Civilian Archives - Page 27 of 175

Flying Finale Nears for Vulcan XH558

As most readers will know, the fabulous “Tin Triangle,” Avro Vulcan XH558, will be making her air show curtain call in a few short weeks. It has been a marvelous run for the old girl, and a real testament to the fortitude of those who fought through a mountain of red tape and engineering challenges […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1924 – Birth of Walter P. Jones, American U.S. Air Force pilot and test pilot for National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics’ High-Speed Flight Research Station (predecessor of NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.) 1948 – Two separate accidents kill 13 U.S. airmen; nine are killed aboard an Army Douglas C-117A Skytrooper near Newton, N.J., after a […]

Shoreham Show Crash Under Review

UK Parliament members are demanding a safety crackdown at airshows amidst growing anger over the deaths of up to 11 people at Shoreham. There were calls for a review of displays above built-up areas after Saturday’s plane crash on the A27. Labour’s Grahame Morris said: “If aircraft were limited to displaying over water it would mitigate the […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1908 – The first circle and turn performed by a monoplane is carried out by the Antoinette II (originally the Gastambide-Mengin II). 1928 – First flight of the SPAD S-92, French single-seat biplane trainer. 1932 – Birth of George William Samuel Abbey, U.S. Air Force pilot and director of the Johnson Space Center; he becomes […]

Bugatti Replica Damaged in First Flight

The Bugatti 100P replica race plane that has been under construction for the last several years in Oklahoma sustained damage Wednesday during its first test flight, nosing over and striking both propellers after a failure of its right brake and a slow-speed departure from the runway into soft mud. Still, the builders of the airplane heralded the […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1938 – Birth of Jean-Loup Jacques Marie Chrétien, French engineer, French air force pilot, test pilot and CNES astronaut; he became the first Frenchman and the first western European in space. 1939 – The last rigid airship, the Graf Zeppelin (LZ 130), makes its final flight. 1944 – Aircraft of a U. S. Navy antisubmarine hunter-killer group score their final […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1871 – Birth of Orville Wright, American co-inventor, with brother Wilbur, of the first airplane to achieve powered, sustained, and controlled flight and the first fully practical powered airplane. 1918 – A U.S. Navy Curtiss 18-T-1 triplane flown by Curtiss test pilot Roland Rholfs establishes a world speed record of 163 mph carrying a load of 1,076 […]

Spitfires to Dominate ‘BoB’ Air Show

This September, IWM (Imperial War Museum) Duxford’s The Battle of Britain Anniversary Air Show will tell the story of this vital aerial battle in its 75th anniversary year. The Battle of Britain Anniversary Air Show, set for Sept. 19-20, will be an immersive and poignant experience for everyone. Epic flying displays, including a massed flypast […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1823 – Death of André-Jacques Garnerin, French balloonist and inventor of the frameless parachute. 1916 – Birth of Kaneyoshi “Kinsuke” Muto, Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II Japanese fighter ace. 1922 – The Hannover H1 Vampyr, claimed to be the model for all modern sailplanes, sets a world record after flying just over an […]

Things to Do on National Aviation Day

Dear aviation, are you OK? You’re getting up there in years now, and travelers are taking you for granted. Almost 112 years ago, when you were first hangin’ out with the Wright Brothers, you were practically a miracle. Now — for a lot of folks — you’re nothing more than a cramped seat from L.A. […]