The North American X-15 was a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as part of the X-plane series of experimental aircraft. The X-15 set speed and altitude records in the 1960s, reaching the edge of outer space and returning with valuable data used in aircraft and spacecraft design. The X-15's official world record for the highest speed ever recorded by a crewed, powered aircraft, set in October 1967 when William J. Knight flew at Mach 6.70 at 102,100 feet, a speed of 4,520 miles per hour, and has remained unbroken as of 2020. The initial 24 powered flights used two Reaction Motors XLR11 liquid-propellant rocket engines, enhanced to provide a total of 16,000 pounds-force of thrust as compared to the 6,000 pounds-force that a single XLR11 provided in 1947 to make the Bell X-1 the first aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound. The XLR11 used ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen. #northamericanx15 #x15 #neilarmstrong #hypersonic #supersonic #rocketpowered #nasa #rocket #rocketlaunch #rocketengine #kellyjohnson #cia #usarmy #usairforce #airforce #airforcejet #stealthplane #supersonic #fastandfurious #fast #drone #msstate #mississippistateuniversity #mississippistate #hoistthesails #mikeleach #msufootball #weringtrue #maroonandwhite (at Starkville, Mississippi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBA5vf8jxsb/?igshid=1iktjbezhdj8n

The WB-57 is a mid-wing, long-range aircraft capable of operation for extended periods of time from sea level to altitudes in excess of 60,000 feet. Two crew members are positioned at separate tandem stations in the forward section of the fuselage. The pilot station contains all the essential equipment for flying the aircraft while the sensor equipment operator (SEO) station contains both navigational equipment and controls for the operation of the payloads that are located throughout the aircraft. The WB-57 can fly for approximately 6.5 hours, has a range of approximately 2500 miles, and can carry up to 8,800 lbs of payload. #wb57 #b57 #highaltitude #supersonic #stealth #mach3 #mach #speedrecord #speed #stealthplane #stealth #usaf #usairforce #usairforce🇺🇸 #usmilitary #nasasr71blackbird #nasa #nasa🚀 #huntsvillealabama #huntsville #spaceandrocketcenter #cannonballrun #cannonball #canadaarm #spacestation #spacerace #redstone #redstonearsenal #kellyjohnson #black (at The Links at Starkville) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-TWI5j1sq/?igshid=1bhexflqydann

#blackouttuesday (at Starkville, Mississippi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8jvG0D6z-/?igshid=kljmrrpnpg59

The Eurocopter MH-65 Dolphin is a twin-engined helicopter operated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for medevac-capable search and rescue and armed Airborne Use of Force missions. It is a variant of the French-built Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin. A unique feature of the Dolphin is its computerized flight management system, which integrates state-of-the-art communications and navigation equipment. This system provides automatic flight control. At the pilot's direction, the system will bring the aircraft to a stable hover 50 feet (15 m) above a selected object. This is an important safety feature in darkness or inclement weather. Selected search patterns can be flown automatically, freeing the pilot and copilot to concentrate on sighting & searching the object. Certified for single-pilot instrument flight rules (IFR) operation, the HH-65A was the first helicopter certified with a four-axis autopilot, allowing for hands-off hover over a pre-determined location. #eurocopter #mh65 #mh65dolphin #helicopterpilot #helicopter #uscg #coastguardaviation #coastguard #coastguardlife #searchandrescue #sar #hero #aviationhistory #aviation #instagramaviation #aviationphotos #aviationpics #aviationlovers #aviationdaily (at Starkville, Mississippi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA767rfjtPx/?igshid=6lg7c25k1u9h

The Fairey Delta 2 or FD2 (internal designation Type V within Fairey) was a British supersonic research aircraft produced by the Fairey Aviation Company in response to a specification from the Ministry of Supply for a specialised aircraft for conducting investigations into flight and control at transonic and supersonic speeds. Features included a delta wing and a drooped nose. The Fairey Delta 2 was the first jet aircraft to exceed 1000 mph in level flight. On 10 March 1956, it set a new world speed record of 1,132 mph. The Delta 2 held the absolute World Air Speed Record for over a year. #fairey #delta2 #faireydelta #supersonic #raf #royalairforce #uk #britishairways #1956 #1950s #aviationhistory #aviation #aviationphotos #aviationpics #aviationdaily #aviationphotography #aviationgeek #aviationlovers #aviators #pilot #pilotlife #pilotsofinstagram (at Starkville, Mississippi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA7xPeFDqz_/?igshid=1jq27g7coy55i

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that was among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. It was designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau and is one of the few combat aircraft built primarily using stainless steel. It was the last plane designed by Mikhail Gurevich before his retirement. It has an operational top speed of Mach 2.83 (Mach 3.2 is possible but at risk of significant damage to the engines) and features a powerful radar and four air-to-air missiles. When first seen in reconnaissance photography, the large wing suggested an enormous and highly maneuverable fighter, at a time when U.S. design theories were also evolving towards higher maneuverability due to combat performance in the Vietnam War. The appearance of the MiG-25 sparked serious concern in the West and prompted dramatic increases in performance for the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle then under development in the late 1960s. The capabilities of the MiG-25 were better understood in 1976 when Soviet pilot Viktor Belenko defected in a MiG-25 to the United States via Japan. It turned out that the aircraft's weight necessitated its large wings. #mig25 #mig25 #mikoyan #ussr #ussraviation #russianjet #aircraftmaintenance #nsw #nswfires #cargoplane #firebomber #kellyjohnson #cia #usarmy #usairforce #airforce #airforcejet #stealthplane #supersonic #fastandfurious #fast #drone #msstate #mississippistateuniversity #mississippistate #hoistthesails #mikeleach #msufootball #weringtrue #maroonandwhite (at Starkville, Mississippi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5saV_jEi9/?igshid=174m9e490hc21

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was an American supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it was the only American aircraft to have been removed from combat due to high loss rates. When the Thunderchief entered service it was the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history, weighing approximately 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg). It could exceed the speed of sound at sea level and reach Mach 2 at high altitude. The F-105 could carry up to 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) of bombs and missiles. #f105 #f105thunderchief #thunderchief #vietnamwar #kenburns #netflix #airforcelifestyle #airforcelife #airforce #usairforce🇺🇸 #usaf #usafthunderbirds #navalaviation #navyaviation #supersonic #bomberescort #bomberpilot #bomber #bombsaway (at Starkville City Limits!) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5JWm1Do1z/?igshid=noei6xphbysz

The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is a military aircraft developed and produced by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, modified from the 737-800ERX. The P-8 is being operated in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), and shipping interdiction roles. It is armed with torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and other weapons, and is able to drop and monitor sonobuoys, as well as operate in conjunction with other assets, including the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle. #p8 #p8poseidon #poseidon #boeing #boeing737 #navy #navylife #navyaviation #navyseals #uscg #coastguardaviation #coastguard #submariner #submarine #submarines #antisubmarine (at Starkville, Mississippi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA2ovMdDVf-/?igshid=1bbvvffkt3f5a

Falcon 9 is a partially reusable two-stage-to-orbit medium lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX in the United States. It is powered by Merlin engines, also developed by SpaceX, burning cryogenic liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) as propellants. Its name is derived from the fictional Star Wars spaceship the Millennium Falcon and the nine Merlin engines of the rocket's first stage. Unlike most rockets, which are expendable launch systems, since the introduction of the Full Thrust version, Falcon 9 is partially reusable, with the first stage capable of re-entering the atmosphere and landing vertically after separating from the second stage. This feat was achieved for the first time on flight 20 with the v1.2 version in December 2015. #spacestation #space #spacex #spaceandrocketcenter #spaceforce #spacerace #spaceship #falcon9 #dm2 #mannedspaceflight #rocketlaunch #rocket #rocketengine #merlinengine #starwars #starliner #starship (at Starkville, Mississippi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA1FpWDDZ9H/?igshid=3pl8umwui2he

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt is also known as the Warthog, the ‘flying gun’ and the Tankbuster. The aircraft was used extensively during Operation Desert Storm, in support of Nato operations in response to the Kosovo crisis, in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The A-10 is designed to be refueled, rearmed, and serviced with minimal equipment. Its simple design enables maintenance at forward bases with limited facilities. An unusual feature is that many of the aircraft's parts are interchangeable between the left and right sides, including the engines, main landing gear, and vertical stabilizers. The sturdy landing gear, low-pressure tires and large, straight wings allow operation from short rough strips even with a heavy aircraft ordnance load, allowing the aircraft to operate from damaged airbases, flying from taxiways, or even straight roadway sections. #a10thunderbolt #a10 #a10warthog #warthog #warbird #warbirds #aviationhistory #aviation #usairforce🇺🇸 #usa #usmilitary #usairforceacademy #usairforcethunderbirds #usarmy #armystrong #armylife #grayplane #marinecorps #marinecorpslife #marines (at Starkville, Mississippi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA0AiDKjzAJ/?igshid=1b9t4fl6m90j0