There is a “romantic” legend about the Gloster Javelin that goes like this:
The Daily Express reported that the Javelin was incapable of breaking the sound barrier. Deciding to prove them wrong, a team of RAF aircrew took off in a Javelin one night, flew over London and broke the #SpeedOfSound, creating a sonic boom over Fleet Street.
#JulyColdPlay day 8 @Eggs
TheEllieMo The official version of the story is that in a routine training flight, the pilot lost consciousness and the aircraft temporarily went into a dive, creating the sonic boom while in the dive before the aircraft could be returned to normal flight. 5y
TheEllieMo Given that the aviation correspondent at the Daily Express at the time was Bill Waterton, former test pilot at the Gloster Aircraft Company, from which he did not leave on good terms, I‘m inclined to believe the sonic boom was not just an accident😉 5y
Eggs This is fascinating! Great choice 5y
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