On 22 Sep 2003 17:24:26 GMT, (DunxC) wrote:

Hi all,

The 'Welch/Yeager' argument conveniently ignores the NAA flight records for the
period in question. Either Blackburn didn't have these for his book or chose to
ignore them, but they clearly detail Welch's undercarriage problem on October
1, 1947 and also detail the redesign necessary prior to the next flight with
the undercarriage functioning. To suggest that NAA had to bolt the gear down to
prevent Welch going supersonic is ridiculous.

Blackburn does not ignore the problem with the nose gear cylinder. I suggest
you re-read his book (I read the galleys months before the book went into
print and received one of the first books off the press).

The next flight was on October 9, before then, the NAA guys had already solved
the nose gear problem and wanted to install the fix ASAP... Over objections,
they were ordered to "bolt" the gear down and disable the handle. It seems the
USAF wanted their inspectors to check the fix prior to installation. Should
anyone be surprised that they said it may take two weeks to do the inspection?
As it was, the inspection did not occur until October 11, and it took two days
to install and do a series of drop checks on the jacks.



Incidentally, Blackburn also conveniently neglects to include the fact that
Welch had a P-82 chase for the first flight; it would have been difficult (not
to say crass) for Welch to sneak off and break the sound barrier with a chase
craft trying to determine the damage caused by the undercarriage malfunction
which happened during climb-out on flight number 1.

Again, you are flagrantly incorrect. Bob Chilton was flying the F-82 chase
plane and he orbited at 15,000 ft while Welch went off to wring out the Sabre.
Welch did not "sneak off", he merely informed Chilton that he was going up to
"feel it out". Chilton confirmed that the gear was up and locked visually prior
to Welch climbing out.

By the way, the "damage" was the result of a design fault in the nose gear
extension mechanism, not a result of excessive speed on climbout. The gear
would retract, but not extend fully due to aerodynamic forces. Once airspeed had
dropped to below 80 knots, the cylinder was able to fully extend and lock the
gear over-center.


Much as I love the F-86, it wasn't first to Mach 1. There is (and always has
been) no subsitute for good research.

Duncan

I agree, and you might want to practice it yourself.

My regards,

Widewing (C.C. Jordan)
http://www.worldwar2aviation.com
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