The flight crossed the first sound wall of mankind

Today the flying fighter with supersonic speed becomes popular in the air force of the world. However, aeronautical engineers face a lot of challenges in crossing the sound wall 70 years ago.

In the 1940s, the world aviation industry had a strong development with many new aircraft models. However, the aircraft have trouble getting to the speed of sound. At this stage, the aircraft use propeller engines. When the sound speed is reached, strong vibrations occur, leading to loss of control of the aircraft.

This phenomenon disappears when the plane slows down to below the speed of sound. Since then the term 'sound wall' is formed, becoming a major barrier of mankind in flying faster than the speed of sound.

Cross the sound wall when breaking the ribs

According to Business Insider, the journey to mankind's first supersonic flight began in late 1943, at a conference organized by the National Aeronautics Advisory Committee (the predecessor of the US Aerospace Agency ( NASA) today).

Chuck Yeager pilot in Bell X-1 test aircraft cockpit.(Photo: US Air Force).

Conference attendees are looking for ways to improve aircraft speed and conclude that a real aircraft model and test pilot will yield better results than wind tunnel experiments. Bell Group is assigned to be the main contractor.

The Bell X-1 prototype , with the nickname 'Glamorous Glennis' completed in 1945 but still cannot fly. The process of overcoming technical problems lasted until 1947. Chuck Yeager , a veteran US Air Force pilot, was assigned to be the main test pilot.

However, a few days before the first flight was made, Yeager broke two ribs in an accident that he described as 'disagreement' with the horse. However, the test flight is still conducted as planned.

The accident had a significant impact on Yeager, he had to use a hand-held broomstick to open and close the X-1 aircraft door. The night before the historic flight, Yeager slept very little due to pain in his ribs, but he confirmed that he could only cancel the test if he could not enter the X-1 cockpit.

'If I could get into the pilot's position, I knew I could fly,' said Yeager in a 1987 speech. The Bell X-1 was attached to the bomb bay of the B-29 Superfortress bomber. , when the required height is reached, X-1 will be released from B-29. Then the X-1 will activate the rocket engine mounted inside the body to overcome the speed of sound.

On October 14, 1947, everything was ready, the B-29 flew into the sky, Major Bod Cardenas, the pilot B-29 began the countdown process. Richard Frost, Bell Group's engineer, gripped the controller to disconnect the cable to release X-1 into the air.

After leaving the B-29, Yeager pilot activated a rocket engine and the X-1 moved ahead to leave the B-29 and P-80 surveillance aircraft behind.'After that, I ignited the 2nd and 4th burning chambers, the plane accelerated immediately leaving behind white smoke trail behind , ' Yeager said.

The X-1 reached the 'sound wall' when Yeager tested the aircraft's stabilizer. The rudder in the tail and the lift of the aircraft lapsed when the air was thin but the stabilizer still worked effectively, even when it reached Mach 0.95 (about 1,162km / h).

Yeager recounts that he is very calm and professional in acknowledging the slightest changes in aircraft during acceleration. The aircraft continued to be allowed to accelerate until the cockpit meter reached Mach 0.96 (about 1.173km / h).

The X-1 continued to rush forward until the clock was at Mach 1.06 (about 1,296 km / h). The sound wall, the great barrier of aviation has been pierced, creating a major turning point in the history of world aviation.

'I flew at supersonic speed for about 18 seconds, there was no strong impact, no vibration or vibration and above all no wall hit, I was alive,' Yeager wrote recounted in 40th anniversary of the first supersonic flight of mankind.

Open the era of supersonic

The X-1 then landed safely and did not encounter any technical problems. At that time, the US Air Force kept its flight information very tight. However, the story surpassed the sound wall of pilot Yeager leaked with Aviation Week and New York Times in the post on December 21.

Former Yeager pilot speaks at the celebration of the first 50 supersonic flights at Edwards Air Force Base, California.(Photo: Reuters).

At that time, Aviation Week described the event as a "big surprise" about the ease of testing they achieved. The US Air Force was furious and threatened to sue reporters for revealing their secret story.

Yeager's achievement was not officially recognized until June 1948, when US Air Force Secretary Stuart Symington declared the sound wall was broken by two test aircraft.

Based on the results of the first supersonic flight of mankind, aeronautical engineers have created new designs that are more efficient, fly faster. Yeager continued to play the pilot role until 1975.

The fastest speed record that Yeager achieved is Mach 2.44 (about 2,900 km / h). Yeager retired in 1975 with the rank of Brigadier General.

Seventy years after humanity's first supersonic flight, hundreds of supersonic models were built. The aircraft are now more sophisticated but manned vehicles are still limited at Mach 3 (about 3,600 km / h).

The field of supersonic aviation still focuses mainly on military aircraft. Only two models of supersonic aircraft were used in civil aviation, but they were also quickly killed by catastrophic accidents when flying.