"Glamorous Glennis" suspended at Smithsonian NASM. This was the first aircraft to go supersonic on 14 Oct 1947, flown by Capt C. Yeager. The X-1 was dropped around 23,000 ft. by a modified B-29 flown by Maj R. Cardenas. After climb the flight plan was to reach Mach 0.97 but the sound barrier was crossed that day to attain a speed of Mach 1.06 after levelling off at 43,000 ft. The X-1 was powered by a 26.5 kN Reaction Motors XLR11-RM3 rocket engine with four combustion chambers burning LOX and ethyl alcohol. The combustion chambers could be turned on and off individually but not throttled.

Originally designated as X-1-2. Converted to an X-1E in order to pursue the goals originally set for the X-1D and X-1-3 which were lost to explosions in 1951. First flew in 1955. Assigned to NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station, later the High-Speed Flight Station at Edwards AFB, CA. Permanently grounded after its 26th flight in 1958, due to the discovery of structural cracks in the fuel tank wall. Later put on display at Edwards AFB.

Bell X-1B This rocket powered aircraft was used for aerodynamic heat research and later to train X-2 pilots, and is currently displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Seen at the National Air Show in Dayton, Ohio in 1953.

Bell Aircraft X-1A Seen at the National Aviation Show in Dayton, Ohio in September, 1954. It was in this aircraft on December 12, 1953 that Major Chuck Yeager set a new speed record of Mach 2.44, 1,650 mph, at 75.000 feet. The aircraft subsequently tumbled out of control due to inertia coupling, and fell 51,000 feet before Major Yeager was able to regain control and land safely. T X-1A was lost on August 8, 1955, when an in-flight explosion occurred just prior to being launched from a B-29, and the aircraft was jettisoned in the Muroc desert.

The second X-1 airframe, later rebuilt to X-1E standard. Photo from: NASA

Rocket-powered air-launched supersonic research aircraft. Named after pilot Chuck Yeager's wife

Bell X-1 replica displayed in Calspan Corporation's office foyer. The original Bell X-1 was built at Bell Aircraft's plant at the same airport.

A further development of the original Bell X-1, the X-1B was instrumented to study thermal heating during supersonic flight. Cracks in the fuel tanks finally grounded the rocket plane with the last flight on Jan. 23, 1958. Displayed at the US Air Force Museum.

Having been air-dropped from the mother Boeing B-29, the rocket motor has been fired to take the XS-1 supersonic. In June 1948 it was renamed X-1. From Bell Aircraft 60 years ago.