uniladtech homepage
  • News
    • Tech News
    • AI
  • Gadgets
    • Apple
    • iPhone
  • Gaming
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
  • Science
    • News
    • Space
  • Streaming
    • Netflix
  • Vehicles
    • Car News
  • Social Media
    • WhatsApp
    • YouTube
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
TikTok
Snapchat
WhatsApp
Submit Your Content
The only photograph ever taken of Concorde flying at supersonic speed is blowing people's minds

Home> Vehicles> Plane news

Published 12:01 13 Mar 2024 GMT

The only photograph ever taken of Concorde flying at supersonic speed is blowing people's minds

The Concorde might be flying at supersonic speed, but it looks remarkably serene in this image.

Prudence Wade

Prudence Wade

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover
Featured Image Credit: Adrian Meredith/ Rolls-Royce Archive / Contributor / Getty
World News

Advert

Advert

Advert

The Concorde remains one of the most iconic planes ever - it's instantly recognizable to so many people, even though it was retired over 20 years ago.

That means loads of us never even came close to flying a working Concorde and never will, but that hasn't stopped its legacy from spreading.

A post on Reddit in late 2022 really struck a chord, showing what is apparently 'the only photo ever taken of Concorde flying at Mach 2 (2172km/h), taken from an RAF Tornado'.

This means the plane is flying well above the speed of sound, and despite this incredible supersonic velocity, the photo is extremely serene, with the curvature of the planet even visible behind the Concorde itself.

The fact that the photo was taken from a fighter jet flying alongside the plane only adds to its sense of majesty and mystique.

Advert

And people commenting on the post were as amazed as you would expect.

One popular response said: "It continues to blow my mind that we had faster commercial flights in the 80s than we do now. I understand the reason to retire them, but wild that we just didn’t try and improve the tech."

This is pretty accurate, too - the Concorde was around for quite a long time, and no commercial flight has come close to matching its speeds since it retired, although a fatal crash in France was the obvious cause for the end of its service.

As responses to that comment pointed out, though, it was a pretty expensive and inefficient way to fly, consuming a lot more fuel than slower planes did making the same journey.

aviation-images.com / Contributor / Getty
aviation-images.com / Contributor / Getty

Another response from a user had some wishful thinking that many people would probably agree with - "I wish they kept one flying for heritage purposes. Even just for a few flights a year, so sad."

This is a really nice idea, but the reality is that the insurance and upkeep costs for this sort of project are probably why it doesn't already exist somewhere, so chances to actually fly on a Concorde remain slim to none.

Another comment, though, summed up some of that impressive Concorde glitz, observing: "The real marvel of this aircraft was that there are a hundred people sipping champagne and eating caviar in there, sat in comfy leather seats and with great big smiles on their faces. All travelling at the speed of a rifle bullet." We can't disagree - it sounds like it was a heck of a ride.

Choose your content:

13 hours ago
5 days ago
18 days ago
19 days ago
  • Bob Sacha via Getty
    13 hours ago

    Chinese national arrested at JFK after allegedly photographing US military's 'doomsday plane'

    21-year-old Tianrui Liang was arrested while trying to board an international flight

    Vehicles
  • Jeff Greenberg / Contributor / Getty
    5 days ago

    Holidaymakers warned that their next vacation could be about to cost a lot more

    Plane passengers are told to book their tickets before prices go up even more

    Vehicles
  • Facebook/Ministry of Defence, Singapore
    18 days ago

    Airport with 200,000 passengers a day scrambles to deal with unexploded World War II bomb

    The unexploded ordinance was discovered during construction works

    Vehicles
  • RONALDO SCHEMIDT / Contributor / Getty
    19 days ago

    Millions of Americans face highest gas price since 2022 with three states above $5

    Prices are increased as a consequence of the Iran war

    Vehicles
  • Divers make shocking discovery at the bottom of the mysterious Great Blue Hole
  • YouTuber faces up to 10 years in prison after video shows woman shooting fireworks out of helicopter at a Lamborghini