I was amazed to see how many aircraft celebrate the anniversary of their first flights today; here are the ones I have found:
1911 Avro Type D racing biplane
1934 Loire-Nieuport 123
1942 Messerschmitt 262V3
1945 Lockheed Nene-powered P-80 Shooting Star
1952 Supermarine 541 Swift 2nd prototype
1952 Dassault Mystere night fighter
1955 English Electric P 1A 2nd prototype
1955 Folland 141 Gnat
1962 Cessna 411
1968 Tupolev Bear-F 1st prototype
1970 Aeritalia G.222 1st prototype
1980 Panavia Tornado F Mk 2 A02 2nd prototype
1990 Embraer CBA-123 Vector 1st prototype
2002 Boeing YAL-1A
2002 Grumman Gulfstream V-SP 1st production
Any more to add to this long and varied list – perhaps July 18th is usually a fine day, although it’s pouring with rain here today!
By: Papa Lima - 18th July 2004 at 16:16
No wonder they call the 1950s the golden age of British aircraft production. Where have all the design engineers gone?
By: JDK - 18th July 2004 at 16:06
They really must have been busy. Stream take off or echelon d’you think? 😀
Sign In
July 18, 2004 at 9:31 am