WILLIAM PETE KNIGHT SIGNED FASTER AND HIGHER PRINT STAN STOKES X-15 (D)

Description: About This Item:We are offering a hand signed unframed Stan Stokes 11 1/2 X 16 print by: William Pete Knight and artist Stan Stokes. This item was hand signed in person. In addition this item comes with AI Verified hologram and AI Verified Certificate of Authenticity. Original SRP $139.95 and has been long sold out. About the Print:In late 1954 requests for proposals went out for a hypersonic aircraft capable of Mach 7 and a ceiling of 50 miles. This was to be the third aircraft in the experimental series (following the X-1 and X-2), and its mission would be to explore the upper ranges of the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds. North American won the contract in 1955. The North American X-15 research aircraft, the most successful research aircraft in history, has flown faster and higher than any manned aircraft. Powered by a rocket motor generating 57,000 pounds of thrust by burning a combination of liquid oxygen and anhydrous ammonia, the X-15 was launched from a specially modified B-52 mother ship for each of its flights. Because of the high temperatures which would be encountered in flight, special alloys were incorporated in the design. At extreme altitudes, when in fact the X-15 would technically be in space, the aircraft was controlled by a thruster system using hydrogen peroxide jets. On the aircrafts first non-powered flight on June 8, 1959, North Americans test pilot Scott Crossfield had his hands full trying to land the X-15. Nine days later the X-15 embarked on its first powered flight, and obtained a speed of Mach 2.3. Eventually, Crossfield would take the X-15 to an altitude of 81,200 feet and a speed of Mach 2.97 on November 15, 1960. The aircraft was then turned over to NASA which would put the aircraft through a series of dazzling record-breaking flights over the next few years. NASA test pilot Joe Walker took the X-15 to an altitude of 67 miles, which is 17 miles beyond what is considered to be the outer limits of the Earths atmosphere. This is the highest altitude ever reached by a manned aircraft, not considering the Space Shuttle. One of the X-15s was modified and on October 3, 1967 Major William Pete Knight reached the amazing speed of Mach 6.72. Over nearly a decade of test flights the X-15 was piloted by only twelve men. Included in this exclusive group were Neil Armstrong, and Michael Adams, who was killed in an X-15 accident. William H. Dana was the last pilot to fly the X-15 on its final flight on October 24, 1968. Reaching Mach 5.38 and an altitude of 255,000 feet the flight was successful. After approximately 200 flights, the X-15 program was terminated in late 1968. The information obtained from these flights had numerous benefits to both the American space program, and to the development of high speed fixed wing aircraft. Item ConditionAll scans represent the actual item being sold. We do not use representative stock images (unless noted and/or determined by quantitiy available in the listing). Every single piece of our autographed stock is individually imaged. TermsPaymentShippingTerms and ConditionsWe will notify all buyers via e-mail within 24 hours at the close of each auction with payment details. Buyer is responsible to pay for sales tax charged for each purchase. No exceptions!If a buyer doesn't pay within 4 days, our eBay account is set up to automatically open an unpaid item case in the Resolution Center.If the buyer still doesn't pay or reach some other agreement with the seller, eBay may record the unpaid item on the buyer's account.All items will be shipped at the winning bidder's expense (unless stated otherwise). All orders will be shipped out via USPS Priority Mail (with Delivery Confirmation) or via Fed Ex Ground unless otherwise noted in the auction descriptionOrders will be processed within 24 hours after receipt of valid payment information.Feedback is left shortly after the address label and order have been processed.Sales Tax is the responsibility of the buyer.We will do our very best to provide as much accurate information as we can for each and every auction.All offers must be made on eBay. We will not accept emailed offers. No exceptions.We do not meet buyers in person. No exceptions. _gsrx_vers_1545 (GS 9.4.1 (1545))

Price: 59.95 USD

Location: Omaha, Nebraska

End Time: 2024-09-26T14:42:14.000Z

Shipping Cost: 10 USD