This day in aviation history: Failure and Persistence Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Wikipedia Okay. Raise your hands if you (admittedly, I do, and my hand is raised right now) take a lot for granted. I think taking our significant others for granted may be the biggest reason for relationship discord, but I’m not writing…
The Cleveland National Air Races Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Wikipedia, YouTube, Case.edu, Freeola.com We may never know for certain what might cause us to do what we end up doing, to whom or to what we owe a debt of gratitude for putting us on our path to our life’s pursuits. Or it may…
On This day in Aviation History: Ramstein Air Base Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, Wikipedia, Creative Commons, YouTube, Aerocorner.com, osi.af.mil. Military airshows are vital for representative and open governments and militaries to show citizens how their tax dollars are being used. They give civilians a glimpse into military life and are recruiting tools. They…
1945th Anniversary of Mount Vesuvius Eruption Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com Today’s little history lesson doesn’t really have much to do with aviation history except for the bit of personal aviation experience I had with Naples and Mount Vesuvius. More on Mount Vesuvius in a moment. We’ve all got many stories to tell and…
On This Day in Aviation History: Telegraph and Voyager Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Wikipedia, History.com Way back a hundred and thirteen years ago on August 20, 1911 we were still using telegraph to communicate quickly. My how fast technology changes! If it changed so much, so quickly, between 1911 and then 1977, how fast…
Smokey Bear is Part of Aviation History! Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: National Public Radio, Getty Images, Smithsonian Institution, Obed Manuel Who doesn’t know about Smokey and his enduring message of fire safety? Smokey is one of the most successful marketing ideas of all time. And like most things, timing had a role in its…
Aviation History: Luftskipsmasta (Airship Tower) Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Atlas Obscura, Shadow of Norge There’s just something about balloons that make us happy. Airships too! Lighter than air is a joyful thing, and a thing I’d bet we’d all like to be from time-to-time, floating lazily above the earth. I know I would. Simone…
On This Day in Aviation History-Explorer 6 Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, Alchetron.com In 1959, some of us were but a glimmer in our old man’s eye. Others were still far from even that glimmer and far from making their arrival known to us. Some of us (like me) were six-year-old kids playing in…