February 2013

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 to be called KH-1, or Discoverer, aka CORONA.  That first successful launch, however, wasn’t exactly a spy satellite, but rather a small capsule without a [...]

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 major news was of the great Olympia Aero Show, at which the most prominent British aeroplane manufacturing and engine companies were on display.  Among the [...]

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 the short winter day and there, startling as it sounds, they saw what they described as some sort of a rocket flying by.  Perhaps what [...]

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.  An uprising of tribes opposed to the modernization plans of the British-sponsored King of Afghanistan, Amanullah, who, after having taken a seven month tour of [...]

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 operations only — an advanced concept. Later became a glider tug, used in radar testing and aerial refueling. So do you know what this aircraft [...]

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 Florida to search the waters north of Cuba for rafters trying to escape to freedom in the USA.  Three unarmed, civilian Cessna 337 Skymaster aircraft [...]

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 one of its two designers, Harry Busteed.  The other designer, Frank Barnwell, witnessed the flight and knew that they had designed a superb machine.  While [...]

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 China.  This was the so-called January 28 Incident, in which the Japanese military had begun indiscriminate attacks on the weaker Chinese.  With well-trained, sophisticated and [...]

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 — Ilmari Juutilainen of Finland.  What’s even more surprising is that he scored many of his victories while flying a Brewster Buffalo, an aircraft that the [...]

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 more influential, and was awarded more citations and medals than any other woman (and probably man) in history.  Her life was an almost non-stop adventure [...]

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 liberate the region, including Jerusalem, from the rule of the Ottoman Turks.  As the militarily superior British force made gains, the Turkish retreated in order, [...]

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, heavy than air aircraft was flown.  The event was unlikely not because it was particularly difficult, but rather because unknown to one another, there were [...]

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 field supplies from under wing hard points. The cockpit was bolted to the back of the center-mounted spray tank. So do you know what this [...]

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 Robert K. Preston, US Army, a helicopter pilot who had washed out of training, crept across the tarmac at Fort Meade, Maryland, and boarded a [...]

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 the Polytechnic University in Budapest.  Lacking money, soon he changed to study law so that, concurrent with his education, he could work.  Brilliant equally in [...]

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 man could safely fly.  Francois (Franz) Reichelt was just such a man.  His death was tragic and, though most consider his leap of faith to [...]

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 35 hp motor with an inefficient four-bladed propeller. A single seater — but is this France, England or Germany? So do you know what this [...]

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, there are many plane crashes, but this one is remembered because on board were three of the greatest names from early Rock & Roll — [...]

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 Interceptor Squadron against one another.  Before take off from Malmstrom AFB, the jet flown by one of the pilots, Larry McBride, was forced to abort [...]

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 confronted with a favourable opportunity on the 25th ult., and immediately took advantage of it.  During the previous night and early morning there had been [...]