France took its place yesterday in the race for "supersonic" speeds. The ministry published the following press release at the end of the Tuesday afternoon: "During test flights during the afternoon of October 28, at Melun - Villaroche, the Mystère 452 prototype aircraft was for the first time times in France crossed the sound barrier. "
The two now classic detonations warned of this event the French and American technicians who were on the Melun-Villaroche testing ground. At the controls was an American, Colonel Davis.
The circumstances of this event, which marks an important date in the annals of our aviation, are curious: chance held an important place.
An American commission responsible for studying "off shore" orders placed with European industry is currently carrying out a "review" of the French equipment likely to be acquired in this way. Among its members are two renowned military pilots: Colonels Johnson and John Davis. Accompanied by French technicians, they went to the Melun-Villaroche field for the presentation. The French colonel Rozanoff, the most famous of our test pilots, who developed the Mystère series, was waiting for them there. Colonel Johnson was the first to take his place in the cockpit of the Mystère II, to which he had a few modifications carried out, which he declared to be satisfactory. Then Colonel Davis in turn took the controls, while Colonel Rozanoff and another French pilot s'
The three planes took off. The Mystery II was a little ahead of the two Sabers. He began to dive. At that moment the officials on the ground and, within a radius of about three miles around the track, the locals heard the characteristic two loud bangs. The Mystery II and its escort returned to the runway. With the cockpit open, Colonel Davis said only: "The plane is very good, but I did not notice that it exceeded the speed of sound. My 'machmeter' did not exceed 0.97."
