KH-1 — The First Spy Satellite
Published on February 28, 2013 In 1959, 54 years ago today, the United States launched a secret satellite from Vandenberg AFB, California. The first of America’s spy satellites, it was
Month: February 2013
The King’s Visit to Olympia
Published on February 27, 2013 One hundred years ago this week, the Royal Aero Club’s newsletter, Flight, was arriving at manors and homes across Great Britain. Within its pages the
Ghost Rockets
Published on February 26, 2013 It all started in Finland on February 26, 1946 — today in aviation history — when several Finnish citizens looked up into the sky during
Evacuating Kabul
Published on February 25, 2013 As 1928 drew to a close, conditions for the British Legation in Kabul were dire. The rapidly destabilizing security situation in Afghanistan was clearly evident.
Ungainly to a Tee
This Week’s Hints to help you along: Perhaps the least likely mass produced bomber in history. An unexpected country of origin, quite unlike other such designs. Designed for night bombing
Shoot Down!
Published on February 24, 2013 On February 24, 1996, 17 years ago today in aviation history, a routine search and rescue mission took off from Opa Locka Airport in South
First Parasitic Fighter
Published on February 23, 2013 One hundred years ago today in aviation history, on February 23, 1913, the Bristol Scout racing plane made its first flight at the hands of
The First Volunteer for China
Published on February 22, 2013 The year was 1932 and Japan, at the time a country whose Imperialist government was focused on establishing military dominance of Asia, had brutally attacked
Buffalo Ace
Published on February 21, 2013 By Thomas Van Hare Today in aviation history marks the birthday (and coincidentally, the day of the death) of the world’s greatest non-Luftwaffe ace —
La Fiancée du Danger
Published on February 20, 2013 Today we celebrate the birthday of one of aviation’s greatest women, a flyer who, in her long life of 88 years, achieved more firsts, was
First Aero-Medical Evacuation
Published on February 19, 2013 During the Great War, in February 1917, the British were on the advance across the desert sands of Egypt and Palestine. Their aim was to
First Air Mail
Published on February 18, 2013 On this date in aviation history, on February 18, 1911, a very unlikely event took place — the first air mail flown by a fixed-wing,
An Innovative Duster
This Week’s Hints to help you along: An agricultural aircraft with many unique features. Designed by a man of Italian descent, but very far from Italy. Could drop bundles of
Shot Down at the White House
Published on February 17, 2013 By Thomas Van Hare It was after midnight on the night of February 17, 1974 — today in aviation history — when Private First Class
The Traian Vuia 1
Published on February 16, 2013 Traian Vuia was a young Romanian from Surducul-Mic, a small town in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A scientifically-oriented scholar, he attended the School of Mechanics at
L’Expérience Tragique
Published on February 4, 2013 Not every aviation pioneer was successful — in fact, many were not, with some even dying on the long and hard road to proving that
An Improved Model
This Week’s Hints to help you along: We don’t know where to start with this — but it did fly. Designed before the Wright Brothers first came to Europe. A
The Day the Music Died
Published on February 3, 2013 By Thomas Van Hare Today in aviation history, on February 3, 1959, a small plane crashed in bad weather near Clear Lake, Iowa. Every year,
The Cornfield Bomber
Published on February 2, 2013 By Thomas Van Hare The mission was supposed to have been a two vs. two air combat maneuvering exercise, pitting pilots of the 71st Fighter
Flying the Alps
Published on February 1, 2013 “After waiting over three weeks, and almost deciding to give up his attempt to cross the Alps, at any rate for the present, Bielovucic was