He gave me a ride in his golf cart at Oshkosh 2003, said “just flag me down if you need a ride, I’ll be around all day”. Aviation is filled with amazing people like Mr. Crossfield. Thanks for posting this about another true Hero.

One Of My Heroes, I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Scott at Sun-n-Fun in 1992. What a wonderful Man. I Think that was the same year I flew a photographer to do the air to air with your FM2 over Fantasy of Flight. Thank You Mr. Kermit for helping to Document these wonderful American Heroes. :-)

I still remember the morning my dad came home from work and said, "The D-558 II went Mach 2 yesterday." It was very early in the morning since my dad was working the swing shift on the L-1049 final assembly lines at the Lockheed A-1 Plant in Burbank. A year before he had been working the graveyard shift in the "experimental shop" at Douglas El Segundo after the union called a strike at Lockheed. His first job there was helping to finish both XA3D prototypes prior to the first flight of BuA 125412 in late October 1952. He was then assigned to work on "some airframe modifications" to D-558 II NACA 144 which had been returned to El Segundo by truck from Edwards AFB. At the time I asked what they were doing and he said, "Installing a bigger fuel tank." That, of course, was a gross oversimplification since I was a second grader. I believe it was actually a bigger tank for the H2O2 which was used to power the rocket engine turbopump gas generator in order to use more of the main propellants Scott mentioned. Doubt if the main propellant tanks were modified. I believe those were already big enough but they hadn't been able to use nearly the full capacity previously most likely as a safety factor. They were also installing an uprated LR--8-RM-6 rocket engine. When the new engine was received from Reaction Motors Inc. it turned out that it had not been built strictly to print. My dad worked an additional week with the powerplant installation crew to get it to fit. According to my dad they had already pushed the limits of how much structural material could be removed from the airframe so they had to be very careful. I presume the responsible engineer was supervising the work. My dad got along very well with the powerplant crew and that relationship paid dividends for years. My dad only talked to Scott once. Douglas practice running a round the clock operation was for each shift to overlap so there was literally a handoff from one shift to the next. One morning just after the start of the day shift, Scott and a contingent from the Navy and NACA were visiting the plant. Scott introduced himself but didn't mention he was one of the test pilots on the program. He asked my dad about the work he was doing. He asked some very technical questions so my dad presumed he was a civilian engineer working for the Navy.

@KermitWeeks444

3 жыл бұрын

Cool. Thanks for posting!

@dalecomer5951

3 жыл бұрын

NACA 144 is considered to be the second most significant aircraft in the collection of the NASM. X-15-1 AF 56-6670 is considered #1. NACA 143 was modified to the same spec as 144 (my dad worked on that after he went back to Douglas in 1954) and is at PoF in Chino. NACA 145 which was the supersonic research workhorse Scott mentioned is kind of languishing on a pylon outdoors at Antelope Valley College. Seems like it deserves a better home considering its history.

@HJBounell

3 жыл бұрын

@@dalecomer5951 well now you have done it. we need pics and videos (in many parts)

@dalecomer5951

3 жыл бұрын

@@HJBounell I posted a link to a pic of NACA 145 at the school but YT apparently nixed it. The suggestion is, of course, that it would have a better home in Orlampa even if it was never air launched from _Fertile Myrtle_ .

Thanks, Kermit for honoring Mr. Crossfield with these interviews. I have followed both Yeager and Crossfield since childhood, they both gave so much to the advancement of modern aviation in our country.

Thank the gods that you recorded this, can't wait for part 2. Thank you Mr Weeks.

@ztoon13

3 жыл бұрын

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the title...

@deeremeyer1749

3 жыл бұрын

How many gods are there and how do you know they were all involved?

Once again we all owe our grateful thanks to you Kermit . What a modest and gentle man , his training certainly suited his personna . Must say that was pretty scary footage of Chuck Yeager's "controlled " descent ! And what a gorgeous , beautiful woman Esther Williams was ! Well, l guess when you become as famous as Scott Crossfield it does have it's advantages ! And the comments of those who met Scott only reinforce what a true gentleman he was . Look forward to part derriere......l mean part 2 ! Thankyou Kermit .

Awesome interview of Scott Crossfield. Test pilots are heroes to me, I’m just a mechanical engineer with the understanding how things can go right or wrong. But at Mach 2+ there is no room for pilot or mechanical f’ups. Thank you Scott for your efforts advancing aviation standards. -Brad

Another priceless historical document. Incredible stuff. Thank you so much Mr Crossfield and Mr Weeks.

Had the honor to meet Mr. Crossfield. Great memories.

All these guys that flew the X series aircraft were true heroes. Great to hear their first had experiences. What a time to be in aviation. 👍👍👍

@stankakol5195

3 жыл бұрын

My dad flew the first 100 flights of the Bell X-22A. Hardly a speed demon!! LOL Does he still make your cut??

We look with Awe at Pilots like this and Scott is just so 'Matter of Fact' like it was just your every day flying. What an amazing Man. Thank You Kermit for sharing this interview.

@deeremeyer1749

3 жыл бұрын

It was his every day flying.

Pure gold to hear the stories from the test pilots that went higher and faster, true pioneers of aviation.

What a great mind. His work on the X-15 was phenomenal.

Thanks Kermit....Gods speed Scott Crossfield....!

Thank you Kermit for giving us a glimpse of history! Can't wait for part 2.

Thank you for doing this, Kermit. Scott Crossfield is a personal hero of mine.

This interview is absolutely priceless. So glad you were able to interview Scott, Kermit!

Kermit, These are so valuable..."we broke many records that were never published"...sheee! These are GREAT!...Thanks Kermit. How many great people of aviation have you interviewed? I wish you had them ALL...Moses

Thank you For posting This Video! It Brings Back Memories of my younger years with my Father at Oshkosh every year Listening to all my true hero's take about flying and why i Fly!!

Thank you so much Kermit, Paul in Orlando

Was down for Sun N Fun 2021 and stopped by your museum. Keep up the great work.

I saw him at his later "desk job" in Quality Assurance dept at Autonetics. I was 21 at the time, starting a 40 year NAA career, rubbed elbows with execs, astronauts and engineering heros on Saturn, Apollo, Orbiter, GPS, etc. programs.

What an amazing guy! Just so you know, everytime you watch the TV series "Star Trek: Discovery," you're watching part of Scott Crossfield's legacy. In Star Trek canon, the starship they're on (the USS Discovery) is a "Crossfield-class" starship, with the class of ship named after Scott Crossfield. The USS Crossfield (NCC-1028) was the class ship (first), followed by the USS Aurora, USS Glenn, and USS Discovery. I think he would get a kick out of the fact the starship named after John Glenn is one of HIS "class" of starships and not the other way around.

thank you Kermit for always asking the right questions!

Great pilot I can remember his emergency landing with the X15 and the fuselage broke and he walked away. In a way he was an Astronaut.

@dalecomer5951

3 жыл бұрын

Actualky, Scott was selected to be one of the first U.S. astronauts for Project MISS (Man In Soace Soonest) which was a direct predecessor of Project Mercury.

Would've loved to have met him. Thanks for posting, Kermit!

Excellent work as usual Kermit. What a Gentleman! So modest and straight talking! A true aviation hero. Thanks so much. Rich.

Reading Scotts autobiography started my addiction to read all autobiograhies of pilots and astronauts i could get my hands on. A few years later, I needed a second shelf for all those books. Thank you, Mr. Crossfield!

As humble a gentleman as I've ever had the pleasure to meet. Thank you for posting.

Fabulous interview Kermit, I was so sad as well as surprised over losing this great ant talented pilot, Scott you were one of the great ones ! RIP

Thank you Kermit.

Kermit, Briliant. Thank you for sharing, Such a pilot, Mach -2 , Stalling a B-29 ! What a story. In the 80's I too flew Mach 2 ,once, in Concorde, Cost me a Year's savings in the Oilfield but I was an airplane geek. Caracas - Barbados to refuel, then full afterburners to London. Not the same I know, but few of us enthusiasts have ever done Mach 2. Champagne and Truffles not served on Scott's or Chuck Yeager's missions. Thank you for sharing another Legend's story! Kermit, you are the man, open up your museum post Covid !

@eamo106

3 жыл бұрын

Highlighted again, humble to be recognized by Kermit again, but you are the man for many of us !

Thanks for Sharing this video 👍

Scottie was The Man!!

Hey, Kermit Just wanted to say Thank you for showing this Interview his story is so Nostalgic and we only have a very few if any people from this era and his kind of accomplishments around anymore and only have very few of these kinds of recordings and records available to the public there are newspapers but hearing it right from the person and the pilot of such a great accomplishment is something we need a lot more of so thank you again for this Video.. take care be safe and God bless

Kermit, Thanks for having the foresight to conduct this interview and for sharing it with the rest of the world 👌👌👌

Thanks for sharing this experience Kermit.

Great stuff, looking forward to part 2.

What a fantastic video and a fabulous man, they don't make them like him these days, thank you so much Kermit! 👏👏👏👌💯%

Thanks for sharing this excellent interview.

Excellent interview great idea to interview icons of aviation

Thanks for sharing :) Looking forward to part 2 Yf.....

Thank you.

WOW,WOW,AND WOW!!!!! THEY DONT MAKE GUYS LIKE THAT ANY MORE!!!!!!!!! GREAT PILOT!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Kermit. Audio Visual history straight from the person's mouth.

Priceless! So grateful to see this!

Thanks for sharing this history Kermit!

Whoa, had no idea you have a B-29! Very neato!

My Dad.❤️

Kermit you fkin rock! What a great interview

part 2? we need at least 27 more parts!

Cant wait for part 2,

wonderful thanks for the video

Extraordinaire !!!

Godspeed My Crossfield. He died weeks after this.

Great Vid , Kudos 👍😀

It sounds like Mr. Crossfield was too polite to say "The difference between a Military Test Pilot and a Civilian or Commercial Test pilot is that the Military Test Pilot has more balls than brains and the Civilian Test Pilot is more of an engineer and thinks about what he's doing".

@deeremeyer1749

3 жыл бұрын

So Scott Crossfield was only a "military test pilot" flying experimental Bell aircraft that "the military" only saw the "data" of from supersonic flight experiments "civilian" in nature? I don't think you have a clue and your lame ass attempt to put words in his "too polite" mouth is proof pf how little you know about the "X-planes" and their "military test pilpts".

Keep safe always boss

When you eventually restore this aircraft back to airworthy, you need to build a D-558-2 replica to sit with it. The two are meant to be shown together.

Mach 3 out of the house :)

on the wings of giants.

Kermit, any plans for Fertile Myrtle? Would love to see an airborne three plane squadron... 😉

neato, thanks!

The spin sequence is the NF-104 accident

Stalling a B-29...? That will turn your hair white.

Oh Mr Weeks can you not get this B29 back together for his sake. What a privilege that Fertile Mertile is so historic.

@deeremeyer1749

3 жыл бұрын

Crossfield died shortly after this interview 15 years ago so "for his sake" isn't much of a justification for "getting back together" yet another "famous" B-29 that would be nothing but a "tribute" since you couldn't possibly turn that "nosecone" back into a complete aircraft and it was "scrapped" for a reason. And as for its actual "fame" I will bet any amount of money you'd never heard of "Fertile Myrtle" before watching the few minutes at most of this video you watched before playing X-plane expert in the comment section.

Kermit, a straight question : What are your plans post Covid ? Changes ?

Could never understood why he flew is 210 into Thunderstorms at night although the NTSB blamed some on the controllers for not giving him good weather reports still why even try to fly a Cessna 210 though that kind of weather. I did notice the NTSB listed all the accomplishments in aviation in the report.

They did all this work without the benefit of the risk assessment people that would come along later and say no.

Okay I just stay connected

Mr Crossfield said "most military pilots go for broke", that's not the way C Yeager & Bob Hoover described Test Pilots... They did indeed "Go for broke" when the test cards called for it, but I sincerely doubt ANY military test pilots left their briefing room thinking "to heck with the tech cards!!!". I do remember that there was an awful lot of bad blood between the civilian test pilots and the military test pilots. The military pilots begrudged the civilian pilots for the dollars they were making per flight I believe ;-)

@pbyfr

3 жыл бұрын

I think that he means that the NACA at the time was very careful, and only incremented by small steps, when the military made bigger steps, at higher risks. Nasa changed afterwards to make leap steps for Apollo, with success. SpaceX is doing the same now, with more failures for the moment. Both methods are valid, but one will be more costly than the other. Unfortunately, nobody know which one is the best before trying. Of course, when it becomes too risky for the pilots, it is another thing.

Glory to US

He died about a month later

@stevemull2002

3 жыл бұрын

Shame. as he looked good, and came over on the interview, a real nice guy

@CCitis

3 жыл бұрын

Was it even a month? He died April 19... Sun N Fun is right around that time.

@CCitis

3 жыл бұрын

@@stevemull2002 He died flying an airplane!

@stevemull2002

3 жыл бұрын

@@CCitis shame, but i suppose better than sitting on the sofa watching crap on the TV

@CCitis

3 жыл бұрын

@@stevemull2002 I would agree with that

This man's blood can cure Alzheimer's. I can only hope....

@erikc.1087

3 жыл бұрын

I've got some of it, ask me in 60 years

Need to do a better job of ID'ing the airplane Scott is testing!

@nigelcopestake3618

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, the aircraft shown in a spin looked like a Starfighter?