AMAZING ROCKET PLANE
(N.Z.P.A.-
-Reuter,
Numerous Flights Made At Supersonic Speeds
Copyright)
Reeeived Friday, 11.10 a.m. WASHINGTON, June 10. The Air Secretary, Mr. Sym-i-ngton disclosed today th'at the Air Force's XS-1 rocket plane has many times flown much faster than the speed of sound, which is about 760 miles hourly at sea level, Mr. Symington said that as far as he kne.w, no other plane had aehieved supersonic speed. The first and only pilot to fly XS-1 beyond the so-ealled sonic wall is the 25-year-old Captain Charles Yeager, Ihe war time fighter pilot who shot down 13 German planes. National security prevented him revealing more about the flights, added Mr. Symington. • It is known, however, that XS-1 is a small, straight-winged plane, with a needle nose,. sturdy body and powered by four Rocket motors. It can only stay aloft® 150 seconds under full power, and is designed for speeds of i700 miles hourly at 80,000 feet. Its fuel is alcohol and liquid oxygen, which is forced into burners by gaseous nitrogen. The cockpit , is specially refrigerated to' combat the terrific heat generated by air friction at supersonic speeds. The plane, with a wing span of 28 feet, is carried aloft in the belly of a B-29, and is released at high altitudes.
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Bibliographic details
Chronicle (Levin), 11 June 1948, Page 5
Word Count
212AMAZING ROCKET PLANE Chronicle (Levin), 11 June 1948, Page 5
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