On This Day in Aviation History

On This Day in Aviation History

1894 – Birth of Herbert Joseph “Jimmy” Larkin, Australian World War I flying ace, pioneering aviator, airmail and raid pilot; he also founded the Larkin Aircraft Supply Co. and served also in World War II.

1932 – The Indian Air Force is formed as an auxiliary air force of the Royal Air Force with the enactment of the Indian Air Force Act.

1940 – The Vought XF4U-1 Corsair prototype (shown) establishes a speed record of 405 mph, cracking the 400-mph “barrier” for the first time.

1948 – First flight of the Saunders-Roe Skeeter, a British two-seat training and scout helicopter; it is the first rotary-winged aircraft to be used by the British Army Air Corps.

1979 – Death of Brian Edmund Baker, British World War I flying ace and Royal Air Force commanding officer during World War II.

2001 – Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) Flight 686, a McDonnell-Douglas MD-87, collides with an Air Evex Cessna Citation CJ2 in heavy fog during takeoff from Milan, Italy, killing 118. It remains the country’s deadliest aviation accident.

Updated: October 8, 2015 — 2:25 AM
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