The Fastest Aircraft in the World Is the X-15, and It’s Literally a Rocket

Many people think of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird as the fastest airplane in the world. Up to a point, they are right. However, the real record holder is a relatively unknown model called the North American X-15. Remember the X-1 with which Chuck Yeager reached Mach 1? Well, this is just like that but six times better. The X-15 is the fastest manned aircraft, having reached a speed of Mach 6.7 or about 7,200 kilometers per hour, which it …