⏰ when
When Was the First Supersonic Flight?
aviationhistory
Quick Answer
Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier on 14 October 1947 in the Bell X-1.
The Full Story
On 14 October 1947, US Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager flew the rocket-powered Bell X-1 aircraft past Mach 1 over the Mojave Desert, reaching about Mach 1.06 (roughly 1,127 km/h) at 13,700 metres altitude. The flight was kept classified for several months. Yeager named the aircraft "Glamorous Glennis" after his wife. The achievement opened the door to faster-than-sound aviation, eventually leading to the Concorde supersonic airliner, which entered service in 1976.
Key Facts
1.Yeager had broken two ribs in a horse-riding accident days before the flight but did not report it.
2.The Bell X-1 was air-launched from a modified B-29 bomber.
3.The sound barrier was once considered an insurmountable wall by some engineers.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Breaking the Sound Barrier — Chuck Yeager's Historic Flight"