On October 14, 1947, the American pilot Chuck Yeager became the first to break the sound barrier on board the Bell X-1, an experimental rocket engine-powered aircraft.
Four years later, the MD 452 Mystère II became the first French aircraft to exceed Mach 1 in a dive maneuver, followed closely in 1952 by the Mystère IV, the first supersonic aircraft to be mass produced for the French Air Force. It was not until 1956 that the Mirage III became the first European aircraft to exceed Mach 2.
70 years later, with Rafale aircraft easily exceeding Mach 1.5, supersonic aircraft are widespread in the world of aviation and speed records are increasing.