Civilian

1913 – Joseph Eugene Carberry and Fred Seydel win the Mackay Trophy flying a Curtiss Model E made by U.S. Army aviators entirely from spare parts. 1940 –  The Luftwaffe begins a devastating two-day-long bombing attack on London, making extensive use of incendiary weapons. 1948 – First flight of the Supermarine Swift (F.1 shown), a British single-seat […]

1905 – Birth of Armando François, Spanish War and World War II Italian flying ace. 1937 – French aviatrix Maryse Hilsz sets a speed record between Paris and Saigon in less than 4 days. 1966 – First flight of the Dassault Mirage F1, a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft; it is the successor of […]

Aviation enthusiasts have launched a campaign to save a Shackleton maritime patrol aircraft threatened with destruction. The Avro Shackleton MR2C has stood guard at the entrance to RAF St. Mawgan near Newquay, England, for more than 25 years. The Ministry of Defense has invited bids for the WL795 aircraft, which is not airworthy. The Save our Shackleton group said […]

1894 – Birth of Leopoldo Eleuteri, Italian World War I flying ace. 1941 – Boyd David “Buzz” Wagner becomes the first U.S. Army Air Forces World War II flying ace. While strafing a Japanese airfield near Vigan, Philippines, with his Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, he shoots down a Mitsubishi A6M Zero after takeoff from the field […]

1896 – Birth of Grigory Eduardovich Suk, Russian World War I flying ace. 1941 – More than 50 Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters raid Batangas Field, Philippines; Jesús Villamor and four Filipino fighter pilots fend them off. Pilot César Basa is killed. 1945 – Death of William Dolley Tipton, American World War I flying ace […]