Breaking the sound barrier without a plane! | FerrariChat

Breaking the sound barrier without a plane!

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by Fast_ian, Dec 28, 2011.

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  1. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Hey,

    Thoroughly enjoying lurking in this section - Some great stories and thanks for posting!

    I just received this from a buddy and figured it would fit right in;

    Cojones *bigger* than coconuts!

    Cheers,
    Ian
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    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Fast_ian, Dec 28, 2011
    #1
  2. acuransx20001

    acuransx20001 Karting

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    Great post.
     
    acuransx20001, Dec 28, 2011
    #2
  3. Zack

    Zack Formula 3

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    I had read about this a while ago, absolutely loved learning the details. What a legend. Aviation is full of pioneering figures. Just amazing how young this field is, and how quickly it has advanced due to people like him. Thanks for posting.

    Reminds me of another thing I have been curious about. During the Vietnam war, the air force came up with a way to snatch people from the ground with airplanes, using a balloon and a hook of some sort. Anyone know what the program was called or have any details on that? I caught parts of a TV special on it a while ago.

    Edit: Just googled it. Surface to Air Recovery (STAR) system. Also known as the Fulton Skyhook. Still in use by some air forces.
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2011
    Zack, Dec 28, 2011
    #3
  4. redhead

    redhead F1 Rookie

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    "This is the highest step in the world"

    Great story!
     
    redhead, Dec 28, 2011
    #4
  5. ChipG

    ChipG Formula 3

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    There is a show about this on Discovery Channel, I think they also aired it on the Science Channel. He had a camera with him and they show footage. Its a must see IMO.
     
    ChipG, Dec 28, 2011
    #5
  6. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Seven Time F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

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    That is so cool.
     
    TexasF355F1, Dec 28, 2011
    #6
  7. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

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    History Channel (or similar - I don't recall) documented that story a few
    years ago.... utterly amazing.

    Talk about a guy with NO FEAR. Maybe AC/DC wrote "Big Balls" about this guy.... ;)

    Jedi
     
    Jedi, Dec 28, 2011
    #7
  8. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    :) Maybe.

    But I don't think AC/DC, or any of us come to that, understand the enormity of the balls on these guys - I'm gonna say they generated their own gravity field! ;)

    His suit is broken, he decided he may lose his right hand, and wanted to land on the target so chose to float around for another 10+ minutes!

    These guys are "the right stuff"!

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
    Fast_ian, Dec 28, 2011
    #8
  9. wa98012

    wa98012 Rookie

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    Ok, someone straighten me out about something. "The Sound Barrier" and "Speed of Sound".

    Aren't these two things relative to atmospheric density? I mean, 720 mph at 100,000 feet is not going to produce the pressures and sonic boom associated with "The Speed Of Sound", right?

    Still one hell of a feat, though.
     
    wa98012, Dec 28, 2011
    #9
  10. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

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    Probably not. But he still went "faster than sound"

    Jedi
     
    Jedi, Dec 28, 2011
    #10
  11. Zack

    Zack Formula 3

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    as long as there is some atmosphere (and there is, just very little), there will be a sonic boom, but it will be a very small one, perhaps a sonic crack, rather than a boom. it's a function of the sound waves being compressed ahead of the object traveling at the speed of sound, "catching up" to their own sound and adding energy to the sound wave. the wave, and the amount of additional energy being added, are both going to be very small, but will definitely exist.
     
    Zack, Dec 28, 2011
    #11
  12. SamuliS

    SamuliS Formula Junior

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    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw8OJJQ_hgk&feature=related[/ame]
     
    SamuliS, Dec 29, 2011
    #12
  13. Juan-Manuel Fantango

    Juan-Manuel Fantango F1 World Champ Rossa Subscribed

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    From one of my favorite movies, when they made movies that glorified our soldiers, rather than portraying them as confused killers. I watched a documentary about Iraq last night, and for the first time saw people welcoming our soldiers there, giving out gifts and flowers. Never saw that during the hate Bush era of inept and bias journalism. Not that war is good-it is always bad, but sometimes necessary and just. The Fulton Skyhook is in this trailer, and so is the orginal puff daddy-Puff the Magic Dragon.

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMsggzxFVJk[/ame]
     
    Juan-Manuel Fantango, Dec 29, 2011
    #13
  14. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

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    If you look at the last picture, you can see the size difference between his Left and Right gloves. Right glove didn't inflate.

    Did it anyway, would NEVER have another chance to do it.
     
    Tcar, Dec 29, 2011
    #14
  15. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

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    For some reason that just makes me laugh....

    :D

    Jedi
     
    Jedi, Dec 29, 2011
    #15
  16. Simon^2

    Simon^2 F1 World Champ

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    I met Joe Kittinger a few years ago at a car show when I lived in Orlando. We got to talking and sat for a coffee... I had worked as an engineer at NASA before medical school and that got us on the subject of Joe's work. Needless to say my eyes were as big as saucers... Amazing man.
     
    Simon^2, Dec 29, 2011
    #16
  17. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

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    He still lives in the area? I know he's from Tampa...I was hoping I would run into him at the VA when I was doing rotations there. I'm sure he has awesome stories. :)
     
    BMW.SauberF1Team, Dec 29, 2011
    #17
  18. Simon^2

    Simon^2 F1 World Champ

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    I met him at a cars for the cure show with the F40... 2006 I think.
     
    Simon^2, Dec 29, 2011
    #18
  19. kevfla

    kevfla Formula 3

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    Joe and his wife Sherry have been out to my parents' farm when we used to hold an annual brunch/chili cook-off for all of the local British car clubs. Joe has an Austin London taxi to tool around in. What hasn't been mentioned yet are some of his other adventures, such as the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo in a gas balloon (landed in Italy, I think) and he spent about a year in a North Vietnamese concentration camp!

    After the war, he hooked-up with Bob Snow, the founder of Rosie O'Grady's / Church Street Station, to serve as the "aviation director," skywriting or banner-towing with an Ag-Cat and hot air balloon flights for tourists.

    Orlando is fortunate to have two "hometown" heroes: Astronaut John Young & Joe Kittenger!

    KevFla
     
    kevfla, Dec 29, 2011
    #19
  20. White Knight

    White Knight Formula 3

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    I'll have to look for that. Amazing the stones those pioneers had. Amazing story.
     
    White Knight, Dec 31, 2011
    #20
  21. ChipG

    ChipG Formula 3

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    You might be able to find it on one of these internet TV sites. Good stuff!
     
    ChipG, Jan 1, 2012
    #21
  22. forgeahead

    forgeahead F1 Rookie Owner

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    His hand must have hurt like hell!
    What a badass!
     
    forgeahead, Jan 1, 2012
    #22
  23. Ney

    Ney F1 Veteran Silver Subscribed

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    Looks like Red Bull and Felix Baumgartner are going after this record, with JK's consent and support.

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyGmTV0q2kY[/ame]
     
    Ney, Jan 13, 2012
    #23
  24. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Cool!......

    Gotta love Red Bull - You may not like the drink, but the $ they provide are awesome! :)

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
    Fast_ian, Jan 13, 2012
    #24

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