Johnnie, you might as well list all you have on here.. before this turns into a post of just “me too”..

There was a sectioned Napier Sabre at Dx.. presume its still on display.?!

The only one i can think of was Robs Lamploughs Merlin engined Hispano version, which was around for a short time in the late seventies/early eighties.?

As i recall it ground looped and came to grief at Biggin Hill, and was not repaired by said operator.

Yes, the XP-86 did it (in a dive) on 26 April 1948 – this is an officially recognised record, not the rumoured George Welch flight before Yeager’s.

Ahh.. thanks for that. I never knew about this, and always assumed that John Derry was the first recognised pilot to break the sound barrier in an actual aeroplane.

OK going off thread a little here so appologies, and this may drum up some heated debate, but in MY opinion the first man to break the sound barrier in a true aeroplane was John Derry, De havilland 108’Swallow’, Sept 1948.

Why? Well firstly the aeroplane (not manned rocket) took off, went through the sound barrier, and landed, all under its own power. There was no assisted take off ala B29 mother ship.

The Bell X-1 was essentially a rocket powered manned missile with pilot induced controls. It did not take off on its own, nor did it land under controlled power.

Chuck Yeager (indeed a fine aviator) was the first man to officially break the sound barrier and live, BUT i don’t believe it can be said that it was achieved in an aeroplane..

It has never ceased to amaze me how little fuss and celebration was made of John Derry’s history making flight.. only the british could be so underwhelmed and unimpressed by such a significant achievement..!

Judgeing by the pics i have seen it would appear that the secureing straps used by the transport company/driver were tightened down directly onto the airframe, without use of any suitable packing material or padding between the two.
As an ex lorry driver i find it unbelievable that the driver deemed this as a satisfactory way of secureing a load, especially a historical load. Ratchet straps are very secure but very unforgiveing when tightened down.. something that should be remembered by anyone thinking of transporting items that can be compressed.!