23 June 1961: Major Robert Michael White, United States Air Force, becamethefirst pilot to exceed Mach 5 in an aircraft. This was the 38th flight oftheX-15 Program. Flights during this phase incrementally increased thespeed and altitude oftheX-15 up to its design limits of Mach 6 and 250,000 feet (76,200 meters).
The secondNorth American Aviation X-15A, 56-6671, was air-dropped from the NB-52A Stratofortress mothership, 52-003, over Mud Lake, Nevada at 2:00:05.0 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time (21:00 UTC). White fired the Reaction Motors XLR99-RM-1 engine for 78.7 seconds, reaching Mach 5.27 (3,603 miles per hour, 5,799 kilometers per hour) and climbed to 107,700 feet (32,827 meters). 10 minutes, 5.7 seconds after being dropped from the B-52, White touched down on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base.
Bob White wasthefirstpilot to exceed Mach 4, Mach 5 and Mach 6. He also flew an X-15 to an altitude of 314,750 feet (95,936 meters), qualifying for U.S. Air Force astronaut wings.
After leaving the X-15 program, Major White flew 70 combat missions inthe Republic F-105D Thunderchieffighterbomber duringtheVietnam War. He lead the attack againstthe heavily-defended Paul Doumer Bridge in Hanoi, 11 August 1967, for which he was awardedtheAir Force Cross.
Major General White retired fromtheU.S. Air Force in 1981. He died 10 March 2010.
56-6671 is inthecollection oftheNational Museum oftheUnited States Air Force. The mothership, 52-003, is on display atthePima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona.
