This Day in Aviation History: Memphis Belle Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, Casinofreak.com On May 17, 1943, the crew of the Memphis Belle became one of the first B-17 aircraft and crew to complete 25 missions over Europe and return to the United States. Completing twenty-five combat missions. Most of us wouldn’t bet on…
On This Day in Aviation History: A Tuesday Twofer: May 14, 2005 Highest Landing and Takeoff and First Passenger Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: “This Day In Aviation History” by Bryan Swopes, At five and a half miles, there are precious few “Bernoullis”available (especially for inefficient helicopters), “Bernoullis” being an aviator’s tongue-in-cheek way of expressing…
MISTY 40 FAC has Flown His Final Flight Contributor: Barry Fetzer Nine days ago, we lost one of the our most accomplished aviators, Dick Rutan. The following tribute is by Jim Moore, Managing Editor-Digital Media for AOPA. A decorated war hero and aviation pioneer, Dick Rutan, who “played an airplane like someone plays a…
On This Day in Aviation History: May 9, 1926. Over the North Pole…or not? Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Wikipedia According to Wikipedia, “Inaptronyms are names inappropriate for what the person does, such as Rob Banks, who is a British Police Officer. On the other hand, an aptronym, aptonym, or euonym is a personal name…
The Grand Canyon’s Original Airport Lies Abandoned Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Atlas Obscura. Perhaps like many of you, I’ve always liked exploring old, abandoned buildings. As a kid growing up in a village outside of Cleveland, Ohio there was this abandoned mansion…it really was a mansion…called the “Andrews Mansion”. It was way back in…
36 Years ago Today in Aviation History Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com Courtesy FAA. Where were you 36 years ago today? Hopefully not on Aloha Airlines Flight 243. According to History.com, “On April 28, 1988, a seemingly routine, 35-minute flight from Hilo to Honolulu turned into terror when an 18-foot-long section of the upper…
Aviation history: the bloody Red Baron Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Wikipedia, History.com “Curse you Red Baron!” Snoopy exclaims, shaking his fist at the invisible German fighter pilot who just put imaginary bullet holes in the Peanuts character’s dog-house-turned-biplane. Snoopy pretending to be a WWI fighter pilot is a lovable cartoon drawn by Charles Schulz. …
On This Day in 1978: KAL Flight 902 Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, Wikipedia.com We Americans tend—at least as far as our borders’ air defense is concerned—to ask questions first and then shoot if necessary. Not so the Russians, who seem to shoot first and then ask questions, the latest example being Malaysia Airlines…