temperatures and a different aircraft,
Barns ran the four required laps
at 720.574mph (1,159.6km/h),
710.514mph (1,143.4km/h),
721.351mph (1,160.9km/h) and
710.350mph (1,143.1km/h), for
an average speed of 715.697mph
(1,151.8km/h) Barns noted that
an east wind made flying at low
altitudes “rather turbulent”.
With his efforts on July 16, Barns
became the only pilot to set two
speed records on the same day. His
efforts marked the third consecutive
official speed record established by
production models of USAF Sabres.
After he once more was safely
on the ground, Barns faced
journalists from the
Wall Street Journal. In a
matter-of-fact manner,
he opined: “The opportunity to
break a record is a very exciting
occurrence. Just like any other pilot
who works with an airplane, I was
truly eager [to make the attempt].”
Asked how long his recordThe first run was at 720.894mph
(1,160.1km/h); the second at
705.45mph (1,135.3km/h),
the third at 721.364mph
(1,160.9km/h), and the final
run reached 706.624mph
(1,137.2km/h). His average speed of
713.584mph (1,148.4km/h) easily
beat Nash’s previous record.
Marylou stood among the
spectators in the blazing sun,
“clutching a handkerchief as she
nervously watched each pass”. The
New York Times described what she
must have felt as the Sabre rocketed
overhead at an altitude of less than
100ft — “a silver streak with a tail of
roaring sound”.
The film of Barns’s record-setting
flight shows 51-6112 traversing the
course almost too fast for the eye
to register. The Los Angeles Times
described it as a: “flashing silver
bullet”.
Careful preparations eliminated
any questions about the accuracy
of the measurements. Two T-28
trainers, equipped with barographs,
verified that each run was under
the required altitude. Numerous
automatic cameras such as the Speed
Graphic Pacemaker monitored his
speed, along with Polaroid Land
Backs using self-developing film, and
an electronic counter-chronograph.
North American Aviation
representatives, Charles S Williams
and Andrew Neff Logsden King,
provided the official notification of
the record-setting speed.Around again
After Barns landed at El Centro,
the team at North American
decided to better the record in a
second aircraft, F-86D-35-NA
51-6145. After a hiatus of only 12
minutes, Barns began a new record
attempt. A strong easterly wind
postponed the attempt for a
few moments, before Barns
flew the course eight times in air
that had reached 104°F.
After his last trip, the attending
experts analysed the data and
quickly released the results. With
favourable winds, higher airtemperatures and a different aircraft, temperatures and a different aircraft,
Barns ran the four required laps
at 720.574mph (1,159.6km/h),100ft — “a silver streak with a tail of
automatic cameras such as the Speed automatic cameras such as the Speed
Graphic Pacemaker monitored his
speed, along with Polaroid LandFar left
Bill Barns after his
fi rst four runs in F-86D
51-6112 on July 16,- USAF
Left
A jubilant Marylou
Barns, after watching
her husband Bill break
the speed record, at
Salton Sea on July 16,- USAF
Below left
A North American
publicity poster about
the world speed
record. BART VAN DAMME
ARCHIVEBelow
The F-86D streaking
past a smoke marker
at Salton Sea. USAFFebruary 2018 FLYPAST 111