Civilian Archives - Page 73 of 175

On This Day in Aviation History

1921 – Birth of Pierre Clostermann, a highly decorated French World War II flying ace, author, engineer, politician and sport fisherman. 1931 – Imperial Airways begins scheduled services between England and Africa using Armstrong Whitworth Argosys (shown). 1947 – U. S. Army Air Forces Capt. Robert E. Thacker and Lt. John M. Ard fly a North […]

Australia Readies for Centenary Air Show

Pilots at Royal Australian Air Force bases around the country are practising their routines ahead of this weekend’s Centenary of Military Aviation Air Show at Point Cook. The Weekly visited East Sale RAAF base last Wednesday as the Roulettes rehearsed their aerobatics. Six members of the team will take part in an aerial display above Point Cook, while […]

UK Company Debuts Airship

The world’s longest aircraft has just been unveiled in Britain’s biggest aircraft hangar. At first, you might mistake it for a giant airship – gas-filled balloon on top, pod slung underneath. But the unique, aerodynamic shape of the balloon – it looks as if a series of cigars have been sewn together – means it can […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1898 – Birth of Maryse Bastié, French aviatrix; born Marie-Louise Bombec, she later set several international records for female aviators and flew in the French Air Force. 1906 – Death of Samuel Pierpont Langley, American astronomer, physicist and pioneer of aviation. 1917 – The first military flights in Canada began when the Royal Flying Corps Canada began training […]

P-51 Pilots to Discuss WWII Missions

While it is a little close to the date for most people to act on, Warbirds News would like to highlight the upcoming Living History Event this Saturday, March 1, at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, Calif. These are always fascinating opportunities to learn about aviation history from people who actually helped create it. And the […]

Airbus A350 Test Birds Make First Flight

Two Airbus A350 XWB test planes took to the skies for the first time Wednesday, doubling the size of the fleet that will log 2,500 flight hours before the new jetliner is delivered to any customers. The A350 XWB, in the works for nearly a decade, is an effort to push the envelope in passenger comfort, aerodynamics, and fuel efficiency. […]

Qantas to Retire 747s, 767s Amid Woes

Qantas will bring forward plans to retire some Boeing 747 aircraft and defer deliveries of Airbus A380s, A320s and Boeing 787s as part of its A$2 billion ($1.8 billion) three-year cost-cutting plan. “To reach $2 billion in cost cuts over three years, we have to work our assets harder, become more productive, retire older aircraft, and make sure that our fleet and […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1890 – Birth of Chauncey Milton Vought (shown), American aviation pioneer and engineer. 1937 – First flight of the Fiat G.50, a World War II Italian fighter aircraft; it is Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production. 1941 – Eastern Airlines Flight 21, a Douglas DC-3, crashes outside of Atlanta, […]

Evergreen Museum’s P-38L Up for Sale

A buyer has snapped up a gem in the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum’s collection, a Ford Trimotor plane flown in 1929 on the first transcontinental passenger route between San Diego and New York. Other potential buyers are eyeing a Grumman TBM-3 Avenger in the McMinnville museum’s collection, a restored torpedo bomber with a $250,000 asking price. And now another plane […]

Aviation Meet Takes Fans Behind Scenes

Sprawled out before us sits the exterior of the world’s biggest building by volume. They make airliners here. Big ones. “Let’s go see some airplanes!” says our Boeing VIP tour guide. I remind myself: This doesn’t happen very often. Yeah yeah yeah, Boeing offers public tours of this 98.3-acre airliner factory north of Seattle every day. This ain’t that. […]