Military Archives - Page 65 of 180

RC-135 Avoids Russian Jet, Flies To Sweden

The Cold War aerial games of chicken portrayed in the movie “Top Gun” are happening in real life again nearly 30 years later. A U.S. Air Force spy plane evaded an encounter with the Russian military on July 18, just a day after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed by a suspected surface-to-air missile that […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1872 – Birth of George Augustine Taylor, Australian artist, journalist, and aviation pioneer; he becomes the first person in Australia to fly in a heavier-than-air craft. 1915 – Lt. Max Immelmann (shown) shoots down his first aircraft, a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c, with his Fokker E.I; it is the beginning of his career as an […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1891 – Birth of Roderic Stanley “Bréguet” Dallas, Australian World War I fighter ace. 1910 – First flight of the Bristol Boxkite (replica shown), the first aircraft produced by the British and Colonial Aeroplane Co. (later known as the Bristol Aeroplane Co.). 1924 – Two Japanese airmen, Yukichi Goto and flight engineer Minezo Yonezawo, return to Osaka after completing the […]

A-10 Slated for Weather Duty

Oklahoma’s Guthrie-Edmond Regional Airport is playing host to a very special aircraft. Right now it’s a fighter jet, but it’s being modified to do something very different. The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a fighter jet currently used in places like Afghanistan and Kuwait. However, the one sitting in Guthrie is training to be a storm chaser. […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1910 – Birth of Rhulin Albert Thomas, American aviator; he becomes the first deaf pilot to successfully fly solo across the U.S. 1929 – A Ford Trimotor flown by Charles Lindbergh begins the first coast-to-coast air passenger service through Transcontinental Air Transport (TWA). 1960 – Death of Mary Bailey (born Westenra), British aviatrix. 1967 – While […]

Seven Things to Watch at Oshkosh

AirVenture 2014 features hundreds, if not thousands, of opportunities to watch, learn and participate in “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.” Experimental Aircraft Association spokesman Dick Knapinski said the weeklong event’s schedule of air show performers, forums and events has produced strong advance sales. The event, at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis., opens today and […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1915 – Royal Flying Corps Capt. Lanoe Hawker becomes the first British military aviator to earn the Victoria Cross when he defeats three German two-seat observation aircraft on this day over the Western Front. 1932 – Birth of Paul Joseph Weitz, U.S. Navy pilot and NASA astronaut. 1939 – First flight of the Avro 679 […]

Emporia C-45 Moving to Wichita

The World War II-era airplane that’s been sitting in the Emporia (Kan.) Municipal Airport for more than two decades is moving home Saturday to Wichita, where it was built. The Commemorative Air Force will dismantle the aircraft and bring it back to Westport Airport, where it’ll be restored and put on display. The Commemorative Air […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1897 – Birth of Amelia Mary Earhart, noted American aviation pioneer and author (shown); she becomes the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. 1933 – Amy Johnson and Jim Mollison, in their de Havilland Dragon ‘”Seafarer,” nearly succeed in their […]

Two Ukrainian Jets Shot Down

Two Ukrainian attack jets were shot down Wednesday over territory held by Russian-back separatists in eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said. The Ukrainian government said the planes were downed by missiles fired from Russia, raising questions about whether Ukrainian separatists who had crossed the border were responsible or whether Russians fired the weapons. Whatever the […]