 |
X-5 Program Flight Chronology 1952-1955
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The NACA High-Speed Flight Station operated the Bell X-5 #1 (50-1838) from 1952 to late 1955. Following the conclusion of the contractors program in October 1951, the airplane was grounded for installation of a NACA instrument package. In December 1951, the Air Force completed a brief evaluation program involving six flights; because data were taken, these were considered part of the overall NACA effort and were logged as join AF-NACA flights. The first all-NACA flight was flight 7, and it is with this flight that this chronology begins. The second X-5 (50-1839) was operated only by Bell and the Air Force and was lost in a spin accident in 1953.
Bell X-5 #1 (50-1838) Flights
|
| Flight |
Date |
Pilot |
Remarks |
| 7 |
9 Jan. 1952 |
Joseph Walker |
Pilot Check |
| 8 |
14 Jan. 1952 |
Walker |
Static and dynamic longitudinal and latitudinal stability and control. |
| 9 |
21 Jan. 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 8. |
| 10 |
23 Jan. 1952 |
Walker |
Airspeed calibration. |
| 11 |
25 Jan. 1952 |
Walker |
Static and dynamic longitudinal and latitudinal stability and control. |
| 12 |
1 Feb. 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 11. |
| 13 |
5 Feb. 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 11. |
| 14 |
12 Feb. 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 11. |
| 15 |
-- |
-- |
Air Force pilot check flight. |
| 16 |
4 Mar. 1952 |
Walker |
Lateral stability at 60 sweep. |
| 17 |
13 Mar. 1952 |
Walker |
Flight aborted. |
| 18 |
17 Mar. 1952 |
Walker |
Latitudinal and longitudinal stability and control at 60 sweep. |
| 19 |
19 Mar. 1952 |
Walker |
Airspeed calibration. |
| 20 |
19 Mar. 1952 |
Walker |
Static and dynamic longitudinal and latitudinal stability and control. |
| 21 |
20 Mar. 1952 |
Walker |
Gust loads investigation 20 and 60 sweep. |
| 22 |
27 Mar. 1952 |
Walker |
Static longitudinal stability, 45 sweep. |
| 23 |
1 Apr. 1952 |
Walker |
Airspeed calibration. |
| 24 |
3 Apr. 1952 |
A. S. Crossfield |
Pilot check. |
| 25 |
29 Apr. 1952 |
W. P. Jones |
Pilot check. |
| 26 |
2 May 1952 |
Jones |
Static and dynamic longitudinal and lateral stability and control. |
| 27 |
6 May 1952 |
Jones |
Same as flight 26. |
| 28 |
7 May 1952 |
Jones |
Same as flight 26. |
| 29 |
8 May 1952 |
Crossfield |
Same as flight 26. |
| 30 |
16 May 1952 |
Crossfield |
Same as flight 26. |
| 31 |
27 May 1952 |
Jones |
Same as flight 26. |
| 32 |
28 May 1952 |
Jones |
Same as flight 26. |
| 33 |
29 May 1952 |
Jones |
Aborted; gear door opened in flight. |
| 34 |
20 June 1952 |
Jones |
Static and dynamic longitudinal and lateral stability and control. |
| 35 |
25 June 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 34. |
| 36 |
26 June 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 34. |
| 37 |
2 Jul. 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 34. |
| 38 |
10 Jul. 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 34. |
| 39 |
12 Jul. 1952 |
Walker |
Gust loads investigation. |
| 40 |
16 Jul. 1952 |
J. Reeder |
Pilot check for Langley pilot. |
| 41 |
17 Jul. 1952 |
Walker |
Static and dynamic longitudinal and lateral stability and control. |
| 42 |
22 Jul. 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 41. |
| 43 |
25 Jul. 1952 |
Walker |
Static and dynamic longitudinal stability and control. |
| 44 |
1 Aug. 1952 |
Walker |
Same as flight 43. |
| 45 |
7 Aug. 1952 |
Walker |
Static longitudinal and lateral stability and control. |
| 46 |
23 Sept. 1952 |
Walker |
Lateral control, longitudinal stability. |
| 47 |
25 Sept. 1952 |
Walker |
Static longitudinal control. |
| 48 |
26 Sept. 1952 |
Crossfield |
Static longitudinal stability and control. |
| 49 |
21 Oct. 1952 |
Walker |
Inadvertent spin. |
| 50 |
5 Dec. 1952 |
Walker |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 51 |
10 Dec. 1952 |
Walker |
Lateral stability and control. |
| 52 |
-- |
S. P. Butchart |
Pilot check. |
| 53 |
to |
Butchart |
Pilot check. |
| 54 |
18 Dec. 1952 |
Walker |
Photographic flight. |
| 55 |
to |
Butchart |
Aborted, inoperable stabilizer motor. |
| 56 |
22 Dec. 1952 |
Walker |
Static and dynamic longitudinal and lateral stability and control. |
| 57 |
8 Jan. 1953 |
Walker |
Vertical tail loads in maneuvers. |
| 58 |
12 Jan. 1953 |
Crossfield |
Stalls and maneuvers at 20 sweep. |
| 59 |
22 Jan. 1953 |
Crossfield |
Vertical tail loads in rolling pullouts. |
| 60 |
27 Jan. 1953 |
Walker |
Drag study (trailed F-80 jet). |
| 61 |
29 Jan. 1953 |
Walker |
Drag study (trailed B-29 bomber). |
| 62 |
29 Jan. 1953 |
A. Murray |
AF flight for comparison with AFX-5. |
| 63 |
6 Feb. 1953 |
Walker |
Drag study (trailed B-29). |
| 64 |
13 Feb. 1953 |
Walker |
Gust loads investigation. |
| 65 |
20 Feb. 1953 |
Walker |
Gust loads investigation. |
| 66 |
24 Feb. 1953 |
Walker |
Effect of wing translation on trim. |
| 67 |
25 Feb. 1953 |
Walker |
Same as flight 66. |
| 68 |
25 Feb. 1953 |
Walker |
Gust loads investigation. |
| 69 |
27 Feb. 1953 |
Walker |
Longitudinal stability and control during wing transition. |
| 70 |
26 Mar. 1953 |
Walker |
Emergency landing, gear failure. |
| 71 |
23 Apr. 1953 |
Walker |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 72 |
29 Apr. 1953 |
Walker |
Same as flight 71. |
| 73 |
30 Apr. 1953 |
Walker |
Same as flight 71. |
| 74 |
1 May 1953 |
Walker |
Same as flight 71. |
| 75 |
13 May 1953 |
Walker |
Strain gauge response to temperature. |
| 76 |
4 June 1953 |
Walker |
Buffet-induced tail loads. |
| 77 |
3 Jul. 1953 |
Walker |
Wing and horizontal tail loads. |
| 78 |
21 Jul. 1953 |
Walker |
Dynamic lateral stability. |
| 79 |
27 Jul. 1953 |
Walker |
Aborted, cabin pressurization malfunction. |
| 80 |
28 Jul. 1953 |
Walker |
Buffet-induced tail loads. |
| 81 |
30 Aug. 1953 |
Walker |
Buffet-induced tail loads. |
| 82 |
25 Aug. 1953 |
Walker |
Longitudinal stability and control wing and tail loads. |
| 83 |
27 Aug. 1953 |
Walker |
Same as flight 82. |
| 84 |
28 Aug. 1953 |
Crossfield |
Airspeed calibration of NACA B-47. |
| 85 |
4 Sept. 1953 |
Crossfield |
Pacer for NACA B-47 aircraft. |
| 86 |
12 Nov. 1953 |
Walker |
Lateral stability and control. |
| 87 |
16 Nov. 1953 |
Walker |
Wing twisting and bending tail loads. |
| 88 |
14 Jan. 1954 |
Walker |
Tail loads. |
| 89 |
21 Jan. 1954 |
Walker |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 90 |
26 Jan. 1954 |
Walker |
Aborted, landing gear door malfunction. |
| 91 |
29 Jan. 1954 |
Walker |
Lateral stability and control. |
| 92 |
2 Feb. 1954 |
Crossfield |
Gust loads at various wing sweeps. |
| 93 |
4 Feb. 1954 |
Walker |
Vertical tail loads. |
| 94 |
8 Feb. 1954 |
Walker |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 95 |
9 Feb. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 94. |
| 96 |
10 Feb. 1954 |
Walker |
Lateral stability and control at 45 and 59, longitudinal stability and control at 59. |
| 97 |
12 Feb. 1954 |
Walker |
Longitudinal stability and control, wing and high tail loads. |
| 98 |
23 Feb. 1954 |
Walker |
Dynamic pressure effects on buffet. |
| 99 |
23 Feb. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 98. |
| 100 |
16 Mar. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 98. |
| 101 |
8 Apr. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 98. |
| 102 |
9 Apr. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 98. |
| 103 |
13 Apr. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 98. |
| 104 |
15 Apr. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 98. |
| 105 |
20 Apr. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 98. |
| 106 |
21 Apr. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 98. |
| 107 |
23 Apr. 1954 |
Walker |
Same as flight 98. |
| 108 |
7 June 1954 |
Butchart |
Vertical tail loads. |
| 109 |
11 June 1954 |
Crossfield |
Vertical tail loads. |
| 110 |
8 Dec. 1954 |
Butchart |
Instrumentation check. |
| 111 |
14 Dec. 1954 |
-- |
Pilot check. |
| 112 |
-- |
-- |
Pilot check. |
| 113 |
to |
-- |
Pilot check. |
| 114 |
-- |
-- |
Pilot check. |
| 115 |
27 Jan. 1955 |
Butchart |
Instrumentation check. |
| 116 |
28 Jan. 1955 |
Butchart |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 117 |
3 Feb. 1955 |
Butchart |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 118 |
3 Feb. 1955 |
Butchart |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 119 |
21 Feb. 1955 |
Butchart |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 120 |
23 Feb. 1955 |
Butchart |
Longitudinal and lateral stability and control. |
| 121 |
8 Mar. 1955 |
John McKay |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 122 |
21 Mar. 1955 |
McKay |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 123 |
23 Mar. 1955 |
McKay |
Longitudinal stability and control. |
| 124 |
23 Mar. 1955 |
Butchart |
Lateral stability and control. |
| 125 |
1 Apr. 1955 |
McKay |
Lateral stability and control. |
| 126 |
5 Apr. 1955 |
Butchart |
Lateral stability and control. |
| 127 |
6 Apr. 1955 |
McKay |
Lateral stability and control. |
| 128 |
to |
-- |
Lateral stability and control. |
| 129 |
8 Apr. 1955 |
McKay |
Lateral stability and control. |
| 130 |
-- |
-- |
Lateral control. |
| 131 |
to |
-- |
Lateral control. |
| 132 |
-- |
-- |
Lateral control. |
| 133 |
25 Oct. 1955 |
N. A. Armstrong |
Pilot check. Landing gear door separated in flight. Plane subsequently was retired. |