The X-1’s fuselage was designed to resemble a .50 caliber bullet—one of the only shapes known to have stable flight at supersonic speeds. The Bell X-1 hangs today from the ceiling of the National Air ...
Aircraft in the X program conduct basic research in the air. The Bell X-1, which first reached supersonic speed, marked the ...
When legendary pilot Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier and flew the Bell X-1 past Mach 1 in 1947, it was the greatest aviation milestone ever achieved at that time. These days, however, reaching ...