B-1 Nut Posted November 11, 2010 Author Share Posted November 11, 2010 November 7, 1945 The first speed record of over 600 mph is established by British pilot Hugh Wilson in a Gloster Meteor jet fighter at 606 mph. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 8, 1950 In history's first battle between jet aircraft, a U.S. Air Force F-80 Shooting Star, piloted by Lt. Russell J. Brown, was believed to down a North Korean MiG-15. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 9, 1961 The X-15 rocket plane achieved a world record speed of 4,093 mph (Mach 6.04) and reached 101,600 feet (30,970 m or over 19 miles) altitude, piloted by U.S.Air Force Major Robert M. White. November 9, 1966 An F-111A fighter-bomber achieved a first for American aircraft by flying faster than the speed of sound for 15 minutes at a constant ground clearance of less than 1,000 feet. November 9, 1978 The first McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II V/STOL attack aircraft, makes its first flight. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 10, 1988 The U.S. Air Force reveals the F-117A Stealth fighter to the public for the first time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Wow, the difference in speed achieved in a mere 16 years ... Thanks Jed ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 14, 2010 Share Posted November 14, 2010 :lol: thanks JED Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B-1 Nut Posted November 16, 2010 Author Share Posted November 16, 2010 November 11, 1935 A record 72,395 feet was reached by Lt. Col. Albert William Stevens and Capt. Orvil A. Anderson, by helium balloon in a sealed gondola. This set a substratosphere record that stood for 21 years. November 11, 1954 The Fairey Delta 2 research aircraft, flown by Peter Twiss, exceeds the speed of sound in a climb. November 11, 1956 First flight Convair's B-58, the first supersonic bomber and delta-winged aircraft capable of 1,000 mph speeds, at Fort Worth, Texas. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 12, 1921 The first air-to-air refueling is made when American wingwalker Wesley May climbed from a Lincoln Standard to a Curtiss JN-4 airplane with a can of fuel strapped to his back. When he reached the JN-4, he poured the fuel into its gas tank. Not the most practical way of refueling an airplane in flight. November 12, 1941 Alma Heflin, the first American female test pilot for standard production aircraft made her first test flight for the Piper Aircraft Corporation of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. November 12, 1944 The largest air and ground cooperative effort to date occurred as over 4,000 Allied planes dropped more than 10,000 tons of bombs on enemy target. November 12, 1970 At Edwards AFB, California, a Boeing 747-B set a world record with a gross takeoff weight of 820,700 pounds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 13, 1971 Mariner-9, the first man-made object to orbit another planet, entered Martian orbit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 14, 1966 The first jet landing on Antarctic took place as a C-141 successfully completed a 2,140-mile flight from Christchurch, New Zealand, to McMurdo Station. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 15, 1942 U.S. Army Air Corps Lts. Harold Comstock and Roger Dyar set a new speed record for planes when their P-47s power-dived at 725 mph from 35,000 feet over an east coast base. November 15, 1965 The first flight around the world over flying both Poles is made by Captain J.L. Martin, chief pilot of the Flying Tiger Line to which the aircraft belonged. He was assisted by four other 707 pilots. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 (edited) GREAT facts ... I bet the Health and safety experts are cringing reading that WESLEY MAY did that as he wingwalked... How innovative and time saving !!! Edited November 16, 2010 by HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Amazing Feats ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B-1 Nut Posted November 19, 2010 Author Share Posted November 19, 2010 November 16, 1959 At the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr., set three unofficial records by taking an open-gondola balloon to 76,400 feet. From there, he parachuted back to earth. This jump included a 64,000-foot free fall, the longest to date, that lasted two minutes, and 58 seconds. November 16, 1966 Maj. William J. Knight set an unofficial X-15 speed record of 4,159 mph at Edwards AFB, California. November 16, 2004 In its final flight, NASA's B-52 #008 launch vehicle, the oldest plane in the U.S. Air Force inventory, carried the X-43A mounted on a Pegasus booster into the air. The X-43A then broke its previous speed record. After separating from a Pegasus booster rocket at 110,000 feet, the scramjet engine accelerated the X-43 to 7,000 mph (Mach 9.8). With this flight, the Dryden Flight Research Center validated the operation of the supersonic-combustion ramjet, powered by liquid hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 17, 1948 Boeing received a contract to build two prototype B-52 bombers. November 17, 1954 A B-47 Stratojet broke all jet endurance records by flying nonstop between England and North Africa for 47 hours, and 35 minutes, or 21,163 miles lasting through November 19. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 18, 1949 An Air Force C-74 Globemaster, The Champ, flew from Mobile, Alabama, across the Atlantic in 23 hours and landed at Marham, England, with a record of 103 passengers. It was the first aircraft to carry 100 passengers across the Atlantic. November 18, 1989 The Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit bomber completed its seventh test flight. The flight lasted over 7 hours. November 18, 1994 A C-17 Globemaster III landed at North Field near Charleston AFB, South Carolina, with a 161,000-pound payload on 2,100 feet of runway to set a new record and meet a critical program requirement to land fully loaded on a runway no longer than 3,000 feet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 19, 1945 Col. Clarence S. Irvine and Lt. Col. G. R. Stanley flew the B-29 Superfortress "Pacusan Dreamboat" to a nonstop, non-refueled distance record of 7,916 miles by flying from Guam to Washington, D.C., in 35 hours, and five minutes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Good work Jed...thank you Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Wow, a varied amount of feats ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B-1 Nut Posted November 25, 2010 Author Share Posted November 25, 2010 (edited) November 20, 1919 The 1st municipal airport in the United States opens in Tucson, Arizona and is still in use today. November 20, 1953 The first man to exceed Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound) is American test pilot Scott Crossfield in a Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket. November 20, 1970 The U.S. Air Force selected Northrop Corporation to build an improved international fighter, the F-5E/F Tiger II. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 21, 1944 The U.S. Army Air Force B-29 Superfortress "Ding Hao" (42-6358) was damaged during a raid on an aircraft factory at Omura, Japan and forced to divert to Vladivostok in the Soviet Union. The crew was interned and the bomber was was not returned. Instead it was used in the Tu-4 "Bull" (aka "B-29ski" to those on ARC) development effort. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 22, 1942 First flight Vought V-173 nicknamed "Zimmer Skimmer" and "Flying Flapjack", the most radical conventionally-engined aircraft ever built. November 22, 1947 First flight Convair XC-99 (serial no. 43-52436). November 22, 1988 In the presence of members of Congress and the media, the Northrop B-2 stealth bomber is shown publicly for the first time at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. November 22, 2000 The Air Force Flight Text Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., began flight testing the Bell Textron CV-22 tilt-rotor air vehicle. It was the Air Force version of the MV-22 Osprey. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 23, 1935 The "China Clipper", a four-engined MARTIN M-130, left San Francisco as a huge sea plane full of Mail (110,000 pieces of mail), becoming the first Transpacific flight in history when it landed in Manila on November 29 after stops in Honolulu, Midway Island, Wake Island, and Guam. Although its inaugural flight plan called for the China Clipper to fly over the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge (still under construction at the time), upon take-off the pilot realized the plane would not clear the structure, and was forced to narrowly fly under instead. Thanks to HOLMES for bailing me out on this fact!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 24, 1955 The prototype Fokker F.27 Friendship medium-range twin-turboprop transport flies for the 1st time. Edited November 26, 2010 by B-1 Nut Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 23 Sorry......I got nothin' If someone can bail me out, that would be awesome. I'm sure someone has something. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JED Some really interesting facts...some truly amazing facts in MY opinion.. NOVEMBER 23rd 1935 75 years ago the China Clipper, this Enormous Flying boat made Transcontinental Hisory. The CHINA CLIPPER, a four engine MARTIN M-130, left San Francisco as a huge sea plane full of Mail, all 11.000 pieces of it BUT was responsible for being the FIRST TRANSPACIFIC FLIGHT IN HISTORY and became one of the WORLD'S first technological celebrities.. HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 I had no idea the Fokker F.27 was that old ... I think the F-5A Freedom Fighter predates 1970 ... Interesting stuff, Jed and Holmes ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B-1 Nut Posted November 26, 2010 Author Share Posted November 26, 2010 .......I think the F-5A Freedom Fighter predates 1970...... You are exactly right, Gregg. The F-5 was a strange program. I meant to type F-5E/F Tiger II. The F-5A Freedom Fighter first flew in 1959, I think. Northrop was awarded the contract to build the "Improved" F-5A (which would be called the F-5E/F Tiger II) in 1970. I definitely got my wires crossed on that one. JED Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B-1 Nut Posted November 26, 2010 Author Share Posted November 26, 2010 JEDSome really interesting facts...some truly amazing facts in MY opinion....... HOLMES.....thanks, bro. That was a great fact that I overlooked. You pulled my bacon out of the fire on that one. I edited my post to contain your fact about the "China Clipper". Much thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 26, 2010 Share Posted November 26, 2010 HOLMES.....thanks, bro. That was a great fact that I overlooked.You pulled my bacon out of the fire on that one. I edited my post to contain your fact about the "China Clipper". Much thanks! Great ..I am glad that you did that...Just keep doing what you are doing.... Good work MY friend HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B-1 Nut Posted November 30, 2010 Author Share Posted November 30, 2010 November 25, 1945 A Douglas A-26 Invader around the world in 96 hours, and 50 minutes of flying time, lasting through November 30. The flight headed westward from Savannah, Georgia. Four days and 24,859 miles later, they returned to Washington, D.C., after successfully circumnavigating the earth, thus demonstrating the ability of U.S. light bombers to reach any point in the world quickly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 26, 1975 The X-24B research craft flew its last flight at Edwards AFB. California. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 27, 1957 Using McDonnell RF-101 Voodoos, four pilots set various FAI records. Capt Robert M. Sweet flew his jet at 721.85 mph to set a round-trip transcontinental record of six hours, 46 minutes, and 36 seconds from Los Angles to New York. Returning to New York, he also set an east-west record of 677.73 mph in three hours, 36 minutes, and 32.4 seconds. Capt. Robert J. Kilpatrick and Lt. Gustave B. Klatt both broke Sweet's West-East record by flying to New York at 765.7 mph and 781.7 mph. Klatt also claimed the time record of three hours, seven minutes, and 43.6 seconds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 28, 1922 The first skywriting in the U.S. was demonstrated over Times Square, New York City, by Capt. Cyril Turner of the Royal Air Force. Flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet, he wrote letters in white smoke a half-mile high. The smoke was formed by oil, controlled by levers, dropped on the plane's hot exhaust pipe. The message in the sky was, "Hello, U.S.A. Call Vanderbilt 7200". November 28, 1964 Mariner 4 provided the first up close pictures of Mars. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ November 29, 1945 A Sikorsky R5 helicopter performed the first rescue from a sinking civilian vessel and the first use of a rescue winch. November 29, 1949 Jacqueline Cochran set an international speed record of 436.995 mph for 310.685 miles without a payload in an F-51 Mustang at the Desert Center, in Mount Wilson Course, California. November 29, 1975 The first annual Red Flag exercise occurred at Nellis AFB, Nevada to provide realistic training for combat aircrews. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Edwards AFB is quite famous for many things .. I liked the one about Capt Cyril turner and the skywriting..I always wondered how that was first created and you answered MY thoughts! Nice updates by the way WAY TO GO JED. HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sanmigmike Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 (edited) You are exactly right, Gregg. The F-5 was a strange program. I meant to type F-5E/F Tiger II. The F-5A Freedom Fighter first flew in 1959, I think. Northrop was awarded the contract to build the "Improved" F-5A (which would be called the F-5E/F Tiger II) in 1970. I definitely got my wires crossed on that one. JED "F-5E Pilots Get More, Check Six!" was on sticker of the F-5 JTF back when I worked at Edwards and one of the projects I worked on was the "Tiger II". Was a great airplane and indeed a strange program. I can remember one flight safety meeting started with the (if you are old enough) familiar shots from the opening of "The Six Million Dollar Man", the lifting body (M2-F2) rolling into a mess. Then Bruce Peterson gave a talk. Very interesting meeting for a change. Both Bruce and the remains of the M2-F2 modified...flew again. Edited December 1, 2010 by sanmigmike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Thanks Jed, pretty varied accomplishments, from the First Skywriter to the first up close shots on Mars ... "F-5E Pilots Get More, Check Six!" was on sticker of the F-5 JTF back when I worked at Edwards and one of the projects I worked on was the "Tiger II". Was a great airplane and indeed a strange program.I can remember one flight safety meeting started with the (if you are old enough) familiar shots from the opening of "The Six Million Dollar Man", the lifting body (M2-F2) rolling into a mess. Then Bruce Peterson gave a talk. Very interesting meeting for a change. Both Bruce and the remains of the M2-F2 modified...flew again. I quite remember the opening sequence of the Six Million Dollar Man, it's nice to know he was okay after that ... I had a friend in school back in the late 70s that his Dad worked on the F-5E line at Northrop ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B-1 Nut Posted December 4, 2010 Author Share Posted December 4, 2010 November 30, 1907 Glenn Curtiss founds the Curtiss Aeroplane Company. It is the first U.S. airplane manufacturing company. November 30, 1913 The first known aerial combat takes place over Naco, Mexico, between Phil Rader, flying for General Victoriano Huerta, and Dean Ivan Lamb, with Venustiano Carranza. Details are unknown, except that a dozen pistol shots are exchanged. This aerial duel's exact date is uncertain (sometime in late November or early December). November 30, 1951 Maj. George A. Davis Jr., shot down his fourth and fifth enemy planes in Korea. This event made him an ace in two wars with five aerial victories in Korea and seven in WW II. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 1, 1934 The first airway traffic control center is opened in Newark, New Jersey, operated by staff of Eastern Air Lines, United Air Lines, American Airlines and TWA. December 1, 1959 The first color photograph of the earth from outer space was taken from the nose of a Thor missile launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The data capsule containing the camera was recovered February 16, 1960 on the beach of Mayaguana Island, Bahama Islands, approximately 1,700 miles from the take-off point. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 2, 1936 First flight Boeing's YB-17 Flying Fortress. December 2, 1976 U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld authorized the U.S. Air Force to begin B-1 production. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 3, 1945 A de Havilland Sea Vampire fighter becomes the first purely jet-powered airplane to operate from an aircraft carrier, when Lieutenant-Commander E. M. Winkle Brown lands his aircraft on the HMS Ocean in England. December 3, 1945 The P-80 became the U.S. Army Air Force's first jet fighter. December 3, 1952 The U.S. Air Force accepted its first two Republic F-84F Thunderstreaks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 Wow, the 'latest' fact out of the bunch was 34 years ago ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 (edited) Jed Great many facts.. I love that name ...Lt. Commander. E.M. Winkle Brown..Conjures of images in his flying machine sort of and winking a everyone as he breaks a record.. MAGIC !!! Thanx HOLMES Edited December 4, 2010 by HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B-1 Nut Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share Posted December 9, 2010 (edited) December 4, 1952 First flight Grumman XS2F-1 Tracker. December 4, 1991 Pan Am World Airways goes out of business after 64 years of service. December 4, 1996 The F-16 Fighting Falcon logged its five millionth hour of flying time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 5, 1943 Ninth Air Force pilots from the 354th Fighter Group flew P-51s into combat for the first time. December 5, 1961 U.S. Air Force F-102s out of Galena Alaska made the first intercept of a Soviet aircraft in Alaskan air space, a Soviet Tu-16. December 5, 1974 Sikorsky Aircraft delivered the last HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant helicopter to the U.S. Air Force. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 6, 1957 America's first attempt at putting a satellite into orbit failed. December 6, 1975 The first airmail flight by a supersonic aircraft is made by the Tupolev Tu-144, carrying mail between Moscow and Alma Ata, within the U.S.S.R. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 7, 1941 Japanese forces execute a surprise attack on US forces in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii ultimately pulling the US into WWII. December 7, 1972 Apollo 17, the sixth and last U.S. moon mission, blasted off from Cape Canaveral. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 8, 1976 The full-scale development version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon made its maiden flight at Fort Worth, Texas. December 8, 1972 The competitive fly-off between the A-9 and A-10 ended. Edited December 9, 2010 by B-1 Nut Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 JED great finds these..thank you Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 Interesting achievements ... I wasn't aware the A-9/A-10 fly-off lasted so long though ... Thanks Jed ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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