922-1990) 5 total flights, lone Naval pilot; Joseph A. Walker (1921-1966) 25 total flights, killed piloting an F-104 during an in-flight photo shoot with the XB-70 Valkyrie (of which only two were built); Neil A. Armstrong (1930-2012) 7 total flights; Robert M. White (1924-2010) 16 flights. During the 1960s, a number of speed and altitude records were set by the X-15 rocket-powered aircraft, which reached the edge of space and returned with valuable data that was later used in the development of both air and spacecraft. Condition: Some toning to print. Signatures very strong, legible.