EDITORIAL INFORMATION

The number 1 Skyrocket first flew on February 4, 1948. On the 50th anniversary of that date, the Dryden Flight Research Center held a symposium in honor of the event. It featured four of the original research pilots: Stanley P. Butchart, Robert A. Champine, A. Scott Crossfield, and John Griffin talking about their experiences with the D-558 and its launch aircraft, the P2B-1S (Navy version of the B-29). In addition, Air Force historian Richard P. Hallion spoke about the Skystreak and the Skyrocket aircraft. Because all the participants had valuable and interesting comments to make, it seemed imperative to preserve and print them so that those not privileged to attend the ceremonies could benefit from their recollections.

This transcript of their presentations, together with 48 documents supplementing their insights, adds significantly to the available literature on the D-558 flight research. It should be of interest both to scholars and to others in the general public who are interested in the history of aviation.

(Extracted from the dust jacket.)

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

-Contents.

-Foreword.

-Introduction.

-Symposium Transcript.

-Welcome by Edward T. Schneider.
-Richard P. Hallion's Comments on the D-558-1.
-Robert A. Champine's Recollections of the D-558-1.
-John Griffith's Recollections of the D-558-1.
-Richard P. Hallion's Comments on the D-558-2.
-Stanley P. Butchard's Recollections of the D-558-2 and P2B.
-A. Scott Crossfield's Recollections of the D-558-2.
-Audience Questions and Panel Responses.
-Wrap-Up by Edward T. Schneider.

-Appendix - The Aircraft.

-Documents.

-Index.
-The NASA History Series.