03.11.08
1940s - at Dryden Flight Research Center
Sept. 30, 1946 - Five NACA engineers, headed by Walt Williams, arrived at Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards AFB) about this date from Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, VA, to prepare for
X-1 supersonic research flights in joint NACA-Army Air Forces program. First NACA-NASA presence is established at the Mojave Desert site. (Note: Some sources report the arrival of thirteen individuals on Sept. 30, but an early chronology shows only the original 5, with a total of 13 NACA people not present at Muroc until December.)
Dec. 9, 1946 - The first successful rocket-powered flight of the
X-1 (then designated XS-1), flown by Bell pilot Chalmers Goodlin.
Aug. 20, 1947 -
D-558-1 established world speed record of 640.7 miles per hour.
Sept. 7, 1947 - NACA Muroc Flight Test Unit received permanent status from Hugh L. Dryden, NACA's Director of Research. Now numbered 27 people with Walt Williams as Head.
Oct. 14, 1947 -
XS-1 exceeded the speed of sound in history's first supersonic flight.
Nov. 25, 1947 - Howard C. Lilly was first NACA pilot to fly jet-powered
D-558-1 Skystreak.
Mar. 10, 1948 - Herb Hoover was the first NACA pilot and first civilian to fly supersonically in the
X-1 .
Nov. 14, 1949 - NACA's Muroc unit, with about 100 people, designated NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station (HSFRS).
Walt Williams was named Chief of the Station.
