Well, I’ll be danged!
Two days ago, I received an e-mail that really surprised me. A nonflying, highly-respected friend, Dean Masters, sent it out of the clear blue sky. It was a story saying that Chuck Yeager was not the first to break the sound barrier.
The story goes that George “Wheaties” Whelch, a WW II ace, was a leading test pilot given the job of test flying North American’s XP-86 prototype at Muroc Field (later renamed Edwards AFB).
Wheaties became convinced that the XP-86 could break the sound barrier in a dive. The word was out from the USAF not to do this because they didn’t want to divert any thunder from Chuck Yeager, who was planning to do that in level flight in the Bell SX-1.
Wheaties, not one to cater to the brass, announced to the crowd at Pancho Barnes’ famous watering hole that he was going to let them hear a sonic boom, and he did.
Now that’s the story. Even though it cited great aviation resources, I was still a little less than totally convinced.
One of the greatest sources of aviation history is AVSIG, the great aviation online forum. I put the story to them, and got back responses from some of the best aviation historians I know.
Folks, the story is almost certainly true. On the other hand, it was not official because Wheaties’ flight did not have instrumentation to document a supersonic flight. Besides, Wheaties did it in a dive, not in level flight as Yeager did in his official flight.
And now you know the rest of the story.
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Sir Ralfus re the “Awww, I wuz just trying to make you think I ain’t redneck!”
Like I didn’t know full well all the time what you were up to! And another dang thing here, now I gotta stand accused of being able to read (a book) instead of listening (with my mouth agape and round eyes) to some foul mouthed ole woman relate her experiences!
best randy (d/b/a as Felix J. McGillicuddy)
Jesse Fulstrom–
I certainly cannot argue your claim. I can and do tell you flat out, though, that my “experts”—and I called them that, they didn’t—aren’t petty of jealous people. They are fine folks, and very knowledgeable on matters of aviation. They are, of course, quite capable of being wrong, but that doesn’t make them small or mean spirited.
Thanks for writing,
Ralph Hood
Cap’n FRandy–
Awww, I wuz just trying to make you think I ain’t redneck!
Ralph
Sir Ralfus - re”at the coffee shop!”
Can you say truck stop ?
best, randy
Cap’n Randy–
Maybe so—but you’ll surely have a lot of stories at the coffee shop!
Ralph Hood
Sir Ralfus - “Hey, nobody ever accused me of having any class!”
Quidado mi amigo, lestwise we might decide that you be just like us!
And a quick BTW,here, re that “aviator who has flown all, knows all, and is the friend of everyone”.
Don’t'cha know that that and a dollar will buy you a cup of coffee?
best, randy
Cap’n Randy–
Hey, nobody ever accused me of having any class!
Ralph Hood
Sir Ralfus - Well, I didn’t wanna get into that urinal “shaking” bit here, figured this is/was a family forum, so-kay?
Aayway BTW, did you ever get to listen to him on WGN-AM (World’s Greatest News ) from Chicago?
best, randy
Capt’n Randy–
Folks, Cap’n Randy Sohn is the legendary aviator who has flown all, knows all, and is the friend of everyone.
Gotta say, Cap’n Randy, that I was once at a urinal next to the great Walter Cronkite. I figured that wouldn’t be a great time to shake hands, so decided to wait until we had both washed our hands, then aproach him for a handshake. I washed my hands, he did NOT wash his, and I decided I didn’t want to shake his old hand anyway.
Ralph Hood
Sir Ralfus - re”And now you know the rest of the story”
Chuckle. Like Paul Harvey said to me one day at Oshkosh after we’d both finished at side-by-side urinals, “Well, now you know the rest of the story!”
best, randy