Stanley was promoted to engineering vice president at Bell Aircraft and oversaw the design of the world’s first supersonic aircraft, the Bell X-1 and X-2. Stanley also developed the idea of launching an aircraft from another aircraft at high altitude. This procedure was used for the launch of the Bell X-1 and X-2 by being dropped from a Boeing B-29 Superfortress at 29,000 ft. Stanley hired and mentored many Bell test pilots, including Tex Johnston and Jack Woolams. (USAF Image)