October 14, 1947 - Captain Chuck Yeager breaks the sound barrier flying the Bell X-1 (right). Designed for the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) in 1945, the Bell X-1 was a rocket-powered aircraft intended for use in aviation research. Intentionally shaped like a .50 cal. bullet, NACA hoped to use the aircraft to break the sound barrier. In June 1947, the program was taken over by the US Army Air Force who wished to see the flight schedule intensified. On October 14, 1947, Captain Chuck Yeager became the first man to break the sound barrier when his X-1 "Glamorous Glennis" achieved a speed of Mach 1.06 (807.2 mph).
Yeah...I know...it was a white male's historic event, so it's only an esoteric landmark in human history. It's not like breaking the sound barrier led to anything that we use today. Well, except for rockets, space shuttles, planetary exploratory programs, military aircraft, commercial travel, Aerion Supersonics, HyperMach's SonicStar and so on.
Chuck Yeager actually broke the sound barrier while suffering from broken ribs after having been thrown from a horse. He told no one, and still went about business. I think it's time we set-up the Chuck Yeager vs. Chuck Norris arm wrestling contest.
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