Supersonic bomber ejects bear, 1962

Archival footage from 1962 showing one of two tests in which the U.S. Air Force ejected live black bears from a B-58 Hustler strategic bomber travelling faster than the speed of sound. The purpose of the tests was to assess the suitability of an experimental escape pod, and black bears were chosen due to their anatomical similarities with humans. The bears were anesthetized and then ejected while the bomber was supersonic. The narrator in this video discusses the injury suffered by the bear, including pelvis fractures and whiplash, which would have been unbearable were the animal not sedated. The anesthetic allowed the bear to maintain is bearing and survive the test. Barely.

Read more