On This Day in Aviation History

On This Day in Aviation History

1897 – Birth of Johann “Hans” Baur, a German World War I flying ace who flew airliners and later became Adolf Hitler’s personal pilot.

1912 – Capt. Marcel Dubois and Lt. Albert Peignan of the French Army are killed near Douai in northern France when their planes struck each other; it is the first fatal mid-air collision.

1944 – Death of Ichiro Yamamoto, Japanese Navy World War II flying ace, killed in action during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

1947 – The Lockheed P-80B Shooting Star prototype, modified as a racer and designated XP-80R, piloted by U.S. Air Force Col. Albert Boyd sets a world air speed record of 623.73 mph.

1962 – Two U.S.A.F. Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs out of Nellis AFB, Nevada, are lost in separate accidents near Indian Springs, Nev., this date. Both pilots survive; all Thunderchief B and D variants are later grounded to rectify flight control problems.

2010 – Air Service Berlin Douglas C-47 Skytrain “Rosinenbomber” (shown above) crashes shortly after take-off from Berlin Schönefeld Airport to a sightseeing flight over Berlin after the left engine failed. There were no fatalities, but seven of the 28 passengers and crew were injured.

Updated: June 19, 2013 — 3:53 PM
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