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Old Man with a Hat
The world's first supersonic airliner was NOT the Concorde.
It wasn't even the Tupolev Tu-144.
Believe it or not, it was the Douglas DC-8!
On August 21, 1961, a Douglas DC‑8‑43 destined for Canadian Pacific Air Lines became the first jet airliner to fly faster than the speed of sound. The aircraft, registered N9604Z, was flown by a Douglas Aircraft Company test crew over Edwards Air Force Base, California, during a planned high‑speed evaluation. In a controlled dive beginning from just above 50,000 feet, the jet reached Mach 1.012, a true airspeed of about 662.5 miles per hour (1,066.8 kilometers per hour), as it passed through 39,614 feet. The DC‑8 remained supersonic for approximately 16 seconds before the crew recovered to level flight without any structural damage.
The flight was part of a series of certification and research trials to gather aerodynamic and performance data for the DC‑8 series, particularly in connection with a new wing leading edge design. The airframe was the same as the standard production model apart from these leading edge modifications, proving the robustness of the design. Edwards Air Force Base was chosen for the testing because of its large restricted airspace and its long history of hosting advanced high‑speed research. United States Air Force chase planes, including an F‑104 Starfighter reportedly flown by Chuck Yeager, accompanied the DC‑8 to help monitor and record the event.
At the altitude flown, the local speed of sound was estimated to be around 660 to 670 miles per hour. The DC‑8 exceeded this by a small margin, yet the achievement was historic. The record did not lead to supersonic passenger service since cruising beyond Mach 1 in an aircraft designed for subsonic speeds was not practical due to fuel consumption, shock wave drag, and stress on the airframe. However, the flight demonstrated that a conventional transport aircraft could briefly enter and exit supersonic speed without sustaining damage.
Later airliners such as the Concorde and Tupolev Tu‑144 would cruise beyond Mach 1 in regular service, but the DC‑8’s achievement remains unique in civil aviation history.
It wasn't even the Tupolev Tu-144.
Believe it or not, it was the Douglas DC-8!
On August 21, 1961, a Douglas DC‑8‑43 destined for Canadian Pacific Air Lines became the first jet airliner to fly faster than the speed of sound. The aircraft, registered N9604Z, was flown by a Douglas Aircraft Company test crew over Edwards Air Force Base, California, during a planned high‑speed evaluation. In a controlled dive beginning from just above 50,000 feet, the jet reached Mach 1.012, a true airspeed of about 662.5 miles per hour (1,066.8 kilometers per hour), as it passed through 39,614 feet. The DC‑8 remained supersonic for approximately 16 seconds before the crew recovered to level flight without any structural damage.
The flight was part of a series of certification and research trials to gather aerodynamic and performance data for the DC‑8 series, particularly in connection with a new wing leading edge design. The airframe was the same as the standard production model apart from these leading edge modifications, proving the robustness of the design. Edwards Air Force Base was chosen for the testing because of its large restricted airspace and its long history of hosting advanced high‑speed research. United States Air Force chase planes, including an F‑104 Starfighter reportedly flown by Chuck Yeager, accompanied the DC‑8 to help monitor and record the event.
At the altitude flown, the local speed of sound was estimated to be around 660 to 670 miles per hour. The DC‑8 exceeded this by a small margin, yet the achievement was historic. The record did not lead to supersonic passenger service since cruising beyond Mach 1 in an aircraft designed for subsonic speeds was not practical due to fuel consumption, shock wave drag, and stress on the airframe. However, the flight demonstrated that a conventional transport aircraft could briefly enter and exit supersonic speed without sustaining damage.
Later airliners such as the Concorde and Tupolev Tu‑144 would cruise beyond Mach 1 in regular service, but the DC‑8’s achievement remains unique in civil aviation history.
