High Speed Flight : Part 1 - Approaching the Speed of Sound

This film explores subsonic flight up to the critical Mach number, where local velocities first reach the speed of sound. It begins with the physics of sound propagation, moving on to how shock waves are formed and, finally, how aircraft design has evolved to reduce or delay these effects.
The production makes extensive use of graphics and video taken from wind tunnel experiments and full-scale flight tests. Filming in both black and white and colour, with the latter providing detailed imagery of the formation of shock waves and shock induced flow separation.
The film shows how differing design approaches have been employed to improve aircraft performance in the high, subsonic speed regime. These designs are illustrated and explained with in-flight footage of many famous aircraft types including the Handley Page Victor, Avro Vulcan, de Havilland Comet, Hawker Hunter and several research aircraft.
This is part 1 of a trilogy of films that explore the aerodynamics of high-speed flight. Lasting for 26-minutes, it is a Shell Film Unit educational colour film directed by Peter de Normanville and photographed by Sidney Beadle.
The Royal Aeronautical Society has received the permissions for sharing these videos by Shell International Limited. For use of videos for non-commercial purposes credit the Royal Aeronautical Society with the respective company. For commercial use and for further information on each videos copyright, contact: [e-mail]

[@supertrucky6695]

These older videos explaining physics/mechanical systems are the absolute best and simplest videos I think ever.

[@Flipflop324]

It's more than a bit strange to have a Beverley as the thumbnail for a video about high speed flight....

[@stephenhicks826]

Loved this film which featured some beautiful aircraft.

[@muqenihad9381]

Amazing

[@javiergilvidal1558]

The "Supercar" TV puppet series nicked this video's introduction for their opening!