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Official "On This Day In Aviation History" Thread


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April 9, 1957

The KB-50J, jet-augmented tanker, made its first flight.

USAF Museum KB-50J Fact Page

April 9, 1960

The giant Tupolev Tu-114 Rossiya sets a new world speed record for propeller-driven airplanes of 545.07 mph. It was carrying a 55,116-pound payload at the time and flew around an official 3,107-mile closed circuit in the USSR.

Wikipedia's Tu-114 History

April 9, 1997

Rollout of the Lockheed-Martin-Boeing F-22 Raptor stealth air superiority fighter designed to secure air dominance for the United States in the 21st century.

Wikipedia's F-22 Raptor History

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April 10, 1926

Lindbergh becomes chief pilot for Robertson Aircraft Corp, flying a Saint Louis to Chicago mail route.

April 10, 1959

Northrop's YT-38 Talon prototype, a replacement for the T-33 training jet, flew its first flight at Edwards AFB, California.

Wikipedia's T-38 Talon History

April 10, 1975

The B-1 Lancer aircraft attains supersonic flight speed for the first time.

Prime Portal B-1B Walkaround

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April 11, 1942

The Curtiss-Wright Company unveiled its first production C-46 Commando.

Wikipedia's C-46 Commando History

April 11, 1957

The Ryan X-13 Vertijet showed its ability to takeoff vertically, transition to conventional flight, and return to hovering for the first time.

Wikipedia's X-13 History

In a different language, but the footage is great.

April 11, 1957

North American Aviation is issued a preliminary contract to build prototypes of the XF-108 long-range interceptor aircraft for the USAF.

Wikipedia's XF-108 Rapier History

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April 12, 1950

Lorne Welch completes the first glider (sailplane) crossing of the English Channel.

Wikipedia's Lorne Welch Biography

April 12, 1966

U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command B-52s hit targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) for the first time.

April 12, 1981

The Space shuttle Columbia takes off. It marks the first time an American Space Shuttle flies operationally. It lands two days later.

April 12, 1988

The first F-16C/D Fighting Falcon is delivered to Luke AFB, Arizona.

Wikipedia's F-16 History

Prime Portal F-16C Walkaround

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April 13, 1925

The first regular U.S. air-freight service is initiated by Henry Ford, linking Detroit and Chicago.

April 13, 1960

Maj. R.M. White became the first U.S. Air Force pilot to fly the X-15 rocket research aircraft.

April 13, 1990

First flight Sukhoi Su-27IB.

April 13, 1992

A KC-135 delivered 22,000 pounds of fuel to the C-17 test aircraft to demonstrate the new airlifter's ability to be refueled while airborne.

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April 14, 1943

A P-47 Thunderbolt shot down an enemy aircraft, the first kill over Europe. The aircraft was assigned to the 4th Fighter Group at Seymour-Johnson AFB, South Carolina.

April 14, 1947

First flight of the number one Douglas Skystreak (D-558-1) at Muroc Army Airfield (later renamed Edwards Air Force Base) in California, Eugene F. May the pilot.

April 14, 2000

Through April 15, the Global Hawk UAV set a new unofficial record for its weight class by completing a 31.5-hour endurance mission.

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I'm glad folks are digging it.

Since I started my new job it's been tough to find the time to research the little extras I put with each fact. Hopefully just the facts are still okay.

It has been a pleasure for me to do it.

April 15, 1945

First flight XP-82 Twin Mustang. (Some historians state that the first flight took place on July 6).

Wikipedia's F-82 Twin Mustang History

April 15, 1952

First flight YB-52, eight-jet Stratofortress prototype, the first all-jet intercontinental heavy bomber.

April 15, 1959

Capt. George A. Edwards Jr. set a new speed record of 816.279 mph in a F-101 Voodoo.

Prime Portal F-101 Voodoo Walkaround

Edited by B-1 Nut
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April 16, 1941

Igor I. Sikorsky impressively demonstrates the capabilities of his VS-300 helicopter by hovering virtually motionless over Stratford (Connecticut) Airport for one hour, and five minutes.

April 16, 1949

First flight YF-94 Starfire.

April 16, 1956

Lockheed unveiled its F-104A Starfighter at Palmdale, California.

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April 16, 1941

Igor I. Sikorsky impressively demonstrates the capabilities of his VS-300 helicopter by hovering virtually motionless over Stratford (Connecticut) Airport for one hour, and five minutes.

April 16, 1949

First flight YF-94 Starfire.

April 16, 1956

Lockheed unveiled its F-104A Starfighter at Palmdale, California.

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April 16, 1941

Igor I. Sikorsky impressively demonstrates the capabilities of his VS-300 helicopter by hovering virtually motionless over Stratford (Connecticut) Airport for one hour, and five minutes.

April 16, 1949

First flight YF-94 Starfire.

April 16, 1956

Lockheed unveiled its F-104A Starfighter at Palmdale, California.

Thnakx B-1 Nut....

Lockheed go back a long way I see... :worship:

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April 17, 1944

Howard Hughes sets a new U.S. transcontinental speed record, flying a Lockheed Constellation.

April 17, 1998

The U. S. Air Force accepted the first of two C-38A aircraft.

April 17, 1998

The 20th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida, received the Air Force's first production-modified MH-53J Pave Low III helicopter from Lockheed Martin.

April 17, 1999

The U. S. Air Force sent the RQ-1 Predator on its first flights into a combat zone during Operation Allied Force to perform reconnaissance over Serbia.

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April 18, 1942

Lt. Col. James Doolittle leads the first U.S. attack on the Japanese mainland, leading a force of sixteen B-25 Mitchells flying from the USS Hornet against targets in and around Tokyo in what comes to be known as the "Doolittle Raid".

April 18, 1952

The Convair YB-60 (essentially an all-jet-powered B-36), makes a successful first flight at Carswell Air Force Base at Fort Worth, Texas.

Wikipedia's YB-60 History

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April 19, 1962

The U.S. Air Force and Lockheed jointly announce the nickname for the C-141 will be StarLifter.

The name was one of fifteen submitted by Lockheed-Georgia employees. Among the other proposed nicknames: LiftStar, All Star, Skylifter, Stargo, Freedom Freighter, and SkyTruk. The winner, James T. Hinley won a $500 U. S. Savings bond.

April 19, 1976

U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfled, flew in the B-1. This marked the first time a Secretary of Defense had flown in a test aircraft.

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April 19, 1962

The U.S. Air Force and Lockheed jointly announce the nickname for the C-141 will be StarLifter.

The name was one of fifteen submitted by Lockheed-Georgia employees. Among the other proposed nicknames: LiftStar, All Star, Skylifter, Stargo, Freedom Freighter, and SkyTruk. The winner, James T. Hinley won a $500 U. S. Savings bond.

April 19, 1976

U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfled, flew in the B-1. This marked the first time a Secretary of Defense had flown in a test aircraft.

Wow !! I bet that Mr.James. T .HINLEY was Proud as punch with his chosen name...Thanks B-1Nut..

{ The Bonds are still going strong I betcha!!!}

keep up the good work on this ...

HOLMES :thumbsup:

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Sorry I was a little late on April 20th's facts.

April 20, 1923

Maj. Henry Hap Arnold led a group of Army Air Corps Airmen from Rockwell Field, California, to prove the possibility of in-flight refueling.

Major Arnold and his men ran a hose between two DeHavilland DH-4Bs for the first in-flight contact. Although no fuel transferred during the 40-minute test, the modified tankers demonstrated the feasibility of gravity-flow air refueling.

April 20, 1966

United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower's aircraft, a VC-121 Super Constellation named Columbine III, was retired and flown from Andrews AFB, Maryland. to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

Prime Portal VC-121 Walkaround

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April 21, 1961

Maj. Robert White set a speed record in the X-15's first full-throttle flight (3,074 mph).

April 21, 1972

The F-111 Joint Test Force at Edwards AF, California, flew an F-111A on its longest flight to date--5,400 nautical miles in 12 hours.

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April 22, 1915

The term naval aviator is adapted for U. S. Navy officer pilots to replace the identification navy air pilot in official terminology.

April 22, 1962

Jacqueline Cochran claimed 49 world records for her 5,120-mile, three-stop flight in a Lockheed Jet Star from New Orleans to Hanover, Germany.

Wikipedia's Jacqueline Cochran Biography

April 22, 1964

The U.S. Air Force accepted its first production RF-4C.

April 22, 1989

The first and only Antonov An-225 built establishes 106 new Federal Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) world records in several classes.

The most important of which is a speed of 813.09 km/h (505.2 mph) carrying a payload in the 70 -155 metric ton (154,320 - 341,710 lb.) class around a closed circuit of 2,000 km (1,243 miles).

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You forgot on the 21st April 1918... Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, World War One's Top fighter Ace with 80 confirmed kills, was shot down and killed just after 11 am. While flying over Morlancourt Ridge, near the Somme River while chasing a Sopwith Camel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_von_Richthofen

Edited by moeggo
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You forgot on the 21st April 1918... Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, World War One's Top fighter Ace with 80 confirmed kills, was shot down and killed just after 11 am. While flying over Morlancourt Ridge, near the Somme River while chasing a Sopwith Camel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_von_Richthofen

thnak you moeggo.

It is always very interesting to be able to see and read of what went in our World before WE were around..

thank you

HOLMES

Alos I salute those that gave their lives on ANZAC DAY... :D :)

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April 23, 1965

The first operational C-141A is delivered to the Air Force in ceremonies at Travis AFB, California.

Wikipedia's C-141 History

April 23, 1991

Donald B. Rice, U.S. Secretary of the Air Force, announced the winner of the Advanced Tactical Fighter competition (the Lockheed, Boeing, General Dynamics F-22).

April 23, 2001

The RQ-4A Global Hawk completed the first nonstop Pacific flight by an unmanned aerial vehicle.

It flew from Edwards AFB, California to Edinburgh, Australia, covering the 7,500 miles in about 23 hours.

Wikipedia's RQ-4 Global Hawk History

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