History of Flight

As World War II was ending, the United States conceived "The Research Airplane Program." Its purpose, among other things, was to see how experimental planes performed under extreme conditions. The test pilots who flew such planes had to be made of "The Right Stuff." They tested various ranges of speed to help designers develop safer aircraft. Their daring flights helped other pilots determine how fast they could safely fly.

One of those daring test pilots was Charles ("Chuck") Yeager. Known for his feats of flying bravery and accuracy during the war, he had become a legend to the men who served with him.

No one had ever flown a plane at the speed of sound when Chuck Yeager joined the Research Airplane Program. Planes that approached the speed of sound had encountered new flight issues: drag increased sharply, planes shook violently, and lift and control were lost. Many planes that approached the speed of sound broke apart and crashed. There seemed to be a kind of "sound barrier" through which planes could not fly.