Great telling of the X-15 story
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As one of the few pilots who flew this ground-breaking, record-setting aircraft, Milt Thompson has a unique viewpoint amongst those writing about this programme. I thought it worth buying if only for that. However, having bought the book a year ago, I didn't get round to starting it until a week ago, primarily because it looked rather dry at first glance - chapters are headed eg 'the Operation' and 'Program Phases' which rather put me off. Don't make the same mistake! If you have an interest in the X-15 then I would definitely recommend this book. Thompson does a great job of taking the reader into the cockpit, removing you from the confines of the world and propelling you along with the programme in an engaging and fascinating way.
The dry chapter titles simply reflect the precision of mind of a test pilot and do not do justice to the real stories that are contained within. For a considered, genuine, honest, balanced and well-researched piece of true aerospace history - read this book. Thompson's anecdotes will make you smile but he actually maintained my interest throughout by writing well about a truly fascinating programme in an era that we are unlikely to see the likes of again.
Oddly, the only reason he didn't get the 5th star from me was that the book positions itself as a 'history of the flight program' yet it does not contain enough of the dry detail that it would have to contain if it were to live up to that title. I enjoyed it all the more for that though and highly recommend the book for what it is - a great read, with a rich level of fact, consideration and context, told from the perspective of one of the few who actually flew 'this bull'...
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The Right Stuff Part 2
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Milt Thompson was amongst the last of the pioneering US Air Force and NASA test pilots who "pushed the envelope" at Edwards Air Force Base and the adjoining NASA High Speed Flight Center (now the Dryden Flight Research Center). Thompson, a former US Navy flier, eventually joined NASA's test pilot ranks and was thus in line to be amongst the 12 contractor, military, and NASA pilots to fly the North American X-15 research aircraft.
The joint US Air Force/US Navy/NASA X-15 is undoubtedly one of the most successful American research aircraft ever. It was designed to probe the unexplored regions of hypersonic (over Mach 6) and extremely high altitude flight (over 100,000 m). The X-15 also later served as a high altitude platform for experiments not necessarily related to its original mission.
Thompson provides some background to the X-15 project but not too much to bog down the casual reader. He concentrates more on significant X-15 flights, the personalities of the X-15 pilots and the NASA staff, as well as some of the off-hour parties and good times. In fact, I most enjoyed Thompson's description of other NASA flying or off-hour good times.
Thompson makes clear that despite the success of the program, the X-15, going where no aircraft had gone before, had its share of problems. Some were serious enough to result in crashes or engine explosions. The problems of high G flight would also claim one pilot.
Thompson's conclusion expresses his sadness that the lessons learned by the X-15 did not translate to military or commercial aircraft, some of which are actually slower than 1960s counterparts. He does take pride, however, that the X-15 directly benefited the Space Shuttle.
It is unfortunate that more people are not aware of the X-15 and the milestones the program accomplished. For example, the Air Force awarded astronaut wings to seveal pilots when they ascended above 50 miles. But for those interested in a very readable account of one of the most important aircraft in aerospace history, then Thompson's book is mandatory.
C. Husing
former historian, USAF Space and Missile Systems Center
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Gripping
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OK - it helps to love aircraft - but I found this book compelling reading - from touching the ground accidentally in an F104 to bouncing on re-entry in the X15, from blowing people off motorbikes with an F104 afterburner to the loss of fellow pilots - this man saw and did stuff we mere mortals only dream of.
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Rocket Pilot Tells it Like it Was!
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The late Milton THOMPSON has produced the best single book about the X-15 programme, and the best book by an American rocket pilot since the late William BRIDGEMAN's "The Lonely Sky". THOMPSON has given the reader a feel for the aircraft, and good stories that put you in the driver's seat flying down the X-15 High Range at altitudes in excess of 65 km and speeds greater than 5900 kmh. As a bonus you get an insider's view of some of the other personalities such as WALKER, ARMSTRONG and BIKLE; and snippets about other programmes such as the X-20. The book is written in the affable stlye of a pilot talking to other pilots in the bar or crewroom. I would take the comments from the vitriolic reviewer in Auckland with a large pinch of salt. As one example, no-one needs to have "been to High Key" to read the map in Figure 5. Any reader wishing to know engineering details can consult some of the original NASA reports available on-line. As for readers with insufficient knowledge of flying - get some! (You could do alot worse than leafing through "Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators" by H. H. HURT). In summary, READ THIS BOOK !
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Why don't kids learn about this in school?
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Milt Thompson isn't a writer. He's a pilot and, for all practical purposes, an astronaut. This book reads like a chat with a pilot who has been there and done that. Although the prose is a bit lacking, the honesty and quailty of the stories more than compensate for the rather dry and unprofessional style. The rough feel may even inprove the overall effect; reading this book is like sitting in an adjacent booth at Denny's and listening to an old pilot tell stories. He assumes you are an acronym expert so don't expect a lot of explantions of the terms he uses every day. I learned just the right amount about the people, the machines, and the program. No fluff here. Just the facts, with the occasional bit of humor. This one is a keeper.
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