And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Sunday, October 2, 2022
On this day: 75 years ago, company test pilot George S. “Wheaties” Welch, made the maiden flight of the North American F-86 Sabre at Muroc Dry Lake, California (October 1, 1947).
As I recall, that is the same George Welch, who, along with with Ken Taylor, climbed into their P-40s on December 7th 1941 and fought the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and Hawaii....
In "Chasing the Demon" about the quest to go supersonic, there is some evidence that Welch broke the sound barrier in that F-86 2 weeks before Yeager did it in the Bell X-1
As a kid, I read Joseph McConnell's biography about 600 times and the F 86 became one of my favorite jets.
ReplyDeleteclassic and much like it's mig adversary. I think both were developed from german plans. I *think*...
DeleteAs I recall, that is the same George Welch, who, along with with Ken Taylor, climbed into their P-40s on December 7th 1941 and fought the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and Hawaii....
ReplyDeleteHe was. He later died test flying aF100
ReplyDeleteWell done spelling it Sabre and not Saber!
ReplyDeleteBoeing flight test had an F-86 chase plane up into the 2000's. Saw it take off from Boeing Field many times. Beautiful aircraft.
ReplyDeleteIn "Chasing the Demon" about the quest to go supersonic, there is some evidence that Welch broke the sound barrier in that F-86 2 weeks before Yeager did it in the Bell X-1
ReplyDeletean ace maker.
ReplyDelete