Concorde Lifts Off for the First Time
On March 2, 1969, the supersonic airliner Concorde took to the sky for the first time, flying a 27-minute test flight from Toulouse, France.
Tagged: aviation
The Morning a Bomber Crashed Into the Empire State Building
On July 28, 1945, a B-25 bomber lost in thick fog slammed into the Empire State Building, killing 14 — and an elevator operator survived a 75-story fall.
The Blockade That Was Beaten by Airplanes
On June 24, 1948, the Soviet Union sealed off West Berlin — and the Allies answered by supplying two million people entirely from the sky.
The Day a Private Spaceship Reached Space
On June 21, 2004, SpaceShipOne became the first privately built and funded spacecraft to carry a person into space.
Twenty Hours Across the Ocean: Amelia Earhart's First Atlantic Crossing
On June 18, 1928, Amelia Earhart landed at Burry Port, Wales, becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
Lone Eagle Lands in Paris: Lindbergh's Solo Atlantic Crossing
On May 21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis at Le Bourget, Paris, completing the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic.
'Lucky Lindy' Takes Off for Paris
On May 20, 1927, Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field for the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight, landing in Paris 33½ hours later.
The Hindenburg Burns at Lakehurst
On May 6, 1937, the German airship Hindenburg caught fire while landing at Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 people and ending the age of the passenger airship.
37 Minutes That Ended Britain's Island Status
On July 25, 1909, Louis Blériot took off from Calais at dawn and landed near Dover 36 minutes later — the first airplane flight across the English Channel.
The One-Eyed Pilot Who Flew Solo Around the World
On July 22, 1933, one-eyed aviator Wiley Post landed his Lockheed Vega, the Winnie Mae, in New York — completing the first solo flight around the world in 7 days, 18 hours, 49 minutes.