Word: fasters
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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Iran had become a plaything of the powers through an accident of geography: now it bounced the faster between them through an accident of geology. Iran...
Made of magnesium (aluminum proved too costly), the new, non-splintering, un-warpable slat travels a hot 10% faster than hickory on a 20° slope, is just as flexible. In its strength lies the new ski's lone weakness: so easily does magnesium glide over snow that herringboning or side stepping is likely to be a backsliding proposition. Once on the market (next year perhaps), the magnesium ski promises new records for the expert, extra pratfalls for the novice...
...daredevil, not-so-young Britons flew faster last week than men had ever flown before in level flight. At Herne Bay, England, a Gloster Meteor jet plane, piloted by Group Captain H. J. ("Willie") Wilson, 37, of the R.A.F. made four 70-mile runs at an average speed of 606 miles per hour.-In the same type of plane, Eric Greenwood, 38, of the Gloster Aircraft Co. flew nearly as fast. For a while Greenwood thought he had the record. When photographic timing showed him beaten, he was ready with the British sportsman's typical comment: "Really? Good...
Both pilots were taking risks: they flew at a dangerously low altitude, and 606 m.p.h. is well above the critical speed which has carried many a pilot to his death. Modern jet engines have plenty of power to push a plane still faster. But the properties of the air itself discourage highspeed flight...
...this point, a frightful thing can happen. The shock wave spoils the airflow over the wing, reducing its lift. The plane's nose drops. Faster & faster it dives. Louder screams the shock wave. The pilot struggles helplessly with the controls, but the tail surfaces do not respond normally. They cannot pull the nose up. Down to earth shoots the plane, with the screech of a siren...