Bell X-1

As the Cold War dawned in the 1940s, no one knew if it was possible to break the sound barrier in controlled flight. But with jet age rivalry intensifying, a race began to be the first to overcome the dangerous "transonic" speeds just below Mach 1. In 1946, British pilot Geoffrey de Havilland was killed in his experimental DH 108 jet at Mach 0.9. The United States' answer was the rocket-powered Bell X-1. With a fuselage modeled on a ,50-caliber bullet, a shape known to go supersonic with ease, the flight-test program began in the Californian desert, and in 1947 World War II fighter ace Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier for the first time. But these were dangerous, pioneering years for supersonic flight, and Yeager was almost killed while pushing towards Mach 2.5 in the X-1A. Illustrated with stunning artwork and photos, this book examines the full history of the X-1 program from its origins, through the crucial developments that gave the plane its controllability at supersonic speeds, to the follow-on X-1 variants that were built to explore Mach 2 and beyond. Throughout the last century, one-off experimental aircraft and cutting-edge military prototypes have pushed the boundaries of what is possible. Authoritative and accessible, X-Planes is the series that explains the technology behind the world's most important prototype and research aircraft, their often dangerous flight-test careers, and how their successes and failures influenced frontline aircraft development. Each Book Contains: The best archive photography, Meticulously detailed original artwork, Expert history and analysis Book jacket.