SHORT AVIATION STORIES
first flight
AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY
9 February 1897 – Charles Kingsford Smith is born
On 9th February 1897, an Australian aviation pioneer, Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith, was born in Brisbane. In 1928, Kingsford Smith successfully completed the first transpacific flight in aviation history. His over 11,500-kilometre-long trip was […]
AVIATION HISTORY
2 February 1872 – maiden flight of Dupuy de Lôme dirigible balloon
On 2nd February 1872, Henri Dupuy de Lôme presented to public his muscle-powered dirigible balloon, able to achieve up to 11 kph. Stanislas Charles Henri Dupuy de Lôme was born on 15th October 1816 in […]
SHORT AVIATION STORIES
Dupuy de Lôme dirigible balloon
On 2nd February 1872, Henri Dupuy de Lôme presented to public his muscle-powered dirigible balloon, able to achieve flight speed of up to 11 kph. On 29th October 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, the French […]
SHORT AVIATION STORIES
Sikorsky R-4 – the first serial manufactured helicopter in the USA
On 14th January 1942 (or 13th January, according to some sources), a helicopter designed by Igor Sikorsky and designated Vought-Sikorsky VS-316 (aka XR-4, under its USAAF designation) performed its maiden flight, piloted by Les Morris, […]
AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY
29 December 1931 – first flight of Grumman FF
On 29th December 1931, the Grumman FF biplane fighter aircraft performed its maiden flight. The October of 1929 was mainly marked by catastrophic collapse of American stock market, commonly known as the Great Crash and […]
AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY
1 December 1932 – first flight of Heinkel He 70 Blitz
On 1st December 1932, a German mail and passenger aircraft Heinkel He 70, performed its maiden flight. The Heinkel He 70 was one of representatives of the new generation of German aircraft, designed and developed […]
AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY
24 November 1924 – first flight from the Netherlands to the Dutch East Indies
On 24th November 1924, Fokker F.VII airliner of the KLM Dutch airline landed in Jakarta, successfully completing the first air bridge between the Netherlands and the Dutch East indies. The first decade after the Great […]
AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY
27 October – ATR 72 first flight (1988) and then introduction into operational service (1989)
On 27th October 1988, prototype of ATR 72 regional airliner performed its maiden flight. Exactly one year later, on 27th October 1989, the aircraft began its operational service with Finnair airline. The idea of ATR […]
MILITARY AVIATION
First flight of Apache V6.5
In the beginning of October, Boeing informed about the successful maiden flight of the newest version of well-known Apache attack helicopter. The latest variant of the AH-64E, designated Version 6.5 (or just V6.5), includes several […]