On 14 November 1992 Peter Merlin, Tony Moore, and Eric LeVeque set out to find the X-2 crash site. They started their search in the remote desert country east of Edwards Air Force Base. The only information available to them consisted of an approximate geographic area and a tightly cropped picture in a book called The X-Planes, by Jay Miller.

Once in the general area, they observed that the terrain did indeed look like that in the photo. Merlin parked his Jeep on a flat, open area and the group commenced a search of the surrounding terrain.

As the hours dragged by, the intrepid searchers had nothing to show for their efforts but a few World War II era .50 caliber projectile casings. Eric eventually decided to take a break while Pete and Tony continued to trudge through the desert scrub.

Pete and Tony conferred over the single photo of the crash site. It showed the tail section of the X-2 sitting in the sand with its engines pointed toward the sky. In the background, there were distant mountains nearly lost in the haze. It wasn't much to work with, but it would have to suffice. Again, Pete and Tony separated to search another section of desert.

As Pete moved farther from the Jeep he studied a copy of the crash scene photo. Things were lining up. The terrain was beginning to match the photo. A little bit further on, it was just about perfect. Suddenly Pete spotted a flat, circular piece of metal on the ground. It was approximately five inches in diameter, with four countersunk drilled holes. There was a larger hole in the center and some white paint on the outer surface. This had to be it! They had found the site.

Pete looked around and saw that he was standing in the middle of a debris field. Parts littered the ground in all directions. He called to Tony who quickly joined him. Together they collected a variety of pieces. Several had white paint identical to that on the exterior of the X-2. A few were part of electrical components. Others were pieces of internal structure. Soon they ceased their efforts and returned to the Jeep to get Eric.

He was napping in the front seat, but he heard the approaching footsteps of his friends. Without opening his eyes Eric asked laconically: "Didn't find anything, huh?"

"Just this," said Pete, holding up a handful of parts. Eric's eyes opened wide and he stared in amazement. "Dang!" was his only response.

The team returned to the impact site and began to search for identifiable pieces. They discovered a variety of interesting items, some with Bell Aircraft Company inspection stamps and X-2 (Bell Model 52) part numbers. There were plenty of pieces of external skin with white paint and many interesting internal components. One object, buried beneath a bush, proved to be a shock mount that still contained red hydraulic fluid.

Eventually, Pete obtained a copy of the accident report and a variety of X-2 technical documents. These were very useful in identifying some of the debris from the crash site. In fact, Pete's first find (the circular metal plate) actually appeared in one of the photos of the wreckage. The airplane had broken into three major pieces, one of which was the center fuselage and wings. In the photo, the circular plate lay on the ground just behind the airplane's right wing. That was the exact part of the debris field where Pete found it 36 years later!

X-2 FUSELAGE FAIRING THE FUSELAGE FAIRING SHOWN IN THE RIGHT HAND PHOTO STILL HAS HEAT DAMAGED TRACES OF THE X-2's DISTINCTIVE WHITE PAINT AND CAN ACTUALLY BE SEEN LYING NEXT TO THE WRECKAGE IN THE 1956 ACCIDENT SITE PHOTO ABOVE (CIRCLED)

X-2 NITROGEN TANK DRAIN VALVE ACTUATOR THIS ELECTO-MAGNETIC ACCUATOR SHOWS AN INSPECTION STAMP DATED APRIL 20, 1954

X-2 HYD. DAMPER AND LINKAGE THIS SMALL HYDRAULIC SHOCK ABSORBER AND ASSOCIATED LINKAGE WAS POSSIBLY PART OF A NOSE WHEEL STEERING DAMPER SYSTEM. THE VIAL IN FOREGROUND HOLDS HYDRAULIC FLUID DRAINED FROM THE SHOCK

X-2 PART NUMBER THIS SMALL CAST METAL PART SHOWS A MANUFACTURERS PART NUMBER (52-721-009-1) USED TO HELP IDENTIFY THE X-2's WRECKAGE. THE TWO DIGIT PREFIX REPRESENTED THE X-2's BELL AIRCRAFT MODEL NUMBER WHICH WAS "52"

X-2 FUSELAGE FRAGMENTS THESE FUSELAGE FRAGMENTS BEAR THE DISTINCTIVE WHITE PAINT OF BELL'S TRIPLE SONIC X-2 ROCKET PLANE. THE PIECES ARE MOST LIKELY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRCRAFTS MAIN FUSELAGE AND SEVERAL SHOW IMPACT DAMAGE ON THEM. THE PIECE IN THE UPPER CENTER WAS FOLDED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BEING TORN AWAY

X-2 ELECTRONIC FRAGMENTS SHOWN ABOVE, FRAGMENTS OF VARIOUS AIRCRAFT ELECTRONICS AND TEST INSTRUMENTATION. MOST OF THESE PIECES CAME FROM THE X-2's INSTRUMMENTATION BAY THAT WAS LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE COCKPIT

X-2 MISC. PARTS 1. TIMING MOTOR 2. SCHRADER VALVE 3. INSTRUMENTATION TIMING CHAIN 4. VARIOUS AIRCRAFT FITTINGS 5. LARGE PIPE CLAMP 6. AIRCRAFT STRUCURAL FRAGMENTS 7. INSTRUMENTATION GEARING 8. AIRCRAFT CHECK VALVE FITTING

X-2 TUBING AND MISC. PARTS 1. AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL FRAGMENTS 2. STAINLESS STEEL VENT SCREEN 3. CABLE GUIDE 4. CABLE FRAGMENT AND LINKAGE 5. SMALL PNEUMATIC ACCUMULATOR 6. AIRCRAFT PART WITH CO-AXIAL CABLE ATTACHED 7. TUBULAR CABLE GUIDE WITH THE CABLE SHEARED OFF INSIDE 8. AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE WITH WHITE PAINT 9. SMALL AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE PART