14 October 1947: Chuck Yeager breaks the sound barrier

On this day in 1947, the rocket-powered Bell X-1 – nicknamed 'Glamorous Glennis' – blasted through the sound barrier, with Chuck Yeager at the controls.

Chuck Yaeger with the Bell X-1 © Underwood Archives/Getty Images
Chuck Yaeger with the Bell X-1
(Image credit: © Underwood Archives/Getty Images)

Could an aeroplane stand up to the stresses of flying faster than the speed of sound? Could a man, for that matter?

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Chris Carter
Wealth Editor, MoneyWeek

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

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