Thoughts on TJ's Smithsonian thread

[Grant Lamontagne]

I didn't want to muck up ToolJoe's thread on the Smithsonian with some of my thoughts, but as I was looking through the photos I started to wonder where the Bell X1 was.  That of course got me thinking about General Chuck Yeager and that memorable first flight in the X1, and how different it would be today.

In case anyone doesn't know, Yeager was the first man to break the sound barrier in a bullet shaped rocket powered craft that could only loosely be described as an airplane.  It was also unable to take off by itself, and had to be dropped from a B52 like a bomb, where it would (hopefully) ignite the rocket engines before plowing into the ground since it's wings were so stubby that there was no way it was going to glide anywhere.  Even today, rockets are not the most reliable bits of tech, so you can only imagine the amount of guts it took to climb out of a perfectly good aircraft, through the open air and into a missile with a chair bolted into it.

He also had fallen off of his horse the day before, and flew the X1 with broken ribs, which he did his absolute best to hide from mission control so they wouldn't scrub the test.  His ribs were so bad that he was unable to dog the hatch of the X1 shut, and ended up smuggling in a length of broken broom handle to get the leverage needed with his other hand to close it.

Fast forward to today- imagine a similar series of tests, and ask, "Would Chuck have been able to do it today?"

The only comparable modern test I can think of is Felix Baumgartner, and his epic fall.  Now, admittedly, Felix was the name that was attached, so if he didn't do it, no one would, but in most such cases there would be at least a dozen alternates, and with all of the bio-sensors in the suit, Felix wouldn't have been able to get away with a mild headache, much less broken ribs.  Red Bull would have lost millions if Felix had so much as sneezed on his way to the launch site.   

I get that one needs to be in the absolute best shape they can be in to try and succeed at something that has never been done before, but I also think that maybe this fragile pink bag of squishy bits and meat is a bit more resilient than we give it credit for. 

No real point I guess, just some thoughts, and perhaps a statement on our current society of having to keep everything safe for everyone at all times.  Life isn't much fun with out some risk, and our civilisation won't advance much without it.

Def

[zoidberg]

/goes off to put more wood on the fire...

[Don Pablo]

/goes off to put more wood on the fire...

I'll put the kettle on.

[JP]

Anyone down for an apple pie?

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[Mechanickal]

As long as you put your mind to it..

[dks]

stealthing. discuss....

[Don Pablo]

Anyone down for an apple pie?

Sent from my XT1563 using Tapatalk

Hmm, I'm in the mood for Rhubarb pie. Anyone have some?

[Etherealicer]

/goes off to put more wood on the fire...

I'll put the kettle on.

Now that the pot is on fire we are in the right frame of mind to see clearly...

I don't think it is just monumental events like the first human going fast in what only can be described as a rocket powered coffin. Imagine Statham breaking a leg during a Hollywood film shoot... production would be delayed. And what did Jackie Chan do 22 years ago (Rumble in the Bronx)?

[Gerhard Gerber]

No real point I guess, just some thoughts, and perhaps a statement on our current society of having to keep everything safe for everyone at all times.  Life isn't much fun with out some risk, and our civilisation won't advance much without it.

Me thinks the Health&Safety society robs the people of the inclination and ability to help themselves when it hits the fan.......if it hits the fan.

I'm about to go on a nice little trip into the middle of nowhere, I'm prepared, but as far as having somebody standing ready with a chopper to save my stupid ass, nope, does not exist.

That means my holiday is more dangerous than most Naked & Afraid or Alone episodes. 

I know I'm generalizing in the wrong crowd where knives and ferro rods abound, but I have also dealt with tourists from your various countries that prove the point 

[ToolJoe]

I do believe there was a bell X1 there. I'll have to look at my pictures to see if I snapped a shot of one.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'd be almost as thrilled to see the broken broom handle! 

Def

[Don Pablo]

I'd be almost as thrilled to see the broken broom handle! 

Def

I'm actually wondering if its still around. 

[ColoSwiss]

The Bell X-1 is down at the Air & Space Museum on the Mall, not out at the Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles. Also down on the Mall are the Spirit of St Louis and the Wright Flyer. Udvar-Hazy has the Shuttle, a Concorde, the SR-71, the prototype Boeing 707. Both are great museums.

[ColoSwiss]

The Mall museum and the one out at Dulles. Both are huge.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'd be almost as thrilled to see the broken broom handle! 

Def

I'm actually wondering if its still around. 

I'd have had it bronzed and mounted if it was me.

Def

[WhichDawg]

Baumgartner ... I swear at first I thought you were talking about "Bumgarner" (Madison) the pitcher for the San Fran Giants who fell off a motorcycle recently in Colorado and is now out of the game for at least 3 months (Giants are in last place now fighting with Atlanta for the bottom of the league)!

I was like the boss really knows about many things!!