In this historical photo from the U.S. space agency, the X-24A lifting-body research aircraft begins its rocket-powered flight after being launched from the wing of NASA’s B-52 mothership during a 1970 research flight. NASA B-52, Tail Number 008, is an air launch carrier aircraft, “mothership,” as well as a research aircraft platform that has been [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
