On October 14, 1947 Capt. Charles E. Yeager flew the Bell X-1 through the sound barrier ushering in a new era of flight test research. The experimental aircraft was designed and built by the Bell Aircraft Corporation in Niagara Falls, New York. Prior to this historic flight Bell engineers and test pilot fined tuned the aircraft before turning the aircraft over to NACA and the USAF upon completion of Bell’s contract. Four Bell Test Pilots tested the X-1, Jack Woolams flew the first 10 flights, Joe Cannon and Alvin Tex Johnston performed flight analysis, and Chalmers Slick Goodlin flew 26 powered flights.
