posted 04-23-2016 07:54 PM               

Space Cover #365: The X-2 Spring

On May 22, 1956, the X-2 rocketplane set a new speed record of 2.53 times the speed of sound (Mach 2.53) with the above cover carried in one of pilot Pete Everest’s pressure suit pockets. Everest mailed the cover the next day, May 23, hence the day-after postmark. This is an example of Ellington-Zwisler Volume 2, US #80.

Sixty years ago this spring, the oft-troubled X-2 finally began to hit its stride. We discussed the beginnings of the X-2 and its first powered flight in Space Cover of the Week 345. After that first powered flight, complete with a fire in the engine compartment, the X-2 didn’t fly again until March 24, 1956. That Mach 0.9 checkout flight was successful. Then the X-2 and Pete Everest began to crank up the speeds – Mach 1.4 on April 25, Mach 1.68 on May 1, Mach 1.8 on May 11, and finally the record Mach 2.53 flight on May 22 shown above. Covers are known to have been carried on each of these flights.

These flights set the stage for Everest and the X-2’s next record, Mach 2.87 on July 23, 1956 as described in Space Cover of the Week 122. We will visit the subsequent and final X-2 flights in a Space Cover of the Week in August or September.