Beyond Blue Skies: the Rocket Plane Programs That Led to the Space Age. Chris Petty, with foreword by Dennis R. Jenkins. Lincoln NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2020.

In Beyond Blue Skies: the Rocket Plane Programs That Led to the Space Age, Chris Petty provides a basic, thoroughgoing primer on the history of rocket plane programs at Edwards Air Force Base, California, beginning with the X-1. This history connects directly both to the military and national security aims of the United States in the post-World War II world and the dawning of the space race. It also illustrates the occasional personal rivalries, and the sometimes prickly nature of the working relationship between the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, later NASA, and the former Air Force Flight Test Center – now the Air Force Test Center. These arose from the competing interests of the organizations as they cooperated in flight research on numerous joint X-plane projects.

Petty also handily captures some of the grit, both real and figurative, that characterized the experience of working at Edwards Air Force Base, with vivid descriptions of some of the hardships of the early years in the extremes of the base’s high desert location.

The author partly achieves his aim of documenting the human side of what has been called the Golden Age of test flying at Edwards AFB and the personal decisions that influenced the test and evaluation of these programs. The author demonstrates these most clearly through the X-15 flight research program, which discusses the individual choices made by the numerous players. Choices like the decision by Scott Crossfield to join North American and shepherd the X-15 through the early test program,[1] and that of NASA Flight Research Center director Paul Bikle not to overturn the decision of his predecessor Walt Williams on the roster of X-15 pilots when petitioned by Crossfield to be added as a NASA, rather than a North American, project pilot.[2] These critical junctures affected the direction of history. By discussing the individual and organizational decisions made in the history of these projects, the author also breaks down the temptation to ascribe any measure of inevitability to the development of these technologies or these programs. Moreover, Petty makes the salient point that the significance and purpose of each of the NACA/NASA/U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy rocket plane projects under discussion stemmed not from setting records or gaining personal notoriety but from the gathering of data.[3]

Petty also handily captures some of the grit, both real and figurative, that characterized the experience of working at Edwards Air Force Base, with vivid descriptions of some of the hardships of the early years in the extremes of the base’s high desert location. He also recounts some of the anecdotes and idiosyncrasies of those associated with the history of Edwards. In doing so, Petty successfully adds color and texture to his narrative. In one example he references a wry “Wright Bicycle Shop” sign that hung outside the M2-F1 fabrication area in which the airframe was hand-built on a shoestring budget.[4] The author also includes the mischievous substitution of the last name of research pilot Bill Dana in place of the designation “NASA” on the tail flash of the M2-F3 lifting body.[5] This prank, one of many, also emphasizes the degree to which the down-to-earth research pilot was respected and even beloved.

While this history examines numerous joint multi-service/NACA/NASA rocket plane programs, it evinces a distinct emphasis on NACA/NASA. To wit, the book suffers from the neglect of a significant body of historical records, those of the Air Force Test Center, housed in its History Office at Edwards Air Force Base. This may have stemmed from a lack of time, as the process requires engaging with Air Force public affairs at the Pentagon level.[6]

The engaging depiction of the challenges, successes, dangers, and camaraderie found in working for common goals in programs of national significance will certainly draw and hold the attention of readers.

This lacuna also leads to small inaccuracies throughout the text. For example, the author mistakes the signing of the National Security Act of 1947 in July by President Truman for the later September 18, 1947 birthday of the U.S. Air Force, which celebrates its official establishment as a separate service independent from the U.S. Army.[7] Petty also references the former Air Force Flight Test Center as the name of the military base rather than that of the host organization assigned to Edwards Air Force Base.[8]

The book’s argument is thus hampered by the lack of and restricted variety of Air Force sources. While the book does demonstrate the personal and individual side of the rocket plane projects versus solely emphasizing the technical, the specific examples Petty includes originate exclusively with NACA/NASA. While some Air Force figures feature in the narrative, some significant ones do not feature enough, such as Air Force X-15 mission planner, and future hypersonic chief engineer, Johnny Armstrong.[9] Their depiction also lacks a depth and detail seen in those of NASA personnel. This obviates any discussion of the individual choices made by the Air Force personnel involved, leaving only critical Air Force organizational decisions. To someone familiar with the history of flight test at Edwards Air Force Base, it also means that the narrative comes across as unbalanced.

However, the casual reader, for which this book is chiefly suited, will likely not notice any of these omissions or slight errors. The rocket plane programs conducted at Edwards AFB in the run up to the opening of the Space Age and the Cold War have featured in numerous books, many of them more comprehensive and more technical. The engaging depiction of the challenges, successes, dangers, and camaraderie found in working for common goals in programs of national significance will certainly draw and hold the attention of readers, and this book is therefore recommended.

Stephanie M. Smith holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in American history with a concentration in the history of technology. She is a Chief Historian for a branch of the federal government and a subject matter expert in the history of test and evaluation. The views expressed are the author’s alone and do not reflect those of the U.S. Government.

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Header Image: A 1953 photo of some of the research aircraft at the NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station, August 4, 1953 (NASA).

Notes:

[1] Petty, Beyond Blue Skies, 171-2.

[2] Petty, Beyond Blue Skies, 197.

[3] Petty, Beyond Blue Skies, 253, 336.

[4] Petty, Beyond Blue Skies, 268.

[5] Petty, Beyond Blue Skies, 328.

[6] The Air Force National Media Engagement office in New York City provides the initial contact for prospective authors requesting use of Air Force records and access to Air Force bases. Upon approval, authors receive an authorization letter from the Secretary of the Air Force’s Office of Public Affairs, which provides approval to request access to individual bases and history offices. See https://www.afoutreach.af.mil/Home/Book-Support/.

[7] Petty, Beyond Blue Skies, 41.

[8] Petty, Beyond Blue Skies, 81.

[9] See Blais, “’End of an Era’,” 1, and Smith, “Team Edwards Loses One of Its Own.” Johnny Armstrong, who had a 55-year Air Force career in hypersonics, began as Air Force Second Lieutenant Johnny Armstrong in 1956 working as a flight test engineer on such projects as the F11F-1F, YB-58A, and the F-104. He left active-duty after a change of station that took him away from Edwards AFB and flight test. Upon his return to Edwards AFB as a civilian in 1961, he began working on projects that included the X-15, X-15A-2, X-24A, HL-10, and M2-F3. He was responsible for planning the flight and training the pilot for the X-15 test that set the aircraft speed record of Mach 6.72. His choice to return to civilian life in order to continue to work at Edwards AFB on hypersonics significantly affected the conduct of hypersonic/space flight programs, including the aforementioned, as well as the X-33, X-34, X-37, X-38/X-40A Future-X, X-43 Hyper-X, and X-51 Waverider programs.