Jets Speed Over SoCal To Commemorate Supersonic Flight Anniversary

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The U.S. Air Force flew four jets over several Southland communities Friday afternoon to commemorate the 70th anniversary of supersonic flight.

Between noon and 1 p.m., the Air Force flew an F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, an F-22 Raptor and an F-35 Lightning II out of Edwards Air Force Base. The planes passed over Pasadena, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Huntington Beach and Bakersfield, Edwards AFB said.

The jets flew over dozens of schools as well. For the majority of their flight, the jets were at an altitudes of around 1,000 feet.

The flights did not include sonic booms.

On October 14, 1947, test pilot Charles E. Yeager, an Air Force captain, became the first person to break the sound barrier in flight.