Chuck Yeager and the Glamorous Glennis
Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager in 1947 flew a BellX-1 airplane, the Glamorous Glennis, at Mach 1.07 over Muroc Dry Lake Bed in California. He successfully conducted the first faster than sound flying experiment.
Felix Baumgartner in 2012 jumped from a hot-air balloon at a height of 24 miles to freefall to earth. He reached a speed of 843.6 miles per hour (Mach 1.25), becoming the first person to break the sound barrier without a vehicle.
Cliff Swallow Courtesy of Marlin Harms
Swallows leave Capistrano, California, for the winter. They fly to Argentina, but they will return March 19th.
Spruce Goose flew its first and only flight in 1947. Howard Hughes designed and flew the 25 million dollar plane made of wood. Originally called Hercules, the plane flew for about one mile at an altitude of 70 feet over Long Beach Harbor, California. Today the Spruce Goose is an exhibit at the Evergreen Museum. Find more information and examine photographs at: Spruce Goose.