Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket

E444354

The Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket was a U.S. Navy and NACA experimental research aircraft that became one of the first aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in level flight during the early 1950s.

All labels observed (3)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf experimental research aircraft
jet-powered aircraft
mixed-propulsion aircraft
rocket-powered aircraft
carrierAircraft Boeing P2B-1S Superfortress
linked to: B-50 Superfortress
configuration single-engine jet plus single rocket engine
single-seat
countryOfOrigin United States
crew 1
firstFlightDate 1948-02-04
firstFlightPilot John F. Martin
fuel alcohol and liquid oxygen for rocket engine
kerosene for turbojet
introduced 1948
launchMethod air-launched from carrier aircraft
length approximately 42 ft
manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company
maximumSpeed over Mach 2
maximumTakeoffWeight approximately 15,000 lb
museumDisplay Antelope Valley College, Lancaster, California
National Air and Space Museum
notableAchievement first aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in level flight
numberBuilt 3
operator NACA
United States Navy
powerplant Reaction Motors LR8-RM-6 rocket engine
Westinghouse J34 turbojet
predecessor Douglas D-558-1 Skystreak
primaryTestSite Edwards Air Force Base
Muroc Air Force Base
program D-558 research program
recordAltitude approximately 72,000 ft
recordDate 1953-11-20
recordMachNumber 2.005
recordPilot Scott Crossfield
recordSpeed approximately 1,291 mph
researchFocus aerodynamic heating
high-Mach-number stability and control
swept-wing characteristics
transonic drag rise
role high-speed research
supersonic research
transonic research
status retired
successorInRole Bell X-1A
Douglas X-3 Stiletto
tailConfiguration conventional tail
usedBy NACA High-Speed Flight Station
wingConfiguration swept wing
wingspan approximately 25 ft

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Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Reaction Motors XLR11 usedInVehicle Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket
Douglas Aircraft Company notableProduct Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket
NASA X-plane series includes Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket
Scott Crossfield aircraftTested Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket
linked to: Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket
Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket program D-558 research program
linked to: Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket
Douglas D-558-1 Skystreak successor Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket
Albert Scott Crossfield testPiloted Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket
linked to: Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket