Breaking The Sound Barrier (1947)

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] cracking the sound barrier in the X1 marked another milestone in aviation history the time October 14th 1947 the place Air Force flight test center at mura California the pilot Captain Chuck joerger Captain joer was selected to test the top performance of this rocket propelled research vehicle he found it to be a sleek and sturdy aircraft designed by Bell to fly faster than the speed of sound the X1 holds 5,20 lb of fuel nearly 1/ half of its total weight when launched the delicate process of fueling takes 1 [Music] hour the rocket engine propellant is made up of liquid oxygen and water alcohol the latter being pressurized by gaseous nitrogen great caution must be exercised during the fueling operation since the fuel system in the X1 has an explosive of potential equal to that of its own weight in TNT in the rocket blast Sonic beads can be seen during this test firing of the engine a special electrical igniter is used in the combustion Chambers to fire the Rockets with all four rocket tubes firing the X1 will produce a Thrust of 6,000 lb the engine occupies a space 19 in in diameter by 56 in long and weighs but 210 lb a special pit has been constructed into which the X1 is lowered for loading into the b29 mothership this bomber has been specially modified for aerial launchings of the X1 due to close clearances the loading procedure takes a considerable amount of time the X1 is suspended by fabric straps with cable holders after many months of planning testing and preparation the X1 becomes Airborne on its first attempt to exceed the speed of [Music] sound a climb must be made to 30,000 ft to reach drop altitude while the b29 with the X1 ascends to altitude radar goes to work tracking the mission the aircraft's flight data will be telemetered to the ground crew throughout the flight the b29 has now reached drop altitude the time for release is Drawing Near for high altitude flight Captain Jager wears an emergency pressure suit as he enters the cockpit of the X1 a manually operated elevator provide safe access for the pilot before the [Music] drop with a checkout of the launching procedure completed between Captain joerger and the crew of the b29 synchronized timing begins 5 4 3 2 one [Music] drop scores of people connected with the X1 flight program have expected the aircraft to surpass the speed of sound and maybe this is it with all four Rockets firing joerger climbs to 56,000 ft in less than 2 [Music] [Applause] [Laughter] [Applause] minutes and he does it the first human to crack the sound [Music] barrier now with propellent exhausted Jagger reduces his speed and altitude to come in for a dead stick landing at 160 m [Applause] power at this hot landing speed the X1 rolls for more than 2 and 1/2 miles and one of the Air Force's best known flight test pilots has just set the pace for further research in Upper air investigation this flight marks the first milestone in the supersonic chapter in the history of Aviation and you were there [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]