Page 7 - Aerotech News and Review 9-4-15

High Desert Hangar Stories with Bob Alvis

Special to Aerotech News International!
The rules stated that the aircraft had to take off and land
Mach 1: the story has been told thousands of times of
Chuck Yeager and that special day over Muroc, when the under its own power and that it could not do it in a dive.
¿UVWVRQLFERRPVUDWWOHGZLQGRZV George Welch did take off and land under his own power but
the speed run was in a dive and Captain Yeager was slung
But sitting in church this morning, I looked over to a under the belly of the B-29.
lady and her son who have a different take on that historical
achievement. Now Rusty was involved in a Republic project with the
XF-91 and on Dec. 9, 1952, Rusty took off under his own
Dorothy Roth’s husband and John’s dad started out his power from Edwards, climbed to 35,000 feet, leveled off and
À\LQJFDUHHULQ1HEUDVNDZKHQ:RUOG:DU,,EURNHRXW+H with a turbojet for primary power plus an auxiliary rocket,
signed up to become a pilot in the Army Air Corps. I wonder broke the sound barrier without much fanfare by the rules!
if he ever knew how the winds of fate would guide him to a
date with destiny in the skies over the Antelope Valley and 6RLQWKHZRUOGRIUHFRUGV²QRW¿UVWV²5XVW\5RWK
that magic Mach number. ended up with the prize!

5XVVHOO³5XVW\´5RWKÀHZFRPEDWPLVVLRQVLQWKH6RXWK Does this change the way we look at history? No, that has
3DFL¿FLQKLV3/LJKWQLQJKHQDPHG³+DOI3LQW´6HUYLQJ been written and it’s well-entrenched in the history books
with the 80th Fighter Group, he became a very successful and our national pride, and this little story is not to take away
and skilled pilot. After the war was over, he continued to from anybody and their achievements.
À\DQGIRXQGKLPVHOIDWWKH7HVW3LORW6FKRRODW(GZDUGV
Air Force Base in the late 1940s. It didn’t take long until he But I hope it brings to light the pride of the Roth family.
caught the eye of Republic Aviation and they hired him to John and his brother Dan were both career Edwards guys and
À\WKHLUODWHVW³DYLDWLRQFUHDWLRQV´ Rusty’s grandson who is named after Rusty is now working
at Edwards also! The history books and Rusty’s life in avia-
The race for Mach 1 between Bell and North American tion only go as far as when Republic Aviation told Rusty that
was in full swing — Chuck Yeager, George “Wheaties” RQKLVWKELUWKGD\KLVÀ\LQJGD\VZHUHRYHU+HZDONHG
Welch and the manufacturers had a full-court press going away and, of all things, got his real-estate license and sold
WREHWKH¿UVW houses to pilots in the Antelope Valley running a local realty
company.
The day came and Chuck Yeager captured the prize as the
¿UVWPDQWRSDVVWKHPDJLFQXPEHURI0DFK%XWVRPHVD\ So there you have it: another one of those stories that
that that on the same day, George Welch pushed past that only a few know … looking at Dorothy in church, I just
number in his North American built F-86! Nothing like a wonder what the conversation was like the evening of Dec.
little competition between pilots and manufacturers to fuel 9, 1952, when Rusty walked in the door:
WKHVSLULWRISULGHLQEHLQJ¿UVWZKHQLWFDPHWRDGYDQFH-
ments in aviation! “Honey, I’m home!” “Did you do anything special at
work today?”
6RZKHUHGRHV5XVW\¿WLQWRWKLVVWRU\"
Well, Chuck did end up with the prize, but under condi- ³1RWUHDOO\MXVWÀHZDMHWUHDOO\IDVWDQGPD\EHVHWD
tions that are not recognized by the Federation Aeronautique world record, now what’s for dinner?” Got to love the quiet
ones!

Bob out until next time, so carry on …

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September 3, 2015 Aerotech News and Review 7

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