The Navy owned up last week to having an airplane, the Douglas D558-II Skyrocket, that has flown faster than sound "many times." Like the Air Force's pioneering XI, the Navy's Skyrocket is a rocket plane. But the X-I is intended to be dropped at high altitude from a B29, while the Skyrocket takes off under its own power. Inside its slim body is a powerful turbojet engine as well as the rocket motor. The turbojet is used first (with rocket assist at takeoff), to get the plane to high altitude. Then the rocket motor...
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