On This Day in Aviation History

On This Day in Aviation History

1914 – The first British air attack on Germany takes place when four Sopwith Tabloid three-seaters of No.1 Squadron RNAS strike the Zeppelin sheds at Dusseldorf and Cologne.

1939 – Birth of Antonio Gallus, Italian Air force pilot and member of aerobatic team Frecce Tricolori.

1950 – First crossing of the Atlantic in a jet fighter takes place when a U.S. Air Force Republic EF-84E Thunderjet, flown by Col. David C. Schilling, leaves England’s RAF Manston for the U.S.; the trip takes just over ten hours  and three aerial refuelings.

1961 – First flight of the Mil Mi-2 (Plus version shown), Soviet small, lightly armored transport helicopter that could also provide close air support.

1995 – A Boeing E-3B Sentry AWACS of the U.S. Air Force crashes outside Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, after multiple bird strikes to two of the four engines soon after takeoff; all 24 on board are killed.

2000 – Death of Saburo Sakai, Japanese naval aviator and World War II fighter ace.

Updated: September 22, 2014 — 12:33 PM
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