Overview

As the speed of early aircraft gradually increased there eventually became awareness during the 1940's, that strange things were occurring at around 500mph. Many later WW2 fighter aircraft were reported to become dangerously uncontrollable in high-speed power dives. Pilot's and aircraft designers were beginning to encounter the sound barrier. We now realize it to be a phenomenon that occurs when the speed of sound is reached and air compressibility demands additional power to break through it. Breaking the sound barrier became one of the biggest challenges to the world's aircraft designers and it took great courage and daring for the test-pilots of that era to find the way through this difficult obstacle. This is the story of how innovative design and pilots learned how to deal with supersonic flight. It records the many different experimental aircraft and tells of the experiences of those that flew them. Many pilots lost their lives during those dangerous flights but those who survived became legendary.

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9781844154562

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""...excellent aircraft photos...carries you effortlessly through the technology, allowing you to understand nuances that most people don't even know exist...this book is the best I've ever read on the history leading up to and surrounding the breaking of the sound barrier.""-- ""SpeedReaders.info""

...excellent aircraft photos...carries you effortlessly through the technology, allowing you to understand nuances that most people don't even know exist...this book is the best I've ever read on the history leading up to and surrounding the breaking of the sound barrier. --SpeedReaders.info

Author Information

Peter Caygill has had a lifelong interest in aviation history. His previous books The Darlington Spitfire (1840370769) and Spitfire Mark V in Action (1840372486) were both published by Airlife. He obtained a private pilot's license in 1979 and is a member of Cleveland Flying School.

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