ANSWERS: 4
  • I may be mistaken and have fallen for an old movie, but the sound barrier was at least approached by diving spitfires in ww2. The shockwave made them uncontrollable because the wing shape etc was incompetent for supersonic flight, and many pilots died because the controls become immovable.
  • Not in level flight, no. The shock wave building in front of the propeller prevents it from breaking through the sound barrier.
  • Certainly the P-47, possibly the P-38. Almost certainly the Focke-Wulf FW-190D and TA-152.
  • NO. In level flight a propeller driven airplane can't exceed the sound barrier. The problem is basic physics. When the props tip reaches the angular velocity of sound it hits a brick wall in forward velocity. Can't do both at the same time.

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