Space History Photo: X-1-2 with Pilots Robert Champine, Herb Hoover

In this photo from the U.S. space agency, the Bell Aircraft Corporation X-1-2 and two of the NACA pilots that flew the aircraft shown together in September 1949. The one on the left is Robert Champine with the other being Herbert Hoover.

The X-1-2 was equipped with the 10-percent wing and 8 percent tail, powered with an XLR-11 rocket engine and aircraft made its first powered flight on December 9, 1946 with Chalmers "Slick" Goodlin at the controls. As with the X-1-1 the X-1-2 continued to investigate transonic/supersonic flight regime.

NACA pilot Herbert Hoover became the first civilian to fly Mach 1, March 10, 1948. X-1-2 flew until October 23, 1951, completing 74 glide and powered flights with nine different pilots, when it was retired to be rebuilt as the X-1E.

The National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) was a precursor to NASA. NACA was created by Congress in 1915.

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