http://forgetomori.com/2008/skepticism/top-secret-jet-flying-gorillas/ Extraordinary claims. Ordinary investigations. Thu, 17 May 2012 09:46:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://forgetomori.com/2008/skepticism/top-secret-jet-flying-gorillas/comment-page-1/#comment-1318 Craig York Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:21:21 +0000 http://forgetomori.com/2008/skepticism/top-secret-jet-flying-gorillas/#comment-1318 I've known a little about the XP-59 for many years now, and only very recently heard this story about the test flights. I won't say its impossible, but I do think its unlikely for a couple of reasons. First, this was a new type of aircraft, and while it was of conventional configuration, it still represented a very new and unfamiliar set of flight parameters. I find it hard to believe any test pilot would risk not only his job, but probably his career with such a stunt. Even though the Aira Comet was a very stable aircraft, flying it with what would have amounted to a hood over the head would have been very foolhardy. Second is the time frame. This was wartime, and the program was very very secret. THe notion of pilots bragging about it, even to fellow pilots, seems hard to credit. A third problem with the story occurs to me: the story omits the fact that most pilots, then and now, would have familiar with propellerless aircraft-they're called gliders. I’ve known a little about the XP-59 for many years now, and
only very recently heard this story about the test flights. I
won’t say its impossible, but I do think its unlikely for a
couple of reasons. First, this was
a new type of aircraft, and while it was of
conventional configuration, it still represented a very
new and unfamiliar set of flight parameters. I find it hard
to believe any test pilot would risk not only his job, but
probably his career with such a stunt. Even though the Aira
Comet was a very stable aircraft, flying it with what would
have amounted to a hood over the head would have been very
foolhardy. Second is the time frame. This was wartime, and
the program was very very secret. THe notion of pilots
bragging about it, even to fellow pilots, seems hard to
credit.
A third problem with the story occurs to me: the story
omits the fact that most pilots, then and now, would have
familiar with propellerless aircraft-they’re called gliders.

]]> http://forgetomori.com/2008/skepticism/top-secret-jet-flying-gorillas/comment-page-1/#comment-1307 UFOMystic » Uncle Sam’s Gorilla Pilot Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:33:41 +0000 http://forgetomori.com/2008/skepticism/top-secret-jet-flying-gorillas/#comment-1307 [...] came across this great post over at the wonderful forgetomori site about Edwards AFB (then called Muroc Army Airfield) in the [...] [...] came across this great post over at the wonderful forgetomori site about Edwards AFB (then called Muroc Army Airfield) in the [...]

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