NASA M2-F1

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Operational history

A NASA C-47 was used for all of the aero tows. The first was on August 16, 1963. The M2-F1 had recently been equipped with an ejection seat, small rockets in the tail to extend the landing flare for about 5 seconds (if needed), and Thompson prepared for the flight with a few more tows behind the Pontiac.

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Forward visibility in the M2-F1 was very limited on tow, requiring Thompson to fly about 20 feet higher than the C-47 so he could see the plane through the nose window. Towing speed was about 100 miles per hour (160 km/h).

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The C-47 took the craft to an altitude of 12,000 ft (3,660 m) where free flights back to Rogers Dry Lake began. Pilot for the first series of flights of the M2-F1 was NASA research pilot Milt Thompson. Typical glide flights with the M2-F1 lasted about two minutes and reached speeds of 110 to 120 mph.

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Tow release was at 12,000 feet. The lifting body descended at an average rate of about 3,600 feet-per-minute (1,100 m/min). At 1,000 feet (305 m) above the ground, the nose was lowered to increase speed to about 150 mph (240 km/h), flare was at 200 feet (60 m) from a 20 degree dive. The landing was smooth, and the lifting body program was on its way.

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The M2-F1 was flown until August 16, 1966. It proved the lifting body concept and lead the way for subsequent, metal "heavyweight" designs. Chuck Yeager, Bruce Peterson and Don Mallick also flew the M2-F1.

Related Topics:
August 16 - 1966 - Chuck Yeager - Bruce Peterson - Don Mallick

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More than 400 ground tows and 77 aircraft tow flights were carried out with the M2-F1. The success of Dryden's M2-F1 program led to NASA's development and construction of two heavyweight lifting bodies based on studies at NASA's Ames and Langley research centers--the Northrop M2-F2 and the Northrop HL-10, both built by the Northrop Corporation, and the U.S. Air Force's X-24 program. The lifting body program also heavily influenced the Space Shuttle program.

Related Topics:
Northrop M2-F2 - Northrop HL-10 - X-24 - Lifting body - Space Shuttle

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The M2-F1 program demonstrated the feasibility of the lifting-body concept for horizontal landings of atmospheric entry vehicles. It also demonstrated a procurement and management concept for prototype flight research vehicles that produced rapid results at very low cost (approximately $US 50,000, excluding salaries of government employees assigned to the project).

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• M2F1 Pilots
• Milton O. Thompson - 45 flights
• Bruce Peterson - 17 flights
• Chuck Yeager - 5 flights
• Donald M. Sorlie - 5 flights
• Donald L. Mallick - 2 flights
• Jerauld R. Gentry - 2 flights
• William H. Dana - 1 flight
• James W. Wood - 1 ground tow
• Fred Haise - 1 ground tow
• Joe Engle - 1 ground tow
• Most of text taken from NASA Dryden webpage.

Aircraft serial number

• NASA M2-F1 - N86652, 77 flights, 400 ground tows