The Right Stuff Chuck Yeager NF-104- Flight of Icarus

[vomit49894]

I read some stuff about this, just recently. The person who was trying to explain to Chuck about the dynamics of flying in space, was pretty much ignored....Chuck figured it was like any normal flight (it wasn't) and that led to him crashing! 

[skatepunkzero]

@vomit49894 I heard Chuck has always had a big ego, so that is probably true.

[Tesla557]

From what I've read, they were trying to set the altitiude record. The plane was equipped with rocket engines and thrusters. As the plane reached apogee, Yeager would use the front thrusters to push the nose down and keep air moving through the jet engines to keep the turbines spinning so he could maintain hydraulic pressure to keep the flight controls (which are operated by the hydraulics) operational. The first attempt worked ok, but the second attempt the thrusters couldn't get the nose down.

[black10872]

if any air force pilot takes a multimillion dollar aircraft without clearance and crashes the damn thing. he or she can kiss there career goodbye.

[mojofuel62]

@black10872 Apparently not when you're Yeager.

[vomit49894]

@black10872 Unless you are Yeager!

[kelly64d]

1 person doesent have the right stuff.

[usafvet100]

Yeager didn't just swipe this Starfighter off the flight line. It was part of an Air Force project to set the altitude record. The plane was equipped with rocket engines and thrusters like the ones used on spacecraft. Yeager found himself in a spot where there was too much air for the thrusters and not enough for the control surfaces. Those stubby wings were no good for spin recovery. A piece of ejection seat propellant got in his helmet and badly burned his face.

[jatroup12]

"He must have clearance, right?"

"Yeah, sure, he must, it's here someplace."

ROTFL!!!

[Thraikios]

what's the music played at 0:23 ?

[skatepunkzero]

@Thraikios music form the Right Stuff Soundtrack I don't know what it is

[kade6]

greatest scene and music ever

[Tenac1ous]

Scene is fucking incredible.

[skatepunkzero]

@Tenac1ous It is, I thought the music fight perfectly

[vomit49894]

@skatepunkzero Me too!

[tsburn]

Perfect!



[skatepunkzero]

@tsburn Thanks, I thought it fit perfectly

[usmctanks1]

Great video clip, in actual fact, he flew the modified F104 the day before (it was modified to test near space conditions, and was fitted with hydrogen peroxide thrusters to control it in the upper atmosphere (i.e. space) as a test. It worked great that day, however the next day he was unable to get "above" the heavier (more oxygen rich) air, and the jets just squired fluid, causing the stall, and the crash, which is depicted in this video.

[skatepunkzero]

@usmctanks1 I never new he flew it once before this flight

[vomit49894]

@usmctanks1 This is true!