The Knievel’s Skycycle X-2 is being exhibited in Topeka

The steam-powered rocket owned by Evel Knievel and flown during his Snake River Canyon jump in Idaho in 1974. The Skycycle X-2 was designed by Truax, and ridden by Knievel in his attempt to jump the Snake River approximately 1.6 km west of Shoshone Falls near the city of Twin Falls, Idaho, on September 8, 1974. The parachute deployed during the launch, causing the stunt to fail.

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

**X2 Skycycle / Image: atlasobscura.com/users/albino-trino**

Featured Image: In 1974, Evel Knievel attempted a three-quarter-mile jump across Idaho’s Snake River Canyon in a steam-powered rocket / Image: AP

Websites: evelknievelmuseum.com