The Bell X-1 (Bell Model 44) is a rocket engine–powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics–U.S. Army Air Forces–U.S. Air Force supersonic research project built by Bell Aircraft. Conceived during 1944 and designed and built in 1945, it achieved a speed of nearly 1,000 ...

Feb 28, 2014 · Four of the second generation X-1s were originally to be built by Bell Aircraft: the X-1A for dynamic stability tests; the X-1B for air load research; the X-1C for armaments tests using a .50 cal. machine gun in the nose and a gun sight for the pilot; and the X-1D for heat transfer research.

On October 14, 1947, the Bell X-1 became the first airplane to fly faster than the speed of sound. Piloted by U.S. Air Force Capt. Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager, the X-1 reached a speed of 1,127 kilometers (700 miles) per hour, Mach 1.06, at an altitude of 13,000 meters (43,000 feet).

Feb 28, 2014 · Bell test pilot Chalmers “Slick” Goodlin made the first glide flight in the X-1-2 on Oct. 11, 1946. After a total of four glide flights, he made the first powered flight on Dec. 9, reaching a speed of Mach 0.79.

Dec 12, 2024 · The Bell X-1A, 48-1384, was an experimental rocket-powered high-speed, high-altitude research aircraft. It was one of four second-generation X-1s (including the X-1B, X-1D and X-1E), specifically designed to investigate dynamic stability at speeds in excess of Mach 2 and altitudes greater than 90,000 feet.

Jan 1, 2016 · Bell Aircraft built three of the original X-1s, plus an X-1A and X-1B, an X-1D. There was also an X-1E rebuilt from the X-1 #2. They flew a total of 214 flights between 1946-1958.

That airplane was the Air Force's Bell X-1A, a "stretched" second-generation version of the X-1 which incorporated a low-pressure turbopump fuel system, increased fuel capacity which would permit 4.65 minutes of full four-chamber burn time for its 6,000 pound thrust XLR-11 engine, as well as a host of other improvements.

Ordered by the Air Force on 2 April 1948, the Bell X-1A (Serial Number 48-1384) was intended to investigate aerodynamic phenomena at speeds greater than Mach 2 (681 m/s, 2,451 km/h) and altitudes greater than 90,000 ft (27 km), specifically emphasizing dynamic stability and air loads.

The Bell X-1A (photo) was a slightly larger, much-modified version of the first-generation X-1 and, the following month, on December 12, 1953, Maj. Chuck Yeager (photo) piloted the rocket plane to a speed of Mach 2.44 (1,650 mph) in level flight at an altitude of approximately 76,000 feet.

May 1, 2023 · The Bell X-1A (48-1384) was designed for aerodynamic stability and air-loads research. It was delivered to Edwards Air Force Base on 7 January 1953. The aircraft made its first glide flight on 14 February with Bell test pilot Jean "Skip" Ziegler at the controls.