Auction Name: 2025 December 11 - 12 Space Exploration Signature® Auction

Lot Number: 50015

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/6326*50015

X-15: Sperry Gyroscope "Inertial Climb Indicator", Original Flight Instrument from the X-15 Program. An exceedingly rare Inertial Climb Indicator manufactured by Sperry Gyroscope Company, Division of Sperry Rand Corporation, for use in the North American X-15 rocket research aircraft program. Measuring an overall 3.25" x 3.25"x 2.5", with an attached data plate that states: "Inertial Climb Ind. / Component of System Flight Data, All Attitude / Exhibit No. WCLCI-1-38 / Part No. 486000 / Order No. AF33(600)-35397 / Sperry Gyroscope Co., U.S. Div. of Sperry Rand Corp." This unit is an exact match to the "Inertial Climb" gauge mounted on the X-15's flight panel, positioned below the companion instruments Inertial Speed and Inertial Height, all part of the aircraft's sophisticated Inertial Flight Data System (IFDS) designed and built by Sperry. The X-15 program (1959-1968) represented the pinnacle of mid-century flight research, achieving record altitudes of 354,200 feet and speeds exceeding Mach 6.7, paving the way for Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spacecraft. Only three X-15 aircraft were built, and their instrumentation was produced in extremely limited numbers. Age related wear, overall fine.

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