Aviation History

June 18, 1983: Sally Ride Becomes the First American Woman in Space — Cleared for Orbit
June 18, 1983: Sally Ride Becomes the First American Woman in Space — Cleared for Orbit
|Randall Wagnon
On June 18, 1983, Dr. Sally Ride launched aboard Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-7, becoming the first American woman in space. An astrophysicist and former tennis prodigy, Ride was... Read more...
June 17, 1928: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic — The First Woman to Fly the Ocean
June 17, 1928: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic — The First Woman to Fly the Ocean
|Randall Wagnon
On June 17-18, 1928, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to cross the Atlantic by air, flying as a passenger (and log-keeper) aboard the Fokker Trimotor Friendship from Trepassey, Newfoundland... Read more...
June 16, 1963: Valentina Tereshkova Becomes the First Woman in Space — Aviation Breaks Every Barrier
June 16, 1963: Valentina Tereshkova Becomes the First Woman in Space — Aviation Breaks Every Barrier
|Randall Wagnon
On June 16, 1963, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched aboard Vostok 6, becoming the first woman to fly in space. She completed 48 orbits over three days — more time... Read more...
June 15, 1944: Operation Forager — The Marianas Turkey Shoot
June 15, 1944: Operation Forager — The Marianas Turkey Shoot
|Randall Wagnon
On June 19-20, 1944, American carrier-based aircraft destroyed Japan's carrier-based air power in the Battle of the Philippine Sea — an engagement American pilots nicknamed 'The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.'... Read more...
June 14-15, 1919: Alcock and Brown Fly the Atlantic — The First Transatlantic Flight
June 14-15, 1919: Alcock and Brown Fly the Atlantic — The First Transatlantic Flight
|Randall Wagnon
On June 14-15, 1919 — eight years before Lindbergh — British aviators Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown completed the first nonstop transatlantic flight, flying a modified Vickers... Read more...
June 13, 1944: The First V-1 Flying Bomb Attack on London — The Dawn of Cruise Missile Aviation
June 13, 1944: The First V-1 Flying Bomb Attack on London — The Dawn of Cruise Missile Aviation
|Randall Wagnon
On June 13, 1944, one week after D-Day, Germany launched its first V-1 flying bomb attacks against London. The V-1 — known as the 'buzz bomb' or 'doodlebug' — was... Read more...
June 12, 1979: The Gossamer Albatross Crosses the English Channel — Human-Powered Flight
June 12, 1979: The Gossamer Albatross Crosses the English Channel — Human-Powered Flight
|Randall Wagnon
On June 12, 1979, Bryan Allen pedaled the Gossamer Albatross — a human-powered aircraft designed by Paul MacCready — across the English Channel from Folkestone, England to Cap Gris Nez,... Read more...
June 11, 1985: The Voyager Completes Testing — Preparing for the Impossible Flight
June 11, 1985: The Voyager Completes Testing — Preparing for the Impossible Flight
|Randall Wagnon
Throughout the spring and early summer of 1985, the Rutan Voyager — the aircraft designed to fly around the world on a single tank of fuel — was undergoing critical... Read more...
June 10, 1924: The U.S. Army Completes the First Round-the-World Flight — Epic Aviation Achievement
June 10, 1924: The U.S. Army Completes the First Round-the-World Flight — Epic Aviation Achievement
|Randall Wagnon
On September 28, 1924, the U.S. Army Air Service completed the first successful circumnavigation of the globe by air — a 175-day journey across 27,553 miles. June was the heart... Read more...
June 9, 1909: The U.S. Army Buys Its First Airplane — When Military Aviation Was Born
June 9, 1909: The U.S. Army Buys Its First Airplane — When Military Aviation Was Born
|Randall Wagnon
On August 2, 1909, the U.S. Army Signal Corps officially accepted its first airplane — a Wright Military Flyer — from Orville and Wilbur Wright, after successful trials. June marks... Read more...
June 8, 1959: The X-15 Makes Its First Powered Flight — Hypersonic History
June 8, 1959: The X-15 Makes Its First Powered Flight — Hypersonic History
|Randall Wagnon
On June 8, 1959, NACA test pilot Scott Crossfield made the first powered flight of the North American X-15 — a rocket-powered research aircraft that would go on to set... Read more...
June 7, 1971: The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Rolls Out — America's Air Superiority King
June 7, 1971: The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Rolls Out — America's Air Superiority King
|Randall Wagnon
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle made its public debut in 1972, following a rollout ceremony in 1971, and went on to become the most successful air superiority fighter in history.... Read more...