Douglas Skyrocket

Steve Pace

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I found this online - a view of the D-558-2 I've never seen before (note original cockpit canopy). Credit Life magazine -

Steve Pace
 

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fightingirish - that last one reminds me of the fellow riding the bomb to his doom in Dr Strangelove. I can almost hear the "Yeeeee-hah!"


I take it this is the eject system, with the chap riding the nose-cone down to some safe opening speed?
 
That side view does show just how attractive an aircraft it was. Great find.
 
In the photo of the two men next to the jet engine, the guy on the
left looks like Douglas test pilot Gene May.
 
shockonlip said:
In the photo of the two men next to the jet engine, the guy on the
left looks like Douglas test pilot Gene May.
It is Gene May.
 
Eugene Francis 'Gene' May -SP
 

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Inboard drawing of D558-2.
 

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From Decollage 11/1947.
 

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Interesting read:

Toward Mach 2: The Douglas D558 Program

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/88788main_D-558.pdf
 
D-558-II Cockpit (cockpit layout between models and across the program changed).
 

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D-558-I Cutaway
 

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Great read. Chapters 2 and 3 cover the D-558 program, design and test histories.

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/probing_the_sky.pdf
 
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