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26 February 2026
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HomeAVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

18 September 1947 – USAF became the independent branch of the US armed forces

18 September 2020 Jacek Domański

The United States Air Force became the fully independent branch of the US armed forces. For the first time, an aviation unit within the United States Army was established on 1st August 1907, named the […]

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

11 September 1932 – Franciszek Żwirko and Stanisław Wigura

11 September 2020 Kacper Kolibowski

Two famous Polish aviators Franciszek Żwirko and Stanisław Wigura died in a tragic crash of their RWD-6 aircraft on the way to Czechoslovakia. 88 years ago, on 11th September 1932, Franciszek Żwirko and Stanisław Wigura […]

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

4 September 1936 – Louise Thaden won the Bendix Trophy Race

4 September 2020 Kacper Kolibowski

Louise Thaden became the first woman pilot that won the Bendix Trophy Race. Thaden, together with her co-pilot Blanche Noyes, was flying a Beechcraft C17R ´Staggerwing´, a single engine biplane. Flying at an average speed […]

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

28 August 1963 – collision of two KC-135A-BN Stratotankers

28 August 2020 Jacek Domański

Collision of two KC-135A-BN Stratotankers from the USAF 19th Bomb Wing, west of Bermuda, Atlantic Ocean. Two flying tankers, 61-0322 (c/n 18229) and 61-0319 (c/n 18226) were on return flight to Homestead air base (Florida) […]

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

21 August 1974 – first flight of Hawker Siddeley Hawk

21 August 2020 Jacek Domański

The first flight of Hawker Siddeley Hawk, a jet-powered advanced training aircraft. Manufactured subsequently by Hawker, British Aerospace and then BAE Systems companies (with the licence production in India, by Hindustan Aeronautic Ltd.), Hawk is […]

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

14 August 1974 – maiden flight of Panavia Tornado

14 August 2020 Jacek Domański

Maiden flight of Panavia Tornado. The idea of creating a new Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA), to replace the European F-104 fleet, was born in the late 1960s. Initially, the aeroplane had to be developed […]

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

7 August 1997 – NASA STS-85 mission

7 August 2020 Kacper Kolibowski

Space Shuttle ‘Discovery’ launched for the NASA STS-85 mission. The STS-85 mission has begun at 10:41:00 EDT, when ´Discovery´ crewed by astronauts – Commander Curtis L. Brown; Pilot Kent V. Rominger; Mission Specialists N. Jan […]

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

31 July 1944 – death of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

31 July 2020 Jacek Domański

On 31st July 1944, Saint-Exupéry took-off for his last flight, a reconnaissance mission over the Rhone Valley. Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, comte de Saint-Exupéry – an aviator that needs no introduction. Who has not heard […]

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

24 July 1969 – Apollo 11 crew came back to Earth

24 July 2020 Kacper Kolibowski

The first men who walked on the Moon, came back on Earth safely. It’s safe to say, that Apollo 11 is considered to be the most significant mission of the whole Apollo programme of NASA […]

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

17 July 1948 – PBY-5A Catalina ´Miss Macao´ was found

17 July 2020 Jacek Domański

The wreckage of Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina ´Miss Macao´ was found. This aircraft, registered VR-HDT and operated by Cathay Pacific subsidiary, left Macau a day before, for the scheduled passenger flight, but was hijacked. This event […]

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