Back Skycycle X-2 Tajik

Skycycle X-2

Skycycle X-2
Rocket with front end tilted upwards and a flight suit in front of it
Evel Knievel's X-2-2 Skycycle on display
at the Harley-Davidson Museum in 2010
Role Stunt aircraft
Manufacturer Robert Truax
Designer Douglas Malewicki
First flight August 25, 1974
Retired September 8, 1974
Primary user Evel Knievel
Produced 1974
Number built 3

The Skycycle X-2 was a steam-powered rocket owned by Evel Knievel and flown during his Snake River Canyon jump in Idaho in 1974.

An earlier prototype was designed, named the Skycycle X-1, by Doug Malewicki and retired U.S. Navy engineer Robert Truax. It was tested in November 1973 and dove in the Snake River.[1]

The Skycycle X-2 was designed by Truax,[2] and ridden by Knievel in his attempt to jump the Snake River approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Shoshone Falls near the city of Twin Falls, Idaho, on September 8, 1974.[3][4][5][6][7][8] The parachute deployed during the launch, causing the stunt to fail.[9]

A later analysis showed that a design flaw in a mechanical parachute retention cover that did not properly take base drag into account caused the premature parachute deployment. Following the failed jump, Truax and Knievel blamed each other for the failure. Later, Truax accepted full responsibility for the failure.[10][11]

  1. ^ Levin, Dan (November 19, 1973). "High-jumping to a conclusion". Sports Illustrated. p. 40.
  2. ^ Jones, Robert F. (September 2, 1974). "Make it or break it". Sports Illustrated. p. 52.
  3. ^ "Jump fails, but Knievel uninjured". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. (New York Times). September 9, 1974. p. 1.
  4. ^ Jones, Robert F. (September 16, 1974). "'We shoulda run one more test'". Sports Illustrated. p. 26.
  5. ^ Sellard, Dan (September 9, 1974). "Evel Knievel's leap at canyon ends in draw". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. p. 1B.
  6. ^ Miller, Hack (September 9, 1974). "Evel puzzle: what popped chute?". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 1C.
  7. ^ "Evel fails in mission...but survives". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. Associated Press. September 9, 1974. p. 1C.
  8. ^ "Twin Falls marks Knievel anniversary". Lewiston Sun Journal. Maine. Associated Press. September 10, 1984. p. 17.
  9. ^ Evel Knievel's X-1 Skycycle, rocket powered CANYON JUMPING motorcycle!
  10. ^ "Knievel rescued after failure". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. September 9, 1974. p. 1, part 1.
  11. ^ "Metal fatigue blamed". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. Associated Press. September 9, 1974. p. 1.

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