A total of three D-558-1s were constructed, with the first flight in the spring of 1947 at Muroc Army Air Field (Edwards Air Force Base) by Douglas test pilot Eugene F. May. Powered by a single Allison J-35-A-11 turbojet, a new world speed record was established on Aug. 20, 1947 of 640.743 mph (miles per hour) average speed by the first D-558-1 flown by USN Commander Turner Caldwell at an altitude of 75 ft [note: NASA gives 640.663 mph, while the Navy museum gives 640.743 mph]. That record was soon shattered five days later when an average speed of 650.6 mph was reached in the second D-558-1 flown by Marine Lt. Colonel Marion Carl at times at only 25 ft in altitude.
Records claimed by the Germans during the war years flying the Me 163 Komet were achieved in secrecy, without official observers and not under strict regulated conditions using timed runs, so the Komet was not officially recognized as holding the official air speed record.
