Higher. Farther. But mainly, faster. The history of aviation has been a nearly continuous quest for acceleration, particularly in the postwar years, as pilots and engineers first sought to break the sound "barrier" (which turned out to be no barrier after all), then pushed on to the edge of space and beyond.
To mark the 60th anniversary of the first supersonic flight on October 14, 1947, we begin our special "Need For Speed" section with a look back at the Bell X-1 and other rocketplanes of the day, as seen in rare video and articles from our archives. Then we move on to the X-15—still the fastest airplane ever flown.
Over time we'll add more stories, outlining everything from current plans to test hypersonic aircraft to dreams of interstellar flight. So keep checking in. Our Need for Speed hasn't yet been satisfied, not by a long shot. Maybe it never will be. (Pictured: The F-22 Raptor)
Assaulting the Barrier
In 1947, no airplane had ever gone faster than the speed of sound.
Mach Match
Did an XP-86 beat Yeager to the punch?
X-15 Walkaround
A guided tour of the fastest airplane ever.
X-15: The Hollywood Version
Charles Bronson starred. The Pentagon had a few minor corrections.
Beautiful Climber
In the summer of '58, nothing was faster to 50,000 feet.
Sky High
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter looked more like a rocket than an airplane.
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Need to Know
Put Your Seat Backs Up
Why do airline seats have to be in an upright position during takeoff?
