Days before becoming the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound, Yeager, a US Air Force test pilot, broke two ribs riding a horse. Afraid of being taken off the mission, he kept his injury a secret, even though it limited his movement so much that he had to reach with a broom handle to close the hatch on the X-1 experimental aircraft. Launched mid-air from a modified bomber, the X-1 broke the sound barrier, and Yeager became a legend. How fast was he flying when he went supersonic? Discuss (http://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst29974_Cornerstone-of-the-White-House-Is-Laid-in-Washington--DC--1792-.aspx)
Free Dictionary Encyclopedia