Balls 8
| Balls 8 | |
|---|---|
| A NASA TF-104G (below) flies chase on the NB-52B Balls 8 (above) on 14 September 1979. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress |
| Manufacturer | Boeing Aircraft Company |
| Status | Retired |
| Owners | United States Air Force NASA |
| Serial | 52-008 |
| History | |
| First flight | 11 June 1955 |
| Preserved at | Edwards Air Force Base, California |
Balls 8 is a NASA Boeing NB-52B mothership which was retired in 2004 after almost 50 years of flying service with NASA. The aircraft is famous for dropping the X-15 aerospace research vehicle on 106 of the 199 X-15 program flights.