![]() Captain Mel Apt flew the same plane just 20 days later and began what seemed to be a perfect run by setting another new speed record, that of Mach 3.2, or 2,094 MPH. In September 1956 Captain Iven Kincheloe became the first pilot to fly above 100,000 feet, eventually reaching an altitude of over 126,000 feet. The X-2’s first powered flight took place in November 1955, and after nine test flights the Starbuster had set a new speed record of 1,900 MPH. ![]() It was launched from a modified B-50 bomber and was originally flown from 1952 on unpowered gliding flights. Its intended purpose was to explore aerodynamics and flight characteristics of planes travelling above Mach 2. The Bell X-2, was a rocket powered research aircraft developed jointly between the Bell Aircraft Corporation, The USAF, and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). #7 – Bell X-2 “Starbuster” – Top Speed 2,094 MPH One of the Prototypes collided with another plane during a demonstration flight in 1966, and the sole remaining XB-70 is displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. The United States Air Force eventually decided not to pursue the project in 1961, but two XB70’s were built to study long-duration flights at high speeds and their effect on the human body. An alternative role as a low-level penetration aircraft was considered, however the XB70 had little real advantage at low altitude over the B-52 that it was intended to replace. The development of Russian Surface-to-air missile (SAM) defense systems effectively ended its immunity from attack before it could ever be deployed over hostile territory. The six-engined prototype was designed to be able to reach speeds in excess of Mach 3 while at 70,000 feet, which would put it safely beyond the reach of any Soviet fighter of the time. The XB-70 Valkryie was designed by North American Aviation in the late 1950’s as a successor to the older B-52 bomber. #8 – North American XB-70 Valkyrie – Top Speed 2,056 MPH The Russian Air Force expects the model to stay in service until 2030 or later. Although the exact number of MiG-31’s still in operation is not known, there were believed to be slightly more than 500 of them built before production ended in the mid 1990’s. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the MiG-31 has continued to be used extensively by both the Russian and Kazakhstan Air forces. It was first flown in 1975 and quickly became a key element of Soviet Air assets during the cold war. The model was developed from the earlier MiG25 Foxbat and shares design elements with its predecessor. The Mikoyan MiG-31, Codenamed ‘Foxhound’ by NATO is one of the fastest combat jets in the World. #9 – Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound – Top Speed 1,864 MPH The model has one of the best active service records of any modern fighter, with no losses in the combat theater and at least 100 victories in air-to-air combat, the majority of them claimed by the Israeli Air Force. The F-15 Eagle is projected to be in use by the US Air Force until at least 2025, and considerably longer than that for some of its foreign buyers. It has been widely exported to many other nations such as Saudi Arabia, Japan and Israel and production of the model is expected to continue until 2019, 47 years after it first flew. The twin-engine tactical fighter first entered service in the US Air Force in 1976, and has become one of their longest lasting fighters since that time. The F-15 was developed by McDonnell Douglas, now Boeing, in 1967 to gain air supremacy in aerial combat. ![]() #10 – McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle – Top Speed 1,650 MPH ![]() #2 – North American X-15 – Top Speed 4,519 MPH.#3 – Boeing X-51 Waverider – Top Speed 3,853 MPH.#4 – SR-71 Blackbird – Top Speed 2,600 MPH. ![]()
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