Bell X-1

Description

In 1947, no one knew if it was possible to break the 'sound barrier'. The Bell X-1 was the tiny, rocket-powered craft that finally broke it. It was the result of innovative designers and engineers turning their attention from the pioneering jets of World War II to a new task - an aircraft designed purely to fly faster than sound. Legendary pilots rallied to the cause, with World War II ace Chuck Yeager piloting the X-1 when it finally achieved supersonic flight in 1947, the first manned craft to reach such speeds. With historical photographs and meticulously researched digital art, Peter Davies traces the whole career of the pioneering Bell X-1, from its early development through to the influence it had on military and civilian jets in the second half of the 20th century.

Peter E. Davies is a specialist on modern American high-performance aircraft, having written or co-written 26 books including the standard reference work on US Navy and Marine Corps F-4 Phantom II operations. He is based in Bristol, UK. Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives in New Hampshire. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, from 1974-78, and since graduating with Honours, he has been working professionally in the field of Fine Art and Illustration. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon. Jim created the cutaway and profile art for this book. Gareth Hector is a digital artist of international standing as well as an aviation history enthusiast. Gareth completed the battlescene artwork and cover artwork for this book.

". . . this little book is good value for the money and will appeal to readers that do not want an overly technical volume on the rocket plane and breaking the sound barrier. - Air Classics Magazine ". . . an outstanding book that is both a great history and a very good read. There are some superb photos, all of them nice and clear and this really enhances the book. It is one that I am sure you will like. Highly recommended." - Modeling Madness "As in Osprey's other series, there are welcome technical touches, including illustrations of the X-1's interior anatomy and the Reaction Motors rocket engine that powered it." - Aviation History