Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hpfcdc!hpfclm!hpfcdj!myers From: myers@hpfcdj.HP.COM (Bob Myers) Newsgroups: sci.space Subject: Re: approaching "C" Message-ID: <16520004@hpfcdj.HP.COM> Date: 13 Feb 89 19:47:49 GMT References: Organization: Hewlett Packard -- Fort Collins, CO Lines: 18 >It wasn't until some WW II fighter planes were OBSERVED to exceed >the speed of sound in a dive that the theories were revised. I do not believe that there were any instances of a WWII fighter definitely exceeding Mach 1; some may have come somewhat close, and experienced problems with their controls in so doing, but there was still some who believed in a "sound barrier" right up to Yeager's flight in the X-1. Certainly, the counter-examples of bullets, etc., were known, but it was still believed by some that *controlled* flight in excess of the speed of sound was impossible. The X-1 was a very "brute force" approach at proving this to be incorrect. Bob Myers KC0EW HP Graphics Tech. Div.| Opinions expressed here are not Ft. Collins, Colorado | those of my employer or any other {the known universe}!hplabs!hpfcla!myers | sentient life-form on this planet.