How Chuck Yeager broke the Sound Barrier - The Complete Mission - KSP RSS/RO

[kurgut]

How Chuck Yeager broke the Sound Barrier - The Complete Mission - KSP RSS/RO

- XS-1 flight, October 14th 1947- 

 

Hi, I finally finished this project that kept me occupied for some days (weeks?  ), a full reproduction of the historic flight of the Bell XS-1, breaking the sound barrier, in RSS/RO : )

 

76 years ago, October 14th 1947, Chuck Yeager embarked on his Bell XS-1 "Glamorous Glennis", carried by a B-29 at Muroc airforce base. While having two broken ribs, he, the USAF and NACA marked history with this milestone, crucial in developing technologies and knowledge both for planes and manned space exploration.

Embark on the "Glamorous Glennis" with Chuck Yeager, for this historical ride above mach 1, breaking the sound barrier for the first time !

 

The whole mission was flown from the cockpit, but the video has some external views as well, some archives images and original crew conversations, but from X-1A flight (starting at 5:40, the rest is AI custom generated voices I created to add immersion and make the thing feel more alive).
This was definitely a challenging and fun mission to do, as well as learning a lot about the outstanding research and systems from that time !    Yeah I'm just in love with the old days analog era, true pioneers !
Any feedback appreciated     (best watched with headphones)

 

 Below the video, you'll find a mission report on how it was flown, recorded, many cool and interesting historical details with pictures, ressources, links, and mods used ! : )
 

 

Thanks for watching !

First some quick additional details about the video :

- As mentioned above, I used the audio archive from the X-1A flight (credit to Retro Space HD), and made the audio match the corresponding parts. After digging and digging, I coudln't find any audio from the 6062 flight, if anyone knows about it, I'd be very interested !

- The chase craft is inspired by a P-80, which I believe was the plane used for this (please confirm if you know : ) ). Turns out it in the end, it looks more like a f3D, but it's ok  The cockpit interior of the chase plane isn't historically accurate of course (that's a lazy bit from me).
- 5:15 : This is a mistake from me, I'm almost positive the purge fuel exhaust was placed near the engine section, facing rear, not on the belly like here.
- 6:14 : From what I red, when released, the mothership/X-1 assembly were slightly pitched down, to avoid stalling on the Bell upon drop. But as I had to record each scene multiple times, to get different angles, I resolved flying it horizontally instead, at the 20 000' drop altitude. This because I needed consistency between the different takes, to have the same background/altitude/angle, and make my life a tad more easy  

- 7:57 : As mentioned in the video, I'm using VOR (radio) navigation to return to Edwards. I don't know if Chuck did so too, does anybody know about this ? I'd guess he was flying VFR, but he also couldn't see much in this thing (actually much less than here, since this cockpit ingame can have its seat go up/down). Visibility was so poor, how could he fly and even land in that thing ^^

 

The how(s) (click pictures to enlarge)

- After setting up a KSP install where I could get acceptable frames with all those pretty mods (that was almost some sisyphus/impossible task for my config^^), I first built the craft files, then I needed to create a custom IVA for the B-29 cockpit (from Airplane Plus mod), in unity : before after below, I'll maybe release this as a mod at some point, or addional config for Warbirds cockpits mod, by @theonegalen . : )
I worked with reference images, so it's mostly accurate to the real B-29 cockpit.

I also tweaked both the X-1 IVA and P-80 chase IVA interiors. (both are from the great Warbird cockpits mod - The P-80 uses the Mk1 inline cockpit WB ASET IVA)

- Then I created a custom runway, that I made match the Edwards base one, using Kerbal Konstructs. First I flew the mission in one go, only from the cockpit, with B-29 mothership / Bell XS-1 assembly.
After that I recorded all the external shots.
- Finally, I needed to have views from the chase plane : that was the tricky (to say the least) bit  
I used two methods : firt I created another runway next to the main one, spawned the two crafts on each runway, and with the help of Physics Range Extender mod, I made them both take off at the same. Once in the air, I used Atmosphere Autipilot amazing cruise flight controller, to automatically control the B-29, while I was manually flying around with the chase plane.

Another solution I used, was simply, in the most kerbal fashion, to strap the P-80 on top of the B-29 assembly, making it a double mothership haha. And yes it could even fly ^^

- The last interesting and funny bob I'd like to mention is the "elevator" that Chuck used to get inside his X-1 cockpit midflight : for that I added a little elevator actuated by robotic parts. I would have the kerbal exit the B-29 cabin by the back. And EVA to the elevator to get in the cabin. Well, I forgot Kerbals on EVA can't walk on parts while under acceleration. This led to Chuck being slapped against a B-29 structural panel, "constrained" and unable to move with a wind of 200 MPH against his back.  

So change of plans, I redid the thing to be even a contrapti-er (?¿) contraption : I constructed another version of the craft, and put an external command seat on top of a spaghetti assembly of robotic parts that would take the kerbal from the start point, to the elevator, and down with it to the X-1 cabin. (Yeah as you noticed, I carefully hid this horrible thing as much as I could in the video^)

 

The History :

I'll add here some interesting facts that hooked my attention ("fascinated me" would be more accurate  )
- Two nights before the flight, Yeager broke two ribs when he fell from a horse. He was worried that the injury would remove him from the mission, and hid it from his superiors. On the day of the flight, Yeager was in such pain that he could not seal the X-1's hatch by himself. His pilot friend Jack Ridley, the only one he told about this, rigged up a device, using the end of a broom handle as an extra lever, to allow Yeager to seal the hatch.       Just imagine a Nasa test pilot doing the same thing today haha
- I find amazing that the mission report by Chuck Yeager himself, only consisted of a single printed typed page. I used this as the good reference for the flying ingame :

Spoiler

- Details on the XLR-11 rocket motor and its (very cool) cockpit controls :

Spoiler

At first, a version with a turbopump was made, but finally changed to a pressure fed one. This implied major redesign in the tank structures of the plane. And they were round tanks everywhere, to the last bit a cubic space available. They even had to change the nose shape, add some bump to make space for some nitrogen tanks  

The XLR-11 was running on a 75/25 alcohol/water and LOX mixture, his four chambers provided 6000 lbs (~27 kN). On the first image, the little pipe is what I believe to be the fuel drain exhaust valve. Achieving full range throttling on a rocket engine was very difficult (afaik impossible at this time), and yet the pilot needed to control his speed. So they hacked their way around it, and made each chamber so that they could be lit individually, using the panel switches [1], consisting of arming  swicthes and igniters to set the fuel ready. The pilot could select individual chambers, with the switch on the coolest yoke ever made.  [2]

- For Science !

Spoiler

With this already little space available, they still needed to somehow put in some scientific payload and measure instruments, kerbals would be disapointed if not !
Between others : pedal force, stick and wheels control boxes and XMTers,  timer, rate of turn recorder, angle of yaw XMTer, recording galvonometer (ec current), thermometer (finally a real kerbal science!), airspeed, altitude, and a box of oscillograph recorders [right picture].  FEW ! 
Later flights like X-1A included a 4 FPS camera as well. To give you a little idea, the left wing alone had more than 200 pressure sensors and their plumbing installed in it...

- The essential Mach meter :

Spoiler

It is quite ironical, that the XS-1 6062 that broke the sound barrier, had a Mach meter that scaled only to Mach 1, thus being impossible for the pilot to know at which speed he was going above that...^^
It was a mechanical analog instrument, that used a pair of aneroïds and clever linkage to display indicated Mach only, not corrected for temperature. On this flight, the official speed was calculated by ground radar tracking.
There is no remains of the original instrument, and this beautiful drawing by aviation artist Jean-Luc Beghin is the most accurate rendition of it (I'm not sure the one on the left is from XS-1 6062):

- The crucial stabilizer :

Spoiler

At speeds nearing mach 1, planes could encounter the compressibility phenomenon : the shock wave from the main wings would disrupt or make the rear elevator/stabilizer inoperable, leading to instability or even total loss of control. To remedy this, they came up for the first time with an all-moving stabilizer assembly. Its operation and settings were critical, as you can see in the below reproduced checklist, or in Chuck's mission log (posted above) :

- Finally, a random collection of bits and bobs  

Spoiler

- The idea of a research program on supersonic flight started all the way back in 1933.

- Busting the sound barrier wasn't the goal per se, filling in it the unkown gap was.
- There were no wind tunnels, or not good enough at the time to test any of this. "Test pilot" job had a slight different meaning back then...^^
- So the engineers came for a shape designed after the .50 BMG machine gun round, one of the very few object that was known to have stable and predictable trajectories at supersonic speeds at that time...

- Since there was this "unkown", the plane was built with a high 18G tollerance, as nobody really knew what could happen, so they prepared for the "worst".

- The skins of the wings were manufactured from solid billets, and half inch thick at the root.
- Jet engines weren't powerful at that time, hence why they used a rocket engine instead.

- Now, please look at the top class confort of the X-1 cabin : (yes, there's actually no real seat...)

- In case of an emergency, the canopy couldn't be opened as it was fixed, the pilot would have to bail out from the side hatch... But pilots agreed that estimated survival would be quite low, giving that the pilot would most likely hit the wing or tail behind..... Hopefully this never happened  

 

- Ressources :

Spoiler

- Pelletier.A.J (1992). Bell Aircraft Since 1935.
- Winchester. J. (2005). Concept Aircraft, Prototypes, X-Planes, and Experimental Aircraft.
- Miller.J (2001) The X-Planes: X-1 to X-45.
- “Sound Barrier, The Rocky Road to MACH 1.0+”, by Peter Caygill

- Chuck Yeager XS-1 mission log : X1Log.gif (576×733) (chuckyeager.com)
- The incredible illustrations of the XS-1 cockpit, by Jean-Luc Beghin : Jean-Luc Beghin, affiches de l'aviation, USAAF, Bell X-1, Skyrocket, Goodlin, Chuck Yeager

- Air Force supersonic research ariplane XS-1 : report N°1 - January 9 1948

- NASA first 50 years perspective

- https://www.chuckyeager.com/
- Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis - Smithonian Institution

- Recommended videos about the X-1 :

Spoiler

X1-A Mach 2.44 record  : Chuck Yeager X-1A Mach 2.44 Record and Incident - Audio & Footage (1953-12-12)
Exceptional video explaining the "insides" of the X-1 : How This Illustration Fueled My Obsession With the Bell X-1
Documentary (1997) : Bell X-1: Breaking the Sound Barrier - Documentary (1997)

Edwards base's channel video : Meeting the Challenge of MACH I

Stock footage : Chuck Yeager taking X-1 Supersonic | Stock Footage

[french] A la poursuite du Mur du Son - documentaire : ✈️ A la poursuite du Mur du Son - documentaire

Must watch film : The Right Stuff

- Mods used in the video :

Spoiler

RSS-Reborn (Ballistic Fox's Patreon)
Realism Overhaul suite
Blackrack volumetrics (Patreon)
Map the Earth (the high res terrain)
Airplane plus (some B29 and X-1 parts)
ASET / RPM / MAS / FreeIVA / Through the Eyes
Custom made IVA for the B-29
Warbird cockpit IVA for the X-1 and P-80, with edits
Kerbal historical heads and suits
Other usual stuff

 

Thanks for watching and reading !  
And happy new year !

Edited January 3 by kurgut

[theonegalen]

Your Superfortress cockpit is fantastic! I did about 1/10th of it when I burned out. I took so many pictures of the cockpit of B-29 "Doc" when I went onboard her a few years back! I also got my fingertips on Glamorous Glennis herself back in July (don't tell the Smithsonian)!

Really enjoyed the video!

Edited January 13 by theonegalen

[kurgut]

6 hours ago, theonegalen said:

Your Superfortress cockpit is fantastic!

Thank you !

6 hours ago, theonegalen said:

I took so many pictures of [...] "Doc" when I went onboard her a few years back! I also got my fingertips on Glamorous Glennis herself back in July [...]!

Ooooh how lucky is that !!  What a chance you had !

6 hours ago, theonegalen said:

(don't tell the Smithsonian)

I won't  

Are you working on some IVA projects these days ? I used mainly warbird props for the B-29, so the easiest to make it available to people would be probably pulling to warbird's C., if not I'd have to do plenty restructuring to make that thing standalone, and I think it better fits in WC, and also have others projects cooking so...  

Tell me what you think about this !  

Cheers

Edit : Of course, the B-29 cockpit could be modified too, giving you have Doc's pics haha. Oh, and I started creating a custom Bell XS-1 yoke, based on the original, but my blender skills are small, but slowly growing, didn't have enough time to put it in the video, but I'd like to tackle this when I have some time again...!

Edited January 13 by kurgut

[TheSpaceDinos4037]

On 1/3/2024 at 8:04 AM, kurgut said:

Well, I forgot Kerbals on EVA can't walk on parts while under acceleration. This led to Chuck being slapped against a B-29 structural panel, "constrained" and unable to move with a wind of 200 MPH against his back.  

Yikes! Would've loved to see a video of this lmao