Wingless Flight : The Lifting Body Story (Nasa Sp, 4220) [Hardcover]

R. Dale Reed (Author), Darlene Lister (Author), Dale R. Reed (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0160493900 | ISBN-13: 978-0160493904 | Publication Date: 1997

Most lifting bodies, or “flying bathtubs” as they were called, were so ugly only an engineer could love them, and yet, what an elegant way to keep wings from burning off in supersonic flight between earth and orbit. Working in their spare time (because they couldn’t initially get official permission), Dale Reed and his team of engineers demonstrated the potential of the design that led to the Space Shuttle.

Wingless Flight takes us behind the scenes with just the right blend of technical detail and fascinating detail (the crash of M2-F2 found new life as the opening credit for TV’s “The Six Million Dollar Man”). The flying bathtub, itself, is finding new life as the proposed escape-pod for the Space Station.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Presents an in-depth account of the entire NASA/Air Force lifting-body program written by the engineer who intiated it." -- Aviation History --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Dale Reed retired from NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in 1985 but still works with NASA as a contract engineer. He has authored numerous articles and technical reports, managed nineteen NASA programs, and acquired four patents. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 230 pages
• Publisher: Natl Aeronautics & Space Admin (1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0160493900
• ISBN-13: 978-0160493904
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,114,174 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Volume on the Subject!, January 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wingless Flight : The Lifting Body Story (Nasa Sp, 4220) (Hardcover)

I've studied these vehicles for years and thought I knew a lot about them. But Dale Reed was there and does a masterful job of melding the history time line with the results of the program. There are probably only a handful of people who could have written this book which is as rich in detail and "colorful" stories as any reader could want. If you've read the story of the X-15, this is the next logical step. If you haven't, you need to to really grasp what was going on at Edwards during this time. Fascinating!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive history of NASA lifting bodies to date., November 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Wingless Flight : The Lifting Body Story (Nasa Sp, 4220) (Hardcover)

A well written book from the engineer that was at the center of this small group of specialized aerospace vehicles. While detailed and somewhat technical, the author still manages to convey the sense of personal excitement, accomplishment and, at times, frustration experienced by everyone supporting these vehicles. A must-read for anyone interested in these vehicles.

5.0 out of 5 stars I was there!, July 20, 2011

By 

C. Wagner "GolfGirl64" (USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wingless Flight: The Lifting Body Story (NASA History Series SP-4220) (Paperback)

I cannot underestimate the value of this book and the rich history it tells us of the childhood of our shuttle program. This extraordinary tableau of how we got where we are is exciting and, best of all, true! In 1969 I was working for the Army on the Edwards AFB flightline when 9 of my co-workers and I were invited to the roof of the hangar "to watch the future." Dropped from a B-52 high above the Mojave desert, a gray, non-descript glider floated through the California sky and landed quietly in front of our hangar...just a few hangars away from NASA's. The Army commander of our facility said to us, "You can tell no one you saw it and you cannot discuss it amongst yourselves for a long, long time, but you are looking at the prototype of the vehicle that will take us into space." It was a memory of significant proportion and one I will never forget. It started my love of our shuttle program and 100% support of NASA. It is a must-read and then put it on the shelf with your most precious books. If you didn't love the space program before, you will fall in love now, especially with the ending of the program. What an experience; what a book! P.S. Be sure to get the DVD of BluRay set from NASA "When We Left Earth", too. It's the perfect companion for Wingless Flight. Both are GREAT for the whole family.