The North American X-15 was the last in a line of manned rocket-powered research airplanes built during the 1950s to explore ever-faster and higher flight regimes. This was an era before computers were commonplace, and the only way to investigate the unknown was to go there. The program was launched in 1954 specifically to produce the first hypersonic (velocities greater than five times the speed of sound) manned aircraft. Forward-thinking researchers also decided to design the airplane to fly to the edge of space, long before the manned space program had begun in earnest.An in-depth history of the X-15 program may be found in Hypersonic: The Story of the North American X-15 by Dennis R. Jenkins and Tony R. Landis. This book is a collection of illustrations that were assembled for Hypersonic but would not fit into the finished work. Since many of these are significant and most have never before been published, it was decided to print this scrapbook as a companion volume to Hypersonic. With over 350 b/w and 50 color photos, this scrapbook provides an excellent visual look at a very exciting research program. Dimensions (width x height): 9 x 9 inches # of pages 108 # of color photographs: 400 b/w & color photos

9x9, 450 black & white, photos and 50 color photos The X-Planes conjure up images of Chuck Yeager first breaking the sound barrier in the X-1 or of the black, bullet-shaped X-15 streaking through the skies at over Mach 6. But there have been 48 more X-designations assigned, as well as a host of other experimental aircraft that did not fall into the formal X-series. Some of these investigated very low-speed flight, vertical take-off, or were technology demonstrators for production military aircraft. Others were missiles, or gliders. One was supposed to be a spacecraft.Tony R. Landis and Dennis R. Jenkins have assembled an outstanding collection of photographs documenting the X-Planes. These photographs come from government and company archives as well as personal and public collections. Hundreds of photos - some in color and many never-before-seen - detail the modern history of experimental flight.

Nineteen years before Space Shuttle, the small, black, rocket-powered, bullet-shaped X-15 showed it was possible to fly into - and out of - space. There had never been anything like the X-15; it had a million-horsepower engine and could fly twice as fast as a rifle bullet. The X-15 set records that stood for years. Specialty Press's bestseller, Hypersonic, has been re-released in a softbound format at a reduced price. This book is the most extensively researched history of the X-15 program yet published. The book was written with the cooperation of surviving X-15 pilots as well as many other program principals and is based on six years of research in Air Force, NASA, and North American archives. It covers the tasks of converting and testing the B-52 carrier airplanes, building the first full-pressure suits to protect the pilot, building the first engineering mission simulators, acquiring the remote lakebed landing sites, and building the radar range. It also covers the flight program in detail, including the most authoritative flight log ever assembled; in many instances, information in this log was derived from the original flight-data recordings. Also covered are each of the experiments that were flown aboard the X-15 late in its career when it became the workhorse of the space program, carrying such things as startrackers destined for the Apollo program and missile-detection systems that would later be sent into orbit on satellites.

1. A new science / 2. A hypersonic research airplane / 3. Conflict and innovation / 4. The million-horsepower engine / 5. High range and dry lakes / 6. Preparations / 7. The flight program / 8. The research program.

New York Times Bestseller Named one of the Best Gift Books of the Year by Entertainment Weekly, InStyle, House Beautiful, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Luxe Interiors + Design, People StyleWatch, Garden & Gun, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, New York Magazine, and more John Derian’s home goods empire reaches far and wide—in addition to the four John Derian stores he owns in New York and Massachussetts, his products are sold by more than 600 retailers worldwide, including Neiman Marcus, ABC, and Gump’s in the United States; Conran and Liberty in the UK; and Astier de Villatte in Paris. It all started with his now-iconic collectible plates decoupaged with 19th-century artwork sourced from old and rare books, a process that credited him with elevating the decoupage technique into fine art. Over the past 25 years, the brand has expanded greatly to include home and general design gifts and products. Now, for the first time ever, comes the book John Derian fans have been waiting for. Culled from the thousands of images that have appeared in his biannual collections, here is an astoundingly beautiful assortment of nearly 300 full-bleed images in their original form. From intensely colored flowers and birds to curious portraits, hand-drawn letters, and breathtaking landscapes, the best of John Derian is here. The result is an oversized object of desire, a work of art in and of itself, that brilliantly walks the line between commerce and art, and that is destined to become the gift book of the season.

As a contributing editor to Simple Scrapbooks magazine, Donna Downey redefines traditional scrapbooking and inspires others to open their eyes to dozens of unique possibilities for celebrating life with pictures and written words. She urges people to remember that scrapbooking is less about committing to a hobby and more about sharing the stories of everyday life in any creative medium. Presenting the best of her off the page albums, journals, and photo displays, this step-by-step guide has more than 65 ways to capture meaningful memories. Donna shares one-of-a-kind ways to use ordinary items, such as using a coin folder screen to display mini photos from a family trip, and a muffin tin to show photos of her daughter baking cookies. Most projects can be finished in an afternoon or so, and they invite frequent browsing. They can be displayed in the home or given to family and friends. Either way, people are sure to say, Wow! Is this a scrapbook?

A dazzling pop-up book full of amazing facts about our moon, certain to illuminate the entire family! You see it almost every night, but how much do you really know about the moon? In this incredible pop-up book, discover where the moon came from, why it appears to change shape, how it affects our oceans, and what a blood moon is. Shoot into space with the Saturn V rocket and travel back in time to join the first astronauts to set foot on the moon. Four breathtaking pop-ups reveal the inner workings of the solar system, demonstrate how eclipses occur, and more. Intricate illustrations and fact-filled pages bridge the 238,000-mile distance between us and the moon, making this the perfect gift for young stargazers. Budding astronomers and anyone curious about the night sky will find that the moon’s secrets are just “one small step” away!

Record your school memories in this guided keepsake journal every year from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Chronicle every year of your journey through school—from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Each section of this guided journal includes prompts for recording your favorite memories of each school year, what you learned, and the things you are looking forward to doing. This keepsake also includes a removable and reusable “First day of school” milestone card, a dry-erase pen, and a die-cut cover to which you can insert photos from each school year.

It’s the next phase in the scrapbooking craze! And this creative resource is the first of its kind—the first to focus on the use of computer hardware and software to unlock an exciting range of creative possibilities. Crafters will explore the many ways digital elements can add pizzazz to their scrapbooks: they’ll learn to manipulate pictures with photo/image editing software, use scanners to create themed background papers, and draw on clip art for decorative accents. Going even further into the brave new world, there’s information on creating all-digital pages, putting together a slideshow on computer, and pooling various techniques to stage a “digital family reunion.”

Chuck Yeager introduces this totally revised and updated version of the complete history of the X-Planes. Each aircraft is described with coverage of history, specs, propulsion systems and disposition. Rare cockpit illustrations of every manned X-Plane are included.