Flight Journal - Page 242 of 286 - Aviation History | History of Flight | Aviation History Articles, Warbirds, Bombers, Trainers, Pilots

D-DAY INVASION: JUNE 2024

1930'S FIGHTER FLIES AGAIN: APRIL 2024

The Legend of Maj. Paul "Pappy" Gunn

Their Finest Hour

Butcher Bird Hellcat & Corsair: A test pilot recalls

Stinson’s Big-Guy L-Bird

Stalin’s Flying Hammer

LATEST

Flying the Feathered Edge: The Bob Hoover Project

As Kilo Foxtrot Films writes, “WW II veteran, prisoner of war, accomplished test pilot, pace plane for the Unlimited Reno races, air show pilot … Bob Hoover is considered by many to be one of the founding fathers of modern aerobatics. Jimmy Doolittle called him ‘…the greatest stick and rudder man who ever lived.’ Flying […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1925 – Clyde V. Cessna, Walter Beech and Lloyd Stearman founded Travel Air Manufacturing Co. 1919 – Birth of George Preddy, U.S. World War II fighter ace, top P-51 Mustang ace of WWII and sixth on the list of all-time highest scoring American aces. 1932 – The first air-to-air clash of the Shanghai Incident takes place between five […]

‘Pieces of History’ Still Soar at Opa-Locka Airport

It’s where old planes come to roost. Florida’s Opa-Locka Executive Airport is home to about a dozen large propeller planes, such as Douglas DC-3s and Convair 340s — planes that originally flew for the airlines or the military in the 1940s and 1950s. Although aviation enthusiasts consider them classics, suitable for museums, these “freight dogs” and “skytrucks” still […]

U.S. to Dominate India’s Defense, Civil Aviation Show

The U.S. will be the largest participant at India’s main defense and civil aviation event which kicks off Wednesday in Bangalore. Boeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Bell Helicopter and Rockwell Collins are part of the contingent from the U.S., as it aggressively pitches for billions of dollars in defense contracts from India. More than 700 companies will participate at the ninth […]

Lancaster Repair Costs Soar, Canadian Warplane Museum Appeals for Help

The warplane museum in Hamilton, Ont., Canada, is making a public plea for donations to help keep its famous World War II Lancaster bomber flying. “We expect the Lancaster to be flying at the June airshow,” says Al Mickeloff, spokesman for the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. “But there is a bit of urgency — we […]

Firefighting Airplane to Strut Stuff at Reception

One of Leesburg, Fla.’s newest businesses will present a unique demonstration today: a firefighting airplane that scoops up water. Wipaire Inc. — a Minnesota-based aircraft service provider of aircraft and float maintenance, avionics repair and installations, aircraft interior refurbishments and float installations — has branched out with a Southeastern service center at the Leesburg International […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1902 – Charles Augustus Lindbergh, American pilot, was born. Also known as “Lucky Lindy” and “The Lone Eagle,” he was famous for the first solo, non-stop flight across the Atlantic in 1927 from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, to Paris in the “Spirit of St. Louis.” 1935 – First flight of the Mitsubishi A5M Claude, a Japanese carrier-based fighter aircraft. World’s […]

After Pilot’s Tragic Crash, B-52s Got Safer

Cold War pilot Dan Bulli of Omaha has rarely spoken about his survival from a B-52 crash. On a Strategic Air Command training run 50 years ago, the big plane shook so hard from turbulence that he couldn’t read his dials or interpret radar. At an altitude of only 500 feet, he heard a loud bang […]

Pearl Harbor Flight Recalls Uncle’s USS Arizona Death

After 11 hours nonstop from New York to Honolulu, I had no plans to hit the beach for surfing. I was hooking up with an outfit called Pacific Warbirds that takes tourists on thrill rides aboard a vintage North American SNJ-5 airplane. I would fly over Pearl Harbor on the single-prop aircraft at the same altitude as the Japanese […]

Flying High with the 117th Air Refueling Wing

Fueling the fight from thousands of feet in the air, The Alabama Air National Guard plays a vital role in protecting our nation and going to war. CBS 42’S Mike McClanahan brings us a bird’s eye view of the 117 Refueling Wing based in Birmingham, Ala. “So…aerial refueling is our primary mission. We also do […]