Hypersonic! The Story of the North American X-15 (Hardcover)

by Dennis R. Jenkins (Author), Tony Landis (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Rocket plane: The term now conjures images from vintage pulp sci-fi. But in a program that began years before Gagarin and Shepard launched the space race, NASA's X-15 research vehicle ambitiously arched towards the fringes of space, expanding the speed-and-altitude envelope of manned flight like none before it. In the course of a 199 flights over a decade, the X-15 became the first manned aircraft to rocket past Mach 4, 5 and 6; soared some 67 miles above the Earth (earning a handful of its dozen pilots their Astronaut wings, though ironically not Neil Armstrong, later first to set foot on the Moon); and crucially gathered the cornerstone data that enabled the Space Shuttle's return from space a couple decades later. Authors/historians/archivists Dennis Jenkins and Tony Landis have produced nothing short of a landmark history of the X-15's pioneering effort which, they argue, was the most productive flight test program ever)-- the first truly comprehensive chronicle of every phase of its pre-history, development, and often perilous journeys (USAF pilot Mike Adams was killed on one of the craft's final flights, while several others suffered injuries in mishaps). Fueled by an obvious passion for their subject, the authors skillfully boil a daunting body of history, technical data, and personalities down into an eminently accessible chronicle of technical achievement and human bravery. In doing so they've drawn on a wealth of documentary materials and interviews from pilots, NASA and USAF sources and key personnel from North American Aviation, the X-15's manufacturer. Pilots Scott Crossfield and Bill Dana (the first and last to fly the spaceplane, respectively) have also contributed written introductions. --Jerry McCulley

Review
"... book is an absolute must. Save your pennies or ruin your credit card. Whatever it takes, it's worth it." -- Internet Modeler

"This book is simply the definitive work on one of North American Aviation's greatest achievements, the hypersonic X-15..." -- Wings (June 2003, Vol. 33, No. 3)

"This is hands down the absolute best reference on the X-15 program, bar none ... $39.95 is an unbelievable bargain." -- Internet Modeler

"To call Hypersonic a "book" is to do it injustice; it's really an encyclopedia, and a comprehensive one ..." -- Air & Space Smithsonian (July 2003)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 276 pages
• Publisher: Specialty Press (May 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158007068X
• ISBN-13: 978-1580070683
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #835,375 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outta Sight!!, July 18, 2003

By	James M. Busby (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

I admit it- if it was built by North American, I'll usually like it.
But Jenkins and Landis have scored big with this book.
The X-15 was the most sucessful X-plane. but so much was unknown about what it did in it's 199 flights, and the fact is-it's successes were not yelled from the top of the N.A.A. plant at Los Angeles!
Everyone who loved that aircraft felt that there was a void until recently. The Apogee book and this one especially, tell the story about how we pursued entry into space with wings. "Hypersonic" is the book that future Historians will be using to learn about the fantastic feats that the X-15 accomplished. This volume and the follow up scrapbook are long overdue homage to those first early days of manned spaceflight!
This is THE must read book about the X-15!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, July 31, 2003

By	Jurg Bolli (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a fabulous book about the X-15, one of my favorite planes/spacecraft. It is full of beautiful illustrations and great text; it is an absolute must-have if you are in the least interested in the X-15 and the early space program.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No binding problems here, April 9, 2003

By	Dennis R. Jenkins (Cape Canaveral, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am one of the authors, and was a bit concerned by a point raised in Mr. Reid's review. I appreciate that he liked the book, and I truly hope he enjoys it.

However, if Mr. Reid feels the binding is causing him concern, I suggest he contact the publisher. I have had my book (I get an advance) for a while now and have not noticed any cause for concern, and my copy has been extensively looked through by a lot of people. This printer generally turns out a very superior product, and I know that the publisher was excited by this book and would not have scrimped on the binding. Perhaps Mr. Reid simply somehow received a defective copy.

I urge Mr. Reid to call Specialty to resolve the issue. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading it and looking at all the great photos Tony managed to find for it.