It was on this date that Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier for the first time. I have read his biography and he is one gutsy son of a gun.
General Chuck Yeager | The Official Website
General Chuck Yeager | The Official Website
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67 Years Ago Today, The Right Stuff
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Well, officially, that is. 
Unofficially, maybe not so much.
Unofficially, maybe not so much.
Mind explaining?Well, officially, that is.
Unofficially, maybe not so much.
10mmauto
Member
+1 on the explanation.
LVSteve
Member
It is alleged that the F-86 broke the barrier in a dive during its first test flight 1 October 1947. Do we really believe the pilot maxed a brand new type first time out? Back then, who knows.
North American F-86 Sabre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
North American F-86 Sabre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
As the story goes, the Air Force was well aware that the XP-86 was capable of supersonic flight, although in a dive. The North American Aviation test pilots at Muroc Field were ordered not to take it supersonic.
George Welch may (or may not) have done just that prior to Yeager's flight. The double-booms that are characteristic of supersonic flight may (or may not) have been clearly audible at the Happy Bottom Riding Club when Welch made his flight.
So the story goes.
George Welch may (or may not) have done just that prior to Yeager's flight. The double-booms that are characteristic of supersonic flight may (or may not) have been clearly audible at the Happy Bottom Riding Club when Welch made his flight.
So the story goes.
Comrad
Member
I think the distinction is that Yeager broke it in powered level flight.
In any case, Chuck Yaeger is my hero. When a guy goes up in a plane to intentionally push it to its physical limits, then he is either insane or a hero or maybe a bit of both. As mentioned earlier, it takes guts!
Comrad
Member
A big pair of guts.
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I seen Chuck Yeager a few times. He wrote about something that really is fun to picture. In his early training days he took a plane to his home town and was showing off stunting. He did a loop too close to the ground, knew well the local deep gravel pit, adjusted his pull out in that direction, actually disappeared from ground level view and flew up out of the gravel pit!! That`s one I wish I had seen.
