In this historic photo from the U.S. space agency, the Bell Aircraft Corporation's X-1-2 sits on the ramp in January of 1949, at NACA's High- Speed Flight Research Station with the Boeing B-29 launch ship behind.
The B-29 was fondly referred to as "Fertile Myrtle." The painting near the nose depicts a stork carrying a bundle which is symbolic of the Mothership launching her babe (X-1-2). The pilot access door is open to the cockpit of the X-1-2 aircraft.
The National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) was a precursor to NASA. NACA was created by Congress in 1915.
Each weekday, SPACE.com looks back at the history of spaceflight through photos (archive).
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