This Day in Aviation Friday Evening Twofer. April 12th. Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com This evening it’s all space, all the time for our aviation history vignettes and it’s a twofer to boot. And what a twofer it is and a what a day April 12th was in the annuls of aviation history! Two…
This Day in Aviation History: Flight Hardships and First Flight Around the World Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com It’s hard to imagine and nearly impossible to remember given that to actually remember, we’d have to have been born at least 105 or 106 years ago (to be past the age of childhood amnesia) and…
This Day in Aviation: April 4th, 1933 Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com Balloons are fun! Even the big ones…the gargantuan ones. Even their names are fun. Dirigible. Airship. Zeppelin. Blimp. Seeing one of these gigantic machines lazily (apparently lazily…but not really…as there’s much work in designing, building, and flying them) floating by. And while…
Aviation History Twofer: Okinawa and the Royal Air Force Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com While most of us are probably too “mature” to put salt in the sugar bowl, cigar loads in dad’s cigar, or tell your spouse with a straight face that you’ve decided to sell everything and become a Tibetan Monk…and then…
On This Day in Aviation History: Iwo Jima Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com When we think about Iwo Jima, we typically (and rightfully) think about the USMC infantry that slogged their way through horrific battle conditions to wrest the island from the hands of its Japanese defenders, with tragic consequences for those killed and…
On this day in aviation history: Pancho Villa and the First Aero Squadron Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com Being the first at something is a pretty special accomplishment. Being named “the First” and then actually “being” the first is really unique. Except, I suppose, for being first-born in my family, I’ve never been…
This Day in Aviation History: Aunt Effie and Outdoors Play Time Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com When I was a kid, we experimented a lot with launching things into the air. We found a pipe that was just the right diameter to have a golf ball slip down. Jammed into the ground at an…
Tuesday Twofer Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com Happy Leap Year in two days! Speaking of leaping, we’re going to leap between yesterday’s aviation history and today’s aviation history in our “Tuesday Twofer”. First, today’s aviation history. Being the very first at something in our great, big country is a goal many might pursue. But…