Aviator "Kit" Murray dead at 93

[seamusTX]

Arthur Warren “Kit” Murray who was one of the most accomplished test pilots of the post-WW II period died in West, Texas (Bosque County), in July. He was 93.

Murray was born in 1918 and joined the army as a cavalry soldier in 1939. During WW II he bacame an aviator and saw combat in Africa. After the war he transferred to the newly formed Air Force and became a test pilot. He was on the cutting edge of jet aircraft development until 1971.

In 1954 he flew the secret experimental Bell X-1A plane to over 90,000 feet, a record altitude, making him the first human being to see the curvature of the earth. His accomplishment was kept secret at the time.

Later he managed the X-15 program.

He had an active retirement in West.

http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/US_J ... ml?ref=278" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_W._Murray" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim