The X-1D aircraft 48-1386 completed one flight and was destroyed following an aborted second launch attempt in 1951. On July 24, Bell pilot Jean Ziegler made a familiarization glide flight, during which the nose gear broke on landing. On August 22, with United States Air Force (USAF) pilot Frank Everest aboard, the launch was aborted and a small explosion occurred during propellant jettison; Everest evacuated to the B-50, and the X-1D was jettisoned and destroyed.
X-1D pilots
Pilot Agency Flights Aircraft Jean Ziegler Bell 1 48-1386 Frank Everest USAF 1 48-1386
X-1D flights VehicleFlight # Date Pilot Aircraft Agency Velocity-Mach- Altitude- m - Comments X-1D #1 July 24, 1951 Jean Ziegler 48-1386 Bell 1 ? ? Pilot familiarization. Glide flight. Nose gear broken on landing. X-1D #2 August 22, 1951 Frank Everest 48-1386 USAF 1 ? ? Launch aborted. Small explosion during propellant jettison process. Pilot evacuated to B-50. X-1D jettisoned and destroyed.
See also Bell X-1