Oct 1, 2019
October 1971, NACA & NASA test pilot John McKay retired from high-speed flighttest activities. A former Navy pilot, as a civilian research pilot/aeronautical engineer, McKay made 30 flights in X-15s from October 28, 1960, until September 8, 1966. His peak altitude was 295,600 feet, and his highest speed was Mach 5.6 (3863 mph or 6216 Km/hr). McKay is seen next to a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter jet wearing an Accutron Astronaut tuning fork wrist watch. This microsonic “hummer” wristwatch was introduced by Max Hetzel of Bulova and issued to the Mercury 7 astronauts, USAF & NASA test pilots. The Accutron Astronaut was also adopted by CIA pilots flying the A12 reconnaissance aircraft. (Photo: NASA)