San Diego, California USA — The San Diego Air and Space Museum’s Bell X-1 project was begun about 15 months ago and is coming along quite nicely. It will be finished as “Glamorous Glennis,” the aircraft flown by Chuck Yeager to first break the sound barrier.
The full scale replica is of all aluminum in construction and features much of the same style construction as the original.
The museum staff only had access to rudimentary plans as drawn by Bell, but they have been able to create a duplicate of original in appearance, if not in performance.
The X-1 will not be fitted with engines, although exhaust nozzles have been fabricated to give it a look identical to the originals. In addition, the windscreen has been shaped to allow a bit of a glance inside as the aircraft will be hung overhead in the museum’s entrance rotunda.
The museum anticipates sending it out for paint in about a month and if all goes as planned they should have it back and prepare it for hanging in mid-March of this year.
Special thanks to Terry Brennan, Curator/Director of Restorations at the San Diego Air and Space Museum.
Click on any image below to see a larger view.
