Author Topic: Bell X-1 (Read 821 times)

Jackal1 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 28, 2005, 09:57:24 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by storch
The F86 did indeed break the "sound barrier" in a mild dive a few days prior to the Bell X-1's historic flight. I believe (IIRC) that the issue was one of documentation or a lack thereof. The pilot was warned never to do it again and like many of us here he went on to break rules #4, 5 and 6 the very next day.

ROFL
One for the books.

Yeager · « **Reply #16 on:** August 28, 2005, 10:10:28 PM »

You got to be able to prove a thing before you claim credit for doing it.

midnight Target · « **Reply #17 on:** August 29, 2005, 07:59:44 AM »

Wasn't the F-86 pilot Welch? The same guy who shot down 4 or more japanese planes on Dec. 7th 1941?

(too lazy to google)

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 29, 2005, 08:56:44 AM »

Do you mean Ben Afleck?

midnight Target · « **Reply #19 on:** August 29, 2005, 09:10:15 AM »

hehe

Quote

In the spring of 1944, Welch was approached by North American Aviation to become a test pilot for the P-51 Mustang. Resigning his commission from the army, Welch accepted. He went on to fly the prototypes of the FJ Fury, and when the F-86 Sabre was proposed, Welch was chosen as the chief test pilot. The project gained momentum and was moved to Edwards AFB, California, the same base at which the Bell X-1 was being developed. North American was instructed that they were not, under any circumstances, to break the sound barrier before the X-1 achieved this milestone. However, Welch disregarded this order, and during a test flight on October 1, 1947 he entered a steep dive from 35,000 ft. During the dive, Welch observed symptoms compatible with Mach jump, and a sonic boom was heard at the base. However, due to problems with the landing gear, further full-speed flights were delayed. On October 14, the same day that Yeager was to attempt supersonic flight, Welch performed a second supersonic dive. This time he started from 37,000 ft, and executed a full-power 4g pullout, greatly increasing the power of his sonic boom. Yeager broke the sound barrier approximately 30 minutes later.

http://www.answers.com/topic/george-welch

Hangtime · « **Reply #20 on:** August 29, 2005, 09:30:26 AM »

The guy was one heluva a pilot!

to his memory!

Yeager · « **Reply #21 on:** August 29, 2005, 01:23:28 PM »

Need scientific data. Need the telemetry....need the proof. A boom sound in the sky indicates nothing exept a boom sound in the sky.

Yeager was the first to be able to prove it. Thats a fact, jack!

Welch was a cool dude though

Skuzzy · « **Reply #22 on:** August 29, 2005, 01:44:11 PM »

Well, since the documentation of Welch's flights was confiscated by the government I guess we should continue to ignore the accomplishment.

I am glad the Smithsonian opted to put it out in the open though. Welch deserves some recognition for what he did. And the government deserves to be exposed for what it did.

Yeager · « **Reply #23 on:** August 29, 2005, 02:01:23 PM »

conspiracy?

sources?

Skuzzy · « **Reply #24 on:** August 29, 2005, 02:32:02 PM »

Source, the Smithsonian. I do not know if you could classify it a conspiracy. More of a cover-up.

According to the documentation at the Smithsonian, the government feared the public repercussions of the Sabre breaking the sound barrier, as the public was told the money needed for the X-1 project was all about the race to break the sound barrier.

Go to the Smithsonian, read all about it. A subtext of the docs was printed in Air & Space as well. How can you guys be plane fanatics and not get Air & Space?