Pioneer Astronaut. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he was a natural pilot, soloing on his 16th birthday, and went on to be America's first spaceman. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force in 1949, during the Korean War he flew a F-86E Sabre Jet and was a double ace. After the war, he was promoted Captain and became a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base, California. In the early 1950s, at Edwards he test flew the new fighters McDonnell F-101, Convair F-102, Lockheed F-104 and Republic F-105. He became part of the new research Bell X-2 plane project in May 1956, with the goal to reach an altitude of 100,000 feet or higher. On September 7, 1956, Kincheloe piloting the Bell X-2 reached the top of its curve at 126,500 feet, above the earth's atmosphere, and was the first man in space. He was selected to be pilot of the more powerful rocket plane, the X-15, but lost his life when his F-104 crashed on takeoff at Edwards Air Base on July 26, 1958.
Pioneer Astronaut. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he was a natural pilot, soloing on his 16th birthday, and went on to be America's first spaceman. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force in 1949, during the Korean War he flew a F-86E Sabre Jet and was a double ace. After the war, he was promoted Captain and became a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base, California. In the early 1950s, at Edwards he test flew the new fighters McDonnell F-101, Convair F-102, Lockheed F-104 and Republic F-105. He became part of the new research Bell X-2 plane project in May 1956, with the goal to reach an altitude of 100,000 feet or higher. On September 7, 1956, Kincheloe piloting the Bell X-2 reached the top of its curve at 126,500 feet, above the earth's atmosphere, and was the first man in space. He was selected to be pilot of the more powerful rocket plane, the X-15, but lost his life when his F-104 crashed on takeoff at Edwards Air Base on July 26, 1958.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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