On this day in history.

[scifan57]

October 14, 1947;

Captain Chuck Yeager becomes the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound when he piloted the Bell X-1 to 40,000 feet and 662 miles per hour, the speed of sound at that altitude.
Chuck Yeager - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

October 14, 1947;

Captain Chuck Yeager becomes the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound when he piloted the Bell X - 1 to 40,000 feet and 662 miles per hour, the speed of sound at that altitude.
Chuck Yeager - Wikipedia
View attachment 74312 View attachment 74313

Yeager and his colleagues were amazing in those early years of supersonic flight - my colleague and I back in the early '90s were fortunate to ride on a French Concorde twice, like the one shown below - the round trip flights were from JKF in New York to Paris and back. A little more about that plane below - over the ocean we flew at MACH 2.04 (1300+ mph) and were up there 60,000 ft - the food (and wine) were great. Dave

The Concorde is a British-French turbojet-powered supersonic passenger jet airliner that was operated until 2003. It had a maximum speed over twice the speed of sound at Mach 2.04 (1,354 mph or 2,180 km/h at cruise altitude), with seating for 92 to 128 passengers. First flown in 1969, Concorde entered service in 1976 and continued flying for the next 27 years. It is one of only two supersonic transports to have been operated commercially; the other is the Soviet-built Tupolev Tu-144, which was operated for a much shorter period (Source).

.

 

[J. A.]

October 17, 1891:
Vienna's Museum of Art History (Kunsthistorisches Museum) was opened.

Wikipedia
Kunsthistorisches Museum - Wikipedia

 

[scifan57]

October 18, 1867;

The United States takes formal possession of Alaska after purchasing it from Russia for 7.2 million dollars.
Alaska Purchase - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

October 18, 1867;

The United States takes formal possession of Alaska after purchasing it from Russia for 7.2 million dollars.
Alaska Purchase - Wikipedia

Known as Seward's Folly (USA Secretary of State at the time), but a great purchase! And probably one of the best accomplishments of the Andrew Johnson presidency - although consider to be from Tennessee (his adopted state), he was born in North Carolina. Dave
.

 

[giradman]

Phil Chess, Co-Founder of Chess Records, Died Today at 95!

My jazz & blues CD collection is probably a 1000 CDs or so in number (many more classical recordings), and includes discs of all of the blues artists listed below in the quote - dozens of these blues recordings that I own are on the Chess label - these two Polish-born brothers were pioneers. Dave

Phil Chess, who co-founded the legendary label Chess Records with his brother Leonard and helped make Chicago the epicenter of the blues, died Wednesday; he was 95. After a stint in the army, in 1950, Chess joined his brother Leonard – who purchased a stake of Aristocrat Records – in the music business. Their label was eventually renamed Chess Records. The Chess brothers' specialty was blues and R&B – "race music" as it was called at the time – with Chess Records signing legendary artists like Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Sonny Boy Williamson, Etta James, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James and Buddy Guy. The Chess brothers often served as producers for their artists' recordings (Source).

.

 

[scifan57]

October 22, 1805;

The British fleet under Admiral Nelson defeats the French at Trafalgar off the coast of Spain.
Battle of Trafalgar - Wikipedia

Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

October 22, 1805;

The British fleet under Admiral Nelson defeats the French at Trafalgar off the coast of Spain.
Battle of Trafalgar - Wikipedia
View attachment 74367
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson - Wikipedia

For those interested in the more 'personal side' of Horatio Nelson, then Emma Hamilton would be of interest - check the link; she was married to Sir William Hamilton, hence her name 'Lady Hamilton', and was Nelson's mistress - there is a 1941 film That Hamilton Woman, starring Laurence Olivier & Vivien Leigh - a beautiful couple in their youth and newlyweds (1940) - just 2 years out from her Scarlett role Gone w/ the Wind - a good film but certainly not a masterpiece; however, highly recommended for those interested in Horatio Nelson. Dave
.

 

[scifan57]

October 26, 1881;

The gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
On this day the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday face the Clanton - McLaury gang in the legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral - Wikipedia

 

[giradman]

October 26, 1881;

The gunfight at the O.K. Corral. On this day the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday face the Clanton - McLaury gang in the legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral - Wikipedia

BOY - that brings back some memories! Several decades ago, Susan & I were at a radiology meeting in Tucson, Arizona - took a day off and drove to Tombstone and Bisbee (see map) - in Tombstone, we had lunch and a beer in one of the 'saloons', took the stagecoach ride, visited the Corral & Boot Hill (next 4 pics); in Bisbee, our main adventure was the Queen Mine Tour - an old copper mine - had to dress up in a yellow outfit, wear a hard hat and carry a light (last pic).

As to the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, many films have been made over the years - I've seen most but just own the 1946 My Darling Clementine w/ Henry Fonda and Victor Mature; John Ford, director - have the Criterion BD, as shown. Dave
.

 

[giradman]

Well, the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Tombstone, and Wyatt Earp piqued my interest - just wondered about how many movies had been made on these topics over the decades - quoted below is a list of 8 films (helpful Source); I just own 2 of those films on BD - have also seen Tombstone and Wyatt Earp - both are available as blu-ray videos, but the restoration ratings have been mediocre (Source); now, I may have seen the Hour of the Gun, but not the others - the ratings at the end of end film are from IMDB. Dave

Addendum: Must also add the TV Series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp w/ Hugh O'Brian which aired from 1955 to 1961 - watched in my youth!

Doc (1971) w/ Harris Yulin & Stacy Keach - 6.1/10
Frontier Marshal (1939) w/ Randolph Scott & Cesar Romero - 6.8/10
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral* (1957) w/ Burt Lancaster & Kirk Douglas - 7.2/10
Hour of the Gun (1967) w/ James Garner & Jason Robards - 6.7/10
My Darling Clementine* (1946) w/ Henry Fonda & Victor Mature - 7.8/10
Tombstone (1993) w/ Kurt Russell & Val Kilmer - 6.6/10
Tombstone: Town Too Tough To Die (1942) w/ Richard Dix & Kent Taylor - 7.3/10
Wyatt Earp (1994) w/ Kevin Costner & Dennis Quaid - 6.6/10
* Own these on BD (blu-ray disc)

 

[scifan57]

Well, the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Tombstone, and Wyatt Earp piqued my interest - just wondered about how many movies had been made on these topics over the decades - quoted below is a list of 8 films (helpful Source); I just own 2 of those films on BD - have also seen Tombstone and Wyatt Earp - both are available as blu-ray videos, but the restoration ratings have been mediocre (Source); now, I may have seen the Hour of the Gun, but not the others - the ratings at the end of end film are from IMDB. Dave

Addendum: Must also add the TV Series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp w/ Hugh O'Brian which aired from 1955 to 1961 - watched in my youth!

The only one of those movies which I own is My Darling Clementine. I'll have to track down some of the others.

 

[giradman]

The only one of those movies which I own is My Darling Clementine. I'll have to track down some of the others.

Well, probably the best one IMHO; however, I'd like to see some of the others - just checked the TCM channel - several are available for purchase but none seem to be scheduled for showing - oh well! Dave

Doc - available for DVD purchase but not scheduled

Frontier Marshal - available for purchase but not scheduled

Hour of the Gun - not available for sale or scheduled

 

[twerppoet]

All of them except Tombstone: Town Too Tough To Die, and Frontier Marshal appear to be available to rent in iTunes.

 

[KevinJS]

Captain James Cook was born on 7th November 1728.

James Cook - Wikipedia