Fizzicks (air pressure/volume)

:-)

Even modern planes tend to fall apart if you go faster than their rated speed for a given altitude.

Well, there will actually be some design *margin* on rated speed, because mow we can do the design calcs pretty well, what with the combination of fracture mechanics, FEA, and CFD.

For WW2 fighters, there weren't really any "rated speeds". As the power of the Merlin engine was increased and with better propellors, Spitfires and Mustangs could get into the "compressibility" regime in power dives. Some escaped with brown trousers. Many did not.

There have been cases where airliners have gone supersonic without falling apart. They usually crash though as they don't have supersonic control surfaces.

Some allegeldly went through the sound barrier and survived...biut there is no way to tell if that was true.

I know what it is. I know some of the problems it can cause (controls locking or even reversing are not unknown). I had hoped I was talking to someone who understood this stuff properly.

Andy