26. D-558-1 Skystreak 651mph
Photo: cirrusimage
The Douglas Aircraft company designed the D-558-1 back in 1940’s as a single seater, single engine, research aircraft. It was a joint effort with the Bureau of Aeronautics department of the United States Navy along with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. This was the beginning of a program that would eventually add in rocket propulsion to almost double the top speed of the D-558-1 which was around 651mph.