Bell Stamp: Postal service commemorates supersonic flight
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Bugs Bunny and Elvis might be more popular, but a commemorative stamp featuring the supersonic X-1 aircraft is a big hit in Mentone.
The town is all abuzz with the unveiling of a stamp honoring the 50th anniversary of the X-1, the first plane to break the sound barrier. The historical event of Oct. 14, 1947, can be traced to Mentone, home of aviation pioneer Lawrence Bell, who designed the aircraft.
The historic flight was made under secretive circumstances. Air Force Capt. Chuck Yeager piloted the plane, which reached a speed of 700 mph. The plane was carried aloft by a B-29 mother ship and X-1's engine was started after the plane was released.
News of the flight was not released until nearly two months later.
Mentone is serving as the second day cover location. The stamp was officially unveiled Tuesday at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The Mentone post office is celebrating the event by selling cachets featuring a caricature of Bell and the X-1 and a rubber stamp mark designed by Mentone's Jerry Hudson, a long-time supporter of the Bell Museum whose three sons are all involved in aviation.
Hudson said he's proud to be part of the commemorative event.
"I'm crazy about airplanes," said Hudson in explaining his interest in the event.
The post office set up a booth for the stamp and has hosted discussions about the stamp and Bell for numerous class groups since the unveiling Tuesday. On Saturday, Teel's Restaurant will host an open house featuring several speakers from 2 to 3 p.m.
Between 3,000 and 4,000 of the stamps have been sold since the unveiling, and the event has attracted a lot of attention, said postal clerk Diane Warren.
"It's been real good for the town," Warren said.
The Mentone post office will continue to sell the cachets for about a month.
The stamp is another memorable moment for the Bell Museum, which organized plans for the cachet, said Will Lawson, treasurer of the museum. Lawson spent Thursday at the post office providing information about Bell and the stamp.
Two years ago, the museum acquired a Bell helicopter and has occasionally brought Yeager to town for special events.
Ironically, the unveiling of the stamp occurred the same week the sound barrier was broken by an earth-bound vehicle.
Hudson said he's surprised they were able to develop tires that could withstand the high-speed event.
"They can do all that, send a man to the moon, go to other planets, but we can't figure out what to do with used tires," Hudson mused. [[In-content Ad]]
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Bugs Bunny and Elvis might be more popular, but a commemorative stamp featuring the supersonic X-1 aircraft is a big hit in Mentone.
The town is all abuzz with the unveiling of a stamp honoring the 50th anniversary of the X-1, the first plane to break the sound barrier. The historical event of Oct. 14, 1947, can be traced to Mentone, home of aviation pioneer Lawrence Bell, who designed the aircraft.
The historic flight was made under secretive circumstances. Air Force Capt. Chuck Yeager piloted the plane, which reached a speed of 700 mph. The plane was carried aloft by a B-29 mother ship and X-1's engine was started after the plane was released.
News of the flight was not released until nearly two months later.
Mentone is serving as the second day cover location. The stamp was officially unveiled Tuesday at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The Mentone post office is celebrating the event by selling cachets featuring a caricature of Bell and the X-1 and a rubber stamp mark designed by Mentone's Jerry Hudson, a long-time supporter of the Bell Museum whose three sons are all involved in aviation.
Hudson said he's proud to be part of the commemorative event.
"I'm crazy about airplanes," said Hudson in explaining his interest in the event.
The post office set up a booth for the stamp and has hosted discussions about the stamp and Bell for numerous class groups since the unveiling Tuesday. On Saturday, Teel's Restaurant will host an open house featuring several speakers from 2 to 3 p.m.
Between 3,000 and 4,000 of the stamps have been sold since the unveiling, and the event has attracted a lot of attention, said postal clerk Diane Warren.
"It's been real good for the town," Warren said.
The Mentone post office will continue to sell the cachets for about a month.
The stamp is another memorable moment for the Bell Museum, which organized plans for the cachet, said Will Lawson, treasurer of the museum. Lawson spent Thursday at the post office providing information about Bell and the stamp.
Two years ago, the museum acquired a Bell helicopter and has occasionally brought Yeager to town for special events.
Ironically, the unveiling of the stamp occurred the same week the sound barrier was broken by an earth-bound vehicle.
Hudson said he's surprised they were able to develop tires that could withstand the high-speed event.
"They can do all that, send a man to the moon, go to other planets, but we can't figure out what to do with used tires," Hudson mused. [[In-content Ad]]