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Author
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Topic: Astronauts who set/hold non-space records
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-29-2016 03:27 PM
   
I'm just starting to read "Into the Black," about the first space shuttle mission, and it recounts John Young setting a time-to-climb record. That got me to thinking about the non-space records set by astronauts.Young, in fact, set two world time-to-climb records in the 3,000 meter and 25,000 meter events while piloting a Navy F4B Phantom jet in 1962. Another record that comes to mind was set by John Glenn, who in 1957 completed the first supersonic transcontinental flight in a Vought F8U-3P Crusader. What other records were set by astronauts? For the purposes of this discussion, I'd like to exclude records set in space (or as part of being an astronaut), or records that were based on the person being an astronaut (and example of the latter would be Scott Parazynski becoming the first astronaut to summit Mount Everest). The records need not be limited to aviation, though. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-29-2016 03:32 PM
One more example of a record:Buzz Aldrin was the first to capture on film a MiG pilot bailing out of his jet, after having shot down the MiG-15. |
Michael Davis
Member Posts: 528
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 05-29-2016 04:15 PM
Pete Conrad, along with two friends, set an around-the-world flight record of 49 hours, 21 minutes and 8 seconds. That was in 1996 with a Learjet 35A. That record apparently fell just recently. |
YankeeClipper
Member Posts: 617
From: Dublin, Ireland
Registered: Mar 2011
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posted 05-29-2016 07:12 PM
Dick Gordon was a project test pilot for the F4H Phantom II.He and Lt. Bobbie Young were winners of the Bendix Trophy Race from Los Angeles to New York in May 1961 in a F4H-1. They established a new speed record of 869.74 miles per hour and a transcontinental speed record of 2 hours and 47 minutes. |
Michael Davis
Member Posts: 528
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 06-03-2016 02:15 PM
The Learjet used for Conrad's around the world speed record is now on display in the Denver airport.  A note on the record appears on the nose of the jet. I took this shot of it yesterday while stuck in the airport trying to return to a waterlogged Houston. |
alanh_7
Member Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 06-04-2016 10:03 AM
I believe Robert "Hoot" Gibson set a closed course record for his class in his homebuilt Cassutt F1 Air Racer of 237.90. I also think he set a world altitude record for the class in the same aircraft. This according to an article in Air and Space Magazine. |
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