by Nigel Blackwell | Planes
The X-1 program wasn’t just about reaching Mach 1. Supersonic was only one of numerous areas of flight and flying that the craft explored. The X-1’s speed was achieved by the thrust of a Reaction Motors XLR11 rocket (more of which later), and the duration...
by Nigel Blackwell | Planes
WW2 demonstrated the importance of air superiority even before the phrase had been invented. Everyone knew that the advantage was gained through speed, so even before the war had ended the US Army Air Force had placed a contract with Bell to build three “Experimental...