🚀 go-pugleaf

>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.