Military Archives - Page 43 of 180

Canadians Hit ISIS Targets for First Time

The Canadian military conducted its first airstrike on an ISIS target in Syria Wednesday, according to the Department of National Defense. Two Canadian McDonnell Douglas CF-18s were involved in the airstrike against an ISIS garrison near Raqqa, Syria, the department said in a release. Raqqa is about 100 miles east of the embattled city of […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1898 – Birth of Arthur William Wood, British World War I flying ace. 1931 – Amelia Earhart climbs to a record altitude of 18,415 feet in a Pitcairn PCA2 autogyro at Willow Grove, near Philadelphia, Pa. 1943 – First flight of the Douglas BTD Destroyer (XSB2D-1 shown), an American dive bomber developed for the U.S. Navy during World War II. 1950 – Soviet Lavochkin […]

CAFSoCal Plans $10 Million Expansion

The Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAFSoCal) based at the Camarillo Airport (CMA), is planning a major expansion expected to cost around $10 million. To kick off the construction of a new hangar facility, the organization has received a $1 million donation from local antenna and sensors manufacturers Si and Betty Robin, […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1908 – The members of the Aerial Experiment Association enter a competition sponsored by the Scientific American; the winner is to receive $25,000 for a flight of over 0.62 miles. The Wright brothers refuse to enter because the rules state the airplane must take off without help. 1911 – Birth of Bozidar “Bosko” Petrovich, Yugoslavian […]

Iowa Museum Showcases Hawkeye Aviation

Twenty-five years ago, Roger Pointer had an idea. He envisioned a place that would house memorabilia honoring both the state’s military aviation and general aviation history. Pointer is a member of the Commemorative Air Force, based in Texas. It was founded to “acquire, restore and preserve in flying condition a complete collection of combat aircraft […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1918 – Birth of Erbo Graf von Kageneck (shown), German fighter pilot and World War II flying ace. 1937 – Swedish airplane manufacturer Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (SAAB) is established in Trollhättan, Sweden. 1947 – First flight of the Convair XB-46, an American medium jet bomber prototype. 1954 – Death of Hoyt Sanford Vandenberg, American pilot, […]

A-10s Head East to Romania

The U.S. has deployed 12 Fairchild Republic A-10 Warthog planes to Romania as part of a theater-security effort to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine – all while debate over whether to retire the close-air support platform rages on in Congress and the Pentagon. “The 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron forward deployed 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and approximately […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1918 – The Royal Air Force is born; it is formed from the army’s Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. 1939 – First flight of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero (A6M3 Model 22 shown), a long-range fighter operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. 1973 – Birth of Sergei Aleksandrovich Volkov, Russian […]

Combat Jets Gather Over Yemen

After Houthi rebels toppled the Yemeni government causing president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee to Aden earlier this month, a Saudi-led coalition of Middle Eastern states launched an air campaign to intervene. Operation Decisive Storm began on March 26 and has resulted in one of the most extraordinary gatherings of air power seen in […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1912 – The world’s first seaplane competition, held in Monaco, is won by a Henri Farman biplane flown by Belgian Jules Fischer, one of only two non-French pilots of the eight starters. 1944 – Death of Mineichi Koga, Japanese admiral and commander-in-chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy‘s Combined Fleet; 1951 – Royal Canadian Air Force […]