Page 6 - Aerotech News and Review, March 19, 2021

On this date ...

March 21, 1962: A black bear named “Yogi” was ejected from
a supersonic Convair B-58A Hustler to test the B-58’s escape
capsule. Ejected at 35,000 feet from a B-58 flying at Mach
1.3, the bear landed unharmed 7 minutes, 49 seconds later.
Previous testing with human subjects had resulted in fatalities
so it was decided to continue with animal subjects while
March 21, 1916: The French government authorizes the formation problems were resolved. Black bears (Ursus americanus)
of the Escadrille Americaine (later Lafayette Escadrille) made up were used for these tests because their internal organs are
March 20, 1945: The first XP-80A prototype (s/n 83021, called of American volunteer pilots. This escadrille of the Aéronautique arranged similar to humans. The rocket booster carried the
Gray Ghost), was destroyed in a crash six miles southeast Militaire was composed largely of American volunteer pilots capsule 225 feet above the B-58 before beginning its descent.
of Rosamond, Calif. Its turbine wheel disintegrated in flight, flying fighters and was named in honor of the Marquis de
causing the tail to separate from the aircraft. Test Pilot Tony Lafayette, French hero of the American Revolutionary War. In March 25, 1960:
LeVier bailed out of the aircraft, but broke his back upon a September 1917, the escadrille was transferred to the U.S. Joe Walker became
hard landing. He returned to the test program six months later. Army under the designation 103rd Aero Squadron. the first NASA pilot
In this photograph, LeVier shakes the hand of Kelly Johnson to fly the X-15.
as he sits in the cockpit of the XP-80A. During the program,
Walker also set the
program’s top two
altitude records on
its 90th and 91st free
flights (347,800
and 354,200 feet,
respectively),
becoming the only
pilot to fly past
the internationally
March 26, 1951: Filming began on the lakebed for RKO’s film recognized boundary
Jet Pilot starring John Wayne and Janet Leigh. As shown in of outer space.
this photograph, an XF-92A was painted to simulate a MiG-23.
Most of the aerial stunt scenes were anonymously flown by
Chuck Yeager. Pictured, from left: Capt. Joseph E. Wolfe, Maj.
Jackie L. Ridley and Maj. Charles “Chuck” Yeager.

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