1903 - 2003
100 Years of Powered Flight
A yearlong series of weekly PSAs

WEEK 28 - JULY 6-12, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

JULY 10TH, 1910: WALTER BROOKINS BECAME THE FIRST AIRPLANE PILOT TO FLY AT AN ALTITUDE HIGHER THAN ONE MILE. PILOTING HIS WRIGHT BI-PLANE OVER ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY, HE REACHED 6,234 FEET.

IT WAS JULY 9TH, 1979 WHEN THE VOYAGER 2 SPACE PROBE FLEW WITHIN 399,000 MILES OF JUPITER. VOYAGER’S NEXT STOP DURING ITS JOURNEY WAS NEPTUNE, WHICH TOOK AN ADDITIONAL TEN YEARS TO REACH.

AND THE NATION'S HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD, THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM, WAS PRESENTED TO GENERAL JIMMY DOOLITTLE DURING A WHITE HOUSE CEREMONY. IT WAS JULY 6TH, 1989.

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WEEK 29 - JULY 13-19, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

TALK ABOUT A WRONG TURN! IT WAS JULY 17TH, 1938 WHEN DOUGLAS CORRIGAN LEFT BROOKLYN NEW YORK FOR SUNNY CALIFORNIA. TO HIS SURPRISE, HE TOUCHED DOWN THE NEXT DAY IN DUBLIN, IRELAND, EARNING HIM THE KNICKNAME "WRONG WAY CORRIGAN.”

SIXTEEN YEARS LATER ON JULY 15TH, 1954, "TEX" JOHNSTON COMMANDED THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE BOEING 367-80. LATER DEVELOPED INTO THE 707, IT BECAME THE FIRST WIDELY USED CIVILIAN JET LINER.

AND SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE GENERAL IN THE US AIR FORCE. IT WAS JULY 16TH, 1971 WHEN JEANNIE HOLM JOINED THE GENERAL RANKS.

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WEEK 30 - JULY 20-26, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

JULY 22ND, 1933: FAMED AVIATOR WILEY POST, FLYING THE VEGA WINNIE MAE, BECAME THE FIRST PERSON TO FLY SOLO AROUND THE WORLD. FLYING AT AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 134 MILES-PER-HOUR, THE 15,596-MILE FLIGHT TOOK SEVEN DAYS AND 18 HOURS.

AND IT WAS 10:56 PM EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME ON JULY 20TH, 1969, WHEN APOLLO ASTRONAUT NEIL ARMSTRONG BECAME THE FIRST MAN TO WALK ON THE MOON. AS HE SET FOOT ON THE LUNAR SURFACE, HE UTTERED HIS NOW FAMOUS PHRASE: “THAT’S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.”

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WEEK 31 - JULY 27-02, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

AUGUST 1st, 1928: AIRMAIL POSTAGE RATES SKYROCKETED TO FIVE CENTS FOR THE FIRST OUNCE AND 10 CENTS FOR EACH ADDITIONAL. AT TODAY’S RATES, FIRST CLASS POSTAGE IS 37 CENTS PER OUNCE.

ORIGINALLY CALLED THE NATIONAL AIR MUSEUM, THE MOST VISITED BRANCH OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION WAS CREATED ON AUGUST 2ND, 1946, AND HAS SINCE BEEN RENAMED THE AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.

AND TEST PILOT IRV BURROWS MADE THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE F-15 FIGHTER AIRCRAFT AT EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, CALIFORNIA. THE TWIN-ENGINE F-15 WAS THE FIRST AIRPLANE TO ACCELERATE IN A STRAIGHT UPWARD CLIMB. IT WAS JULY 27TH, 1972.

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WEEK 32 - AUGUST 3-9, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

FARMERS AROUND THE WORLD CAN THANK A PILOT FOR INVENTING A MAINSTAY OF MODERN AGRICULTURE. IT WAS AUGUST 3RD, 1921, WHEN JOHN MACREADY USED HIS CURTISS JENNY TO FLY LOW WHILE SPREADING PESTICIDE, THEREBY INVENTING THE CROP DUSTER.

AUGUST 5TH, 1943 SAW THE CREATION OF THE WOMEN'S AIR FORCE SERVICE PILOTS. KNOWN AS WASP'S, THE GROUP WAS LEAD BY FAMED AVIATRIX JACQUELINE COCHRAN.

AND ON AUGUST 6TH, 1945, A US B-29 BOMBER DROPPED THE WORLD’S FIRST ATOMIC BOMB ON HIROSHIMA, JAPAN. NAGASAKI WAS THE SECOND TARGET ON AUGUST 9TH. WORLD WAR II ENDED WITH A JAPANESE SURRENDER SOON AFTER.

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WEEK 33 - AUGUST 10-16, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

AUGUST 13TH, 1917: THE FIRST AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES SQUADRON REPORTED FOR DUTY AND SET SAIL FOR EUROPE. THESE COURAGEOUS PILOTS WERE AN INTERGRAL PART OF AMERICA’S AERIAL COMBAT FORCES DURING WORLD WAR I.

AUGUST 15TH, 1935: AMERICANS REMEMBER THE SAD NEWS OF THE CRASH THAT KILLED FAMED PILOT WILEY POST AND HUMORIST WILL ROGERS, BOTH OF WHOM PERISHED AFTER THEIR ORION-EXPLORER CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF NEAR POINT BARROW, ALASKA.

AND ON AUGUST 16TH, 1948, TEST PILOT FRED BRETCHER MADE THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE XF-89 ALL-WEATHER INTERCEPTOR AT MUROC AIR FORCE BASE, CALIFORNIA.

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WEEK 34 - AUGUST 17-23, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

AUGUST 23RD, 1909 WAS THE DAY THAT PILOT GLEN CURTISS BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN TO CLAIM THE WORLD'S SPEED RECORD AT THE MAJOR AIR MEET HELD IN REIMS, FRANCE. HIS AMAZING FEAT? FLYING HIS "REIMS RACER" BI-PLANE A BLISTERING 43 MPH.

SIXTY-SIX YEARS LATER, ON AUGUST 20TH, 1975, THE VIKING ONE MISSION TO MARS WAS LAUNCHED ON A TITAN III BOOSTER FROM CAPE CANAVERAL AIR STATION, FLORIDA. TEN MONTHS AFTER LEAVING THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE, THE SPACECRAFT BEGAN TO ORBIT THE PLANET, COMPLETING 14OO REVOLUTIONS OVER THE COURSE OF ONE MONTH, BEFORE SOFT-LANDING ON MARS TO COLLECT SOIL SAMPLES FOR ANAYSIS.

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WEEK 35 - AUGUST 24-30, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

AUGUST 27TH, 1913: IMPERIAL RUSSIAN ARMY LIEUTENANT PETR NIKOLAEVICH NESTEROV PERFORMED HISTORY'S FIRST INSIDE LOOP WHILE FLYING A NIEUPORT TYPE IV AIRCRAFT OVER KIEV.

PULL THE RIPCORD! SKYDIVERS AND PILOTS ALIKE CAN THANK A GREENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA COAL MINER FOR INVENTING A REAL LIFE-SAVER. IT WAS AUGUST 25TH, 1914 WHEN STEPHEN BANIC WAS ISSUED A PATENT FOR HIS DESIGN OF THE PARACHUTE.

EIGHTEEN YEARS TO THE DAY LATER, ON AUGUST 25TH, 1932, AMELIA EARHART BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO COMPLETE A NON-STOP TRANSCONTINENTAL FLIGHT FROM LOS ANGELES TO NEW YORK CITY.

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WEEK 36 - AUGUST 31-6, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

SEPTEMBER 3RD, 1908: IT TOOK SEVERAL YEARS FOR THE WRIGHT BROTHERS TO CONVINCE THEM OF ITS VALUE, BUT JUST SHORT OF FIVE YEARS AFTER THE WRIGHT BROTHERS FLEW AT KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA, ORVILLE WRIGHT MADE THE INITIAL TEST FLIGHT OF THE US ARMY’S FIRST WRIGHT FLYER OVER THE PARADE GROUNDS AT FORT MYER, VIRGINIA.

AIRPLANE-TO-AIRPLANE RADIO WAS FIRST DEMONSTRATED AT NORTH ISLAND, CALIFORNIA ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, 1916 WHEN RADIOTELEGRAPH MESSAGES WERE SENT AND RECEIVED AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT TWO MILES BETWEEN THE AIRPLANES.

AND ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1919, DIVE BOMBING WAS DEMONSTRATED FOR THE FIRST TIME AT ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND IN MARYLAND.

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WEEK 37 - SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

IT WAS SEPTEMBER 2ND, 1910, WHEN BLANCHE SCOTT, PILOTING A CURTIS PUSHER, BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN TO FLY SOLO AT THE CURTIS COMPANY FIELD IN HAMMONDSPORT, NEW YORK. DESPITE HER HISTORY MAKING FLIGHT, BLANCHE WAS NOT GRANTED A PILOT'S LICENSE. BUT SHE DIDN’T STAY GROUNDED FOR LONG, EVENTUALLY EARNING A SPOT AS A STUNT FLYER IN CURTISS AIRSHOWS.

THE US ARMY GAVE NEW MEANING TO THE TERM TEST FLIGHT WHEN, ON SEPTEMBER 7TH, 1918, THE MILITARY TRANSPORTED ITS FIRST TROOPS BY AIR. EIGHTEEN ENLISTED MEN PASSED THE TEST AFTER THEY WERE LOADED ABOARD SEVERAL AIRPLANES THAT TOOK OFF FROM CHANUTE FIELD, ILLINOIS AND SAFELY LANDED IN CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

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WEEK 38 - SEPTEMBER 14-20, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

POWERED AVIATION CLAIMED ITS FIRST CASUALTY ON SEPTEMBER 17TH, 1908, WHEN ORVILLE WRIGHT, AT THE CONTROLS OF A WRIGHT FLYER, CRASHED AT FORT MYER, VIRGINIA, BREAKING HIS HIP AND KILLING ARMY LIEUTENANT THOMAS SELFRIDGE IN THE PROCESS.

SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1947: LED BY FORMER ARMY AIR CORPS GENERAL “TOOYEY” SPAATZ, THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE SPREAD ITS WINGS AS A SEPARATE MILITARY SERVICE. INSTRUMENTAL IN LOBBYING FOR A SEPARATE SERVICE DEDICATED TO AIRPOWER, THE AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION HONORS THIS DATE EACH YEAR BY HOLDING A WEEK-LONG NATIONAL CONVENTION IN WASHINGTON, DC, WHERE THE LATEST IDEAS AND TECHNOLOGIES ARE SHOWCASED.

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WEEK 39 - SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

SEPTEMBER 22ND, 1928: LIEUTENANT ROGER WILLIAMS BECAME THE 101ST PERSON TO BE SAVED BY A PARACHUTE AFTER LANDING SAFELY ON THE GROUND FOLLOWING AN AIRCRAFT BAILOUT OVER SAN DIEGO.

GIVING THE TERM “FLYING BLIND” NEW MEANING, SEPTEMBER 24TH, 1929 MARKED THE DAY THAT JIMMY DOOLITTLE, WHO LATER BECAME KNOWN AS THE MASTER OF THE CALCULATED RISK, MADE THE FIRST ALL-INSTRUMENT FLIGHT AT MITCHELL FIELD, NEW YORK.

THEY CALLED IT THE "ONE-OH-WONDER." IT WAS SEPTEMBER 24TH, 1959, WHEN ROBERT LITTLE MADE THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE F-101 VOODO FIGHTER, WHICH BROKE THE SOUND BARRIER DURING ITS INITIAL FLIGHT, HITTING MACH 1.2.

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WEEK 40 - SEPTEMBER 28-4, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

IT WAS OCTOBER 2ND, 1918, WHEN THE KETTERING AERIAL TORPEDO MADE ITS FIRST TEST FLIGHT OVER DAYTON, OHIO. NICKNAMED "BUG," THE AERIAL TORPEDO WAS THE WORLD'S FIRST GUIDED MISSILE, AND WAS THE PRECURSOR TO MODERN DAY CRUISE MISSILES.

A CHILLING DAY UNFOLDED ON OCTOBER 4TH, 1957 AS AMERICANS LEARNED OF THE SOVIET UNION’S SUCCESFUL LAUNCH OF SPUTNIK 1, THE WORLD’S FIRST SATELLITE. THUS BEGAN A SPACE RACE BETWEEN THE AMERICANS AND RUSSIANS THAT LASTED MORE THAN FOUR DECADES.

AND ON OCTOBER 1ST, 1958 THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION, KNOWN AS NASA, WAS ESTABLISHED.

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WEEK 41 - OCTOBER 5-11, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

YEARS BEFORE THERE WAS AIR FORCE ONE, FORMER PRESIDENT TEDDY ROOSEVELT BECAME THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO FLY. HIS FLIGHT ABOARD A WRIGHT FLYER ON OCTOBER 11TH, 1910, TOOK PLACE OVER ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IN A STEP FORWARD FOR FEMALE FLYERS, EVELYN PINCHERT KILGORE BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE ISSUED A CIVIL AERONAUTICS AUTHORITY INSTRUCTORS CERTIFICATE ON OCTOBER 13TH, 1939.

AND ALMOST TWO YEARS AFTER A FLASH FIRE KILLED THE APOLLO 1 CREW, THE FIRST APOLLO MISSION BLASTED INTO SPACE. ABOARD APOLLO 7, WALTER SCHIRRA, JR., DON EISLE AND WALTER CUNNINGHAM CIRCLED THE EARTH FOR 10 DAYS, 20 HOURS AND NINE MINUTES. IT WAS OCTOBER 11TH, 1968.

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WEEK 42 - OCTOBER 12-18, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

OCTOBER 17TH, 1922 MARKED THE DAY THAT LIEUTENANT V.C. GRIFFIN ACHIEVED THE FIRST AIRCRAFT CARRIER TAKE-OFF IN US NAVY HISTORY. ABOARD HIS VOUGHT VE-7SF, LIEUTENANT GRIFFIN LIFTED OFF FROM THE USS LANGLEY, AT ANCHOR IN THE YORK RIVER, VIRGINIA.

IT WAS THE BOOM HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD! CHUCK YEAGER BLASTED THROUGH THE SOUND BARRIER ON OCTOBER 14TH, 1947, AFTER A B-29 BOMBER RELEASED YEAGER'S BELL X-1 AIRCRAFT IN MID-AIR. NAMED GLAMOROUS GLENNIS, THE X-1 REACHED A SPEED OF MACH 1.06 AND AN ALTITUDE OF 45,000 FEET.

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WEEK 43 - OCTOBER 19-25, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

IT WAS OCTOBER 25TH, 1930 WHEN THE FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE BEGAN BETWEEN NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES.

ONE YEAR LATER, ON OCTOBER 25TH, 1931, AMERICANS CLYDE “UPSIDE DOWN” PANGBORN AND HUGH HERNDON, JR. MADE THE FIRST NON-STOP TRANSPACIFIC FLIGHT FROM JAPAN TO AMERICA. THEIR HISTORIC FLIGHT IN A BELLECA MONOPLANE TOOK 41 HOURS AND 13 MINUTES.

AND OCTOBER 21ST, 1947 MARKED THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE NORTHROP YB-49 JET-POWERED BOMBER. ALTHOUGH THE PROGRAM WAS EVENTUALLY CANCELLED, THE YB-49’S “FLYING WING” DESIGN WAS THE FORERUNNER OF THE CURRENT B-2 BOMBER, INTRODUCED IN 1989.

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WEEK 44 - OCTOBER 26-1, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

IT WAS OCTOBER 27TH, 1954 WHEN BENJAMIN O. DAVIS, JR., THE FORMER COMMANDER OF THE FAMED TUSKEEGEE AIRMEN, BECAME THE FIRST BLACK GENERAL OFFICER OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. A WEST POINT GRADUATE, DAVIS WAS THE SON OF THE FIRST BLACK GENERAL OF THE US ARMY.

AND ON OCTOBER 26TH, 1956, LESS THAN SIXTEEN MONTHS AFTER DESIGN WORK BEGAN, FLOYD CARLSON MADE THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE UH-1 IROQUOIS HELICOPTER. MORE COMMONLY CALLED THE HUEY, THE UH-1 IROQUOIS SAW SIGNIFICANT ACTION DURING THE VIETNAM CONFLICT AND WAS KNOWN AS THE WORK HORSE OF THE US MILITARY FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES.

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WEEK 45 - NOVEMBER 2-8, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

ANCHORS AWEIGH! THE FIRST EVER AIRPLANE CATAPULT LAUNCH FROM A SHIP TOOK PLACE IN PENSACOLA BAY, FLORIDA WHEN HENRY MUSTIN WAS LAUNCHED FROM THE USS NORTH CAROLINA ABOARD AN AB-2 FLYING BOAT. HIS HISTORIC FLIGHT TOOK PLACE NOVEMBER 5TH, 1915.

IT WAS THE ONLY FLIGHT OF THE SPRUCE GOOSE, THE HUGE CARGO AIRCRAFT BUILT BY BILLIONAIRE HOWARD HUGHES. BOASTING A 320-FOOT WINGSPAN, THIS 400,000 LB. WOODEN FLYING BOAT MADE ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE OVER LOS ANGELES HARBOR ON NOVEMBER 2ND, 1947 BEFORE HUGHES PERMANENTLY GROUNDED IT. TO DATE, NO AIRCRAFT WITH A WINGSPAN THAT LARGE HAS TAKEN FLIGHT.

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WEEK 46 - NOVEMBER 9-15, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

THE UNITED STATES HAD 45 SQUADRONS WITH MORE THAN 1200 TROOPS ON THE FRONT IN FRANCE WHEN THE ARMISTICE ENDING WORLD WAR I WAS SIGNED. IT WAS NOVEMBER 11TH, 1918.

NOVEMBER 12TH, 1921: WITH A FIVE-GALLON CAN OF GASOLINE STRAPPED TO HIS BACK, WESLEY MAY BRAVELY CLIMBED FROM THE WING OF ONE AIRCRAFT TO THE WING OF ANOTHER WHILE IN FLIGHT, IN THE FIRST KNOWN DEMONSTRATION OF AIR-TO-AIR REFUELING.

MOVE OVER CHUCK YEAGER! NOVEMBER 20TH, 1953 MARKED THE DAY THAT TEST PILOT SCOTT CROSSFIELD BROKE THE MACH 2 BARRIER IN HIS SKYROCKET RESEARCH PLANE, AFTER DROPPING FROM A B-29 BOMBER AT 32,000 FEET.

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WEEK 47 - NOVEMBER 16-22, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

HONORING THE PIONEERS OF POWERED FLIGHT, IT WAS NOVEMBER 19TH, 1932, WHEN A NATIONAL MONUMENT TO WILBUR AND ORVILLE WRIGHT WAS DEDICATED AT KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA, NEARLY 29 YEARS AFTER THEY FIRST TOOK FLIGHT.

THREE YEARS LATER ON NOVEMBER 22ND, 1935, EDWIN MUSICK FLEW THE FIRST TRANS-PACIFIC AIRMAIL FLIGHT IN THE “CHINA CLIPPER.” BEGINNING IN SAN FRANCISCO, THE AIRMAIL ROUTE STOPPED IN HAWAII, MIDWAY ISLAND, WAKE ISLAND, GUAM AND MANILA.

NOVEMBER 18TH, 1952: THE WORLD AIR SPEED RECORD OF 698 MPH WAS SET IN AN F-86D, FLYING A THREE-KILOMETER COURSE OVER THE SALTON SEA IN CALIFORNIA.

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WEEK 48 - NOVEMBER 23-29, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

NOVEMBER 26TH, 1975 WAS THE DAY THAT NASA PILOT THOMAS MCMURTRY MADE THE LAST FLIGHT OF THE X-24 LIFTING BODY AIRCRAFT AT EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, CALIFORNIA. THE X-24, WHICH UNDERWENT A SIGNIFICANT SHAPE CHANGE MIDWAY THROUGH THE FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM, WAS FLOWN A TOTAL OF 54 TIMES.

SIX TIMES A CHARM! IT WAS NOVEMBER 28TH, 1983, WHEN SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION COMMANDER JOHN YOUNG BECAME THE FIRST PERSON TO MAKE HIS SIXTH SPACE FLIGHT. DURING THAT SAME MISSION ON THE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA, THE FIRST SPACECRAFT TO EVER CARRY SIX CREW MEMBERS, THE EUROPEAN SPACELAB MODULE ALSO BEGAN OPERATION FOR THE FIRST TIME.

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WEEK 49 - NOVEMBER 30-6, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

DECEMBER 1ST, 1977: IN TOTAL SECRECY, TEST PILOT BILL PARK MADE THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE XST “HAVE BLUE” AIRCRAFT AT GROOM LAKE, NEVADA. DEVELOPED IN ONLY TWENTY MONTHS, “HAVE BLUE” WAS A PROTOTYPE FOR STEALTH TECHNOLOGY.

NEED A LIFT? THE SOVIET UNION CLAIMED PRODUCTION OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST AIRCRAFT WHEN THEY ROLLED OUT THE SIX-ENGINE “ANTONOV AN-225” ON NOVEMBER 30TH, 1988. ONLY ONE WAS EVER BUILT.

THE MARS PATHFINDER, THE FIRST SPACECRAFT DESIGNED TO LAND ON AND EXPLORE MARS, WAS LAUNCHED FROM CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA ON DECEMBER 4TH, 1996. IT REACHED ITS DESTINATION SEVEN MONTHS LATER.

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WEEK 50 - DECEMBER 7-13, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

CALBRAITH RODGERS MADE 76 STOPS AND CRASHED 20 TIMES - ALL TO REACH LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA AND COMPLETE THE FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL FLIGHT ON DECEMBER 10TH, 1911. FLYING HIS WRIGHT BI-PLANE, RODGERS TOOK OFF FROM SHEEPSHEAD BAY, NEW YORK THREE MONTHS EARLIER.

IT WAS A DAY THAT WOULD LIVE IN INFAMY: DECEMBER 7TH, 1941. THE JAPANESE PROVED THE IMPORTANCE OF AIRPOWER WHEN THEY WAGED A SURPRISE ATTACK ON THE AMERICAN NAVAL BASE AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII. IN JUST TWO HOURS, THE JAPANESE LAUNCHED 274 AIRCRAFT AND DELIVERED 152.7 TONS OF BOMBS AND TORPEDOES, PULLING AMERICA INTO WORLD WAR II.

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WEEK 51 - DECEMBER 14-20, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

TWO BICYCLE MECHANICS FROM OHIO NAMED ORVILLE AND WILBUR WRIGHT FOREVER CHANGED THE ADDAGE THAT MAN WASN’T MEANT TO FLY, WHEN THEY SUCCESSFULLY FLEW THE FIRST HEAVIER-THAN-AIR POWERED VEHICLE AT KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA. THE LONGEST FLIGHT OF THE DAY WAS ORVILLE'S, WHEN HE FLEW 852 FEET IN 59 SECONDS. VARIOUS NEWS ITEMS ABOUT THE INCIDENT WERE MET WITH LITTLE INTEREST - SOME REPORTS EVEN CONTAINED INCORRECT INFORMATION. NOT REALIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS’ FEAT WAS AN ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTER IN DAYTON WHO REMARKED, “FIFTY-SEVEN SECONDS? HEY, IF IT HAD BEEN FIFTY-SEVEN MINUTES, THEN IT MIGHT’VE BEEN A NEWS ITEM.” IT WAS DECEMBER 17TH, 1903.

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WEEK 52 - DECEMBER 21 - 31, 2003
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IMAGINATION, ADVENTURE, FLIGHT. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF POWERED FLIGHT, THIS IS UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY.

FOR THE AEROSPACE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AFFILIATE, I'M JOHN TAUTGES.

DECEMBER 31ST, 1934: HELEN RICHEY BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN TO PILOT AN AIRMAIL TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE, FLYING A ROUTE BETWEEN WASHINGTON, DC AND DETROIT.

IT WAS DECEMBER 31ST, 1938 WHEN THE BOEING 307 STRATOLINER MADE ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE. AS THE FIRST FOUR-ENGINE AIRLINER IN SCHEDULED DOMESTIC SERVICE, THE 307 FEATURED A PRESSURIZED CABIN FOR FLYING COMFORT.

AND ON DECEMBER 29TH, 1939, BILL WHEATLEY’S 17-MINUTE INITIAL TEST FLIGHT OF THE B-24 LIBERATOR PROTOTYPE PROVED THE AIRCRAFT’S VIABILITY, AND LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR MORE THAN 18,000 OF THIS WORLD WAR II-ERA BOMBER TO BE BUILT IN LESS THAN SIX YEARS.

FOR MORE ON UP FROM KITTY HAWK: THIS WEEK IN AVIATION HISTORY, CHECK OUT WWW.AEF.ORG.

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