Frank Kendall “Pete” Everest Signed Photograph.

EVEREST, Jr..

$550.00

Item Number: 49057

Signed photograph of Frank Kendall Everest, Jr. Inscribed on the photograph, “To my good friend Stu McLennan from– Frank K. ‘Pete’ Everest Jr.  Lt. Col. USAF,” showing the Bell X-2 rocket-powered aircraft. The photograph measures 7.5 inches by 10 inches.

Brigadier General Frank Kendall "Pete" Everest, Jr. was a United States Air Force officer who is best remembered as an aeroengineer and test pilot during the 1950s. In September 1951 he was transferred to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and became the chief Air Force test pilot as head of the Flight Test Operations Division. During his stay at Edwards, General Everest tested the X-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; XF-92 and YB-52. He also took part in test programs for the F-88, 100, 101, 102, 104 and 105; the B-52, B-57 and 66 aircraft. On October 29, 1953, he established a world speed record of 755.149 mph in a F-100A. General Everest test-flew the Bell X-1B to a speed of Mach 2.3 (2.3 times the speed of sound) in December 1954, making him the second fastest man in the world, Later flights in the Bell X-2 rocket plane established him as "the fastest man alive" when he attained a new unofficial speed record of 1,957 mph or Mach 2.9.