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Johnny Johnson was the gentleman who passed away. He was the last surviving member of the 617 squadron Crews who took part in the Dambusters raid.A minor correction to the post
.It was announced yesterday that 'Johnnie' Johnson, the last surviving dambuster died yesterday aged 101
Dude...that pigeon was full of agent orange it seems. Snauzzer01... cant fail spelling control this time.I agree with Snauzzer01.
Although I'll never find it now, Lt. Col Chilstrom broke the speed of sound in the XP-86 just before Yeager was to make his flight. Yeager and others were at the "Happy Bottom Riding Club" when, late in the evening, Chilstrom took the 86 past Mach in a shallow dive over the club breaking two windows. He was required to fly the 86 gear extended until Yeager made his official flight a week later.
I think he was referring to George Welch, who was unofficially reported to have created a sonic boom, with the XP-86, on October 1, 1947, 13 days before Yeager's flight. Some who were there say he even "rubbed it in" by making a repeat performance, diving past the B-29 carrying Yeager and the X-1, just 20 minutes before Yeager broke Mach one. Since there were no official records of the incidents, we'll never know.To correct this. Ken Chilstrom's first flight in the XP-86 was on 2 December 1947: Yeager went supersonic on 14 October.
This is also incorrect, even though it's been repeated often in recent history (It's a theory which began with Al Blackburn's book, and lacks any substantiating primary-source evidence then as it does now). The gestation of the XP-86 is well documented and the #1 aircraft was aerodynamically incapable of supersonic flight until early 1948 (again, documented and easy to prove). The first XP-86 to go supersonic was the #2 machine, in the spring of 1948. So there is no "we'll never know" - the XP-86 couldn't have gone supersonic in 1947.I think he was referring to George Welch, who was unofficially reported to have created a sonic boom, with the XP-86, on October 1, 1947, 13 days before Yeager's flight. Some who were there say he even "rubbed it in" by making a repeat performance, diving past the B-29 carrying Yeager and the X-1, just 20 minutes before Yeager broke Mach one. Since there were no official records of the incidents, we'll never know.
-Irish