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This is a list of aviation-related events from 1950:
[edit] Events
[edit] January
- January 3 – A Pan American World Airways Boeing 377 Stratocruiser makes the first commercial nonstop flight from Tokyo, Japan, to Honolulu, Hawaii.[2]
- January 5 – Attempting to land at Koltsovo Airport at Sverdlovsk in the Soviet Union's Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic during a heavy snowstorm with high winds, a Soviet Air Force Lisunov Li-2 crashes, killing all 19 people on board. Almost the entire Soviet Air Force ice hockey team, VVS Moscow – 11 players, a team physician, and a masseur – dies in the crash.
- January 26 – A United States Air Force Strategic Air Command C-54D-1-DC Skymaster with 44 people on board disappears without trace over Canada's Yukon Territory near Snag during a flight from Elmendorf Air Force Base outside Anchorage, Territory of Alaska, to Great Falls Air Force Base in Cascade County, Montana. No wreckage or bodies are ever found.
- January 31 – President of the United States Harry S. Truman announces that he has ordered the United States Government to develop the hydrogen bomb.[3]
[edit] February
- February 13 – A U.S. Air Force B-36B Peacemaker bomber participating in the first full-scale practice for a nuclear strike on the Soviet Union suffers the failure of all six of its engines during a mission to simulate a Soviet nuclear attack on San Francisco, California. The crew jettisons the Mark 4 atomic bomb the plane is carrying, which detonates over the Pacific Ocean in the first loss of a nuclear weapon, then bails out – which 12 of the 17 men on board survive – over Princess Royal Island, British Columbia, Canada, leaving the plane to fly on autopilot out over the Pacific Ocean and crash. Instead, some of its engines apparently recover power on their own, and the bomber flies unmanned for several hours and crashes on a remote mountainside in northern British Columbia; this remains unknown until it is discovered lying almost intact on the mountain in 1953.
- June 1 - British European Airways commences the first regular passenger service to be flown by helicopter, between Liverpool and Cardiff.
- June 12 – The Air France Douglas DC-4 Ciel de Picardie crashes into the Persian Gulf southeast of Bahrain while on approach to land there after a flight from Karachi, killing 46 of the 52 people on board.
- June 14 – The Air France Douglas DC-4 Ciel de Gascogne crashes into the Persian Gulf southeast of Bahrain while on approach to land there after a flight from Karachi, killing 40 of the 53 people on board. The crash occurs within a mile (1.6 km) of the virtually identical Air France crash two days earlier.
- June 23 – Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501, a Douglas DC-4, crashes into Lake Michigan 18 miles (29 km) north-northwest of Benton Harbor, Michigan, after entering a squall line and turbulence, killing all 58 people on board. It is the deadliest commercial airliner accident in American history at the time.
- June 25 – The Korean War breaks out as North Korea invades South Korea.
- June 25 – The United States Air Force begins evacuating American citizens from South Korea.
- June 26 – The Australian National Airways Douglas DC-4 Amana crashes northwest of York, Western Australia, killing all 28 people on board. It is the second-deadliest aviation accident and deadliest civil aviation accident in Australian history at the time.
- June 27 – Flying a North American F-82 Twin Mustang, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant William G. "Skeeter" Hudson shoots down a North Korean Air Force Yakovlev Yak-9, the first air-to-air kill of the Korean War.[4]
- June 27 – U.S. Air Force B-29 Superfortresses of the 19th Bombardment Group attack Seoul railway station and the bridge over the Han River in the first strategic bombing mission of the Korean War.
- June 27 – U.S. Air Force C-47 Skytrains and C-54 Skymasters evacuate U.S. nationals from Korea.[5]
- June 27 – Japan-based PBM-5 Mariners of Patrol Squadron 47 (VP-47) begin the first U.S. Navy maritime air patrols of the Korean War.[6]
- June 28 – U.S. Air Force B-26 Invaders fly the first United Nations strike mission into North Korea.
- June 30 - P-51 Mustangs of No. 77 Squadron RAAF are sent to Korea as part of Australia's contribution to the war.
- July 1 – The United States Air Force discontinues the Air Defense Command.[7]
- July 3 – Escorting strikes on Pyongyang by F4U Corsairs and AD Skyraiders, F9F Panthers of VF-51 flying from USS Valley Forge (CV-45) become the first U.S. jet fighters to go into combat.[8] They shoot down two North Korean Yak-9 fighters; Lieutenant junior grade Leonard H. Plog becomes the first U.S. Navy jet pilot to score an aerial victory. It is the combat debut for both the Skyraider and the Panther.[9] Supermarine Seafires of 800 Naval Air Squadron and Fairey Fireflys of No, 827 Sqn from HMS Triumph fly the first non-U.S. sorties over Korea, striking Haeju.
- July 4 – Seafires and Fireflies from Triumph strikes targets of opportunity in Korea, including a railway bridge and a column of North Korean troops.[10]
- July 6 – U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron 46 (VP-46), based at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, begins maritime air patrols of the Taiwan Strait and coast of China to guard against any People's Republic of China action against Taiwan while the Korean War is raging.[11]
- July 8 – U.S. Navy P2V-3 Neptunes of Patrol Squadron 6 (VP-6) begin air patrols along the east coast of Korea.[11]
- July 16 – Okinawa-based U.S. Navy PB4Y-2 Privateers of Patrol Squadron 28 (VP-28) begin patrols of the coast of the People's Republic of China.[11]
- July 18 – AD Skyraiders and F4U Corsairs from the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CV-45) strike targets near Pyongyang, Korea, then completely destroy an oil refinery at Wonsan.[12] Aircraft from HMS Triumph provide a combat air patrol and antisubmarine patrols for Task Force 77 during the strikes.[10]
- July 18 – The Peruvian Aviation Corps is reorganized to become the Peruvian Air Force.[13]
- July 22 – AD Skyraiders and F4U Corsairs from the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CV-45) strike targets near Haeju and Inchon, Korea,[12]
- July 23 – The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Boxer (CV-21) crosses the Pacific Ocean in record time, from Alameda, California to Yokosuka, Japan, in 8 days 16 hours.
- July 25 – Middle East Airlines "Dakota" aircraft was on its way from Jerusalem to Beirut when an Israeli military aircraft opened fire at the Lebanese-Israeli border. The radio operator "Antoine Wazir" was hit by a deadly bullet while sitting in his chair near the pilot.
- July 28 – A U.S. Air Force B-29 Superfortress mistakenly shoots down a British Seafire of No. 800 Squadron from HMS Triumph off Korea, apparently mistaking it for a Yak-9.[10]
- July 29 – A BEA Vickers Viscount makes the first turboprop-powered passenger flight on the route London(Northolt)-Paris(Le Bourget).
[edit] August
[edit] September
- September 1 – The number three engine of the Trans World Airlines Lockheed L-749A Constellation Star of Maryland, operating as Flight 903, catches fire, then falls off the wing, while the aircraft is flying near Cairo, Egypt. The crew attempts an emergency landing near Ityai el Barud, Egypt, but the aircraft crashes, killing all 55 people on board. Among the dead are architect Maciej Nowicki and an Egyptian film star.
- September 4 – Captain Robert Wayne becomes the first pilot to be rescued from behind enemy lines by a helicopter.
- September 4 – Four F4U Corsair fighter-bombers from the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CV-45) intercept a twin-engine Soviet aircraft approaching Task Force 77 off Korea and shoot it down after it opens fire on them.[17]
- September 5 – To divert enemy attention from the upcoming Inchon landing, U.S. Air Force bombers begin strikes on bridges and roads around Kunsan, Korea. To contribute to the deception over the next few days, carrier aircraft from USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) and HMS Triumph (R16) strike roads and bridges to the north of Kunsan, and aircraft from USS Valley Forge (CV-45) and USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) attack targets between Seoul and Pyongyang.[18]
- September 10, 13, and 14 – United Nations carrier aircraft soften up targets in the Inchon area in preparation for the landing there.[19]
- September 15 – Task Force 77, centered on five U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and one of the Royal Navy, supports the U.S. Marine Corps assault on Green Beach, paving the way for the Inchon landing.
- September 22 – U.S. Air Force Colonel David Schilling makes the first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a jet fighter, flying a Republic EF-84E Thunderjet from the United Kingdom to the United States in 10 hours 2 minutes with three aerial refuelings. The flight demonstrates that large numbers of fighters could be moved quickly across the Atlantic.
[edit] October
[edit] November
- November 1 - In the Korean War, United States Air Force F-51 Mustang fighters report coming under fire by Soviet-built MiG-15 jet fighters. It is the first encounter between United Nations forces and the MiG-15.[8]
- November 3 – The Lockheed L-749A Constellation Malabar Princess, operating as Air India Flight 245, crashes on Mont Blanc in France, killing all 48 people on board. In 1966, Air India Flight 101 will crash in almost exactly the same spot.
- November 7 - BOAC retires its last flying boat airliner from service.
- November 8 - In the Korean War, the first jet-vs.-jet combat in history takes place, between United States Air Force F-80C Shooting Stars escorting B-29 Superfortress bombers and Soviet-made MiG-15s. USAF First Lieutenant Russell Brown shoots down a MiG-15, the first victory by a jet over another jet.[21]
- November 9 - Flying an F9F Panther, United States Navy Lieutenant Commander William T. Armen shoots down a MiG-15. It is the first victory by a U.S. Navy jet over another jet.[21]
- November 9–20 - U.S. Navy AD Skyraiders and F4U Corsairs from the aircraft carriers USS Valley Forge (CV-45) and USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) attempt to destroy railroad and highway bridges across the Yalu River. They destroy the highway bridge at Sinuiju and two bridges at Hysanjin and damage other bridges, although the railroad bridge at Sinuiju remains standing. Escorting F9F Panthers shoot down three MiG-15s. Nearly 600 sorties are flown, and no U.S. aircraft are lost.[22]
- November 13 – A Curtiss Reid Flying Services C-54B-1-DC Skymaster flying 50 miles (80 km) off course crashes on Tete de I'Obiou mountain south of Grenoble, France, killing all 52 people on board.
- November 25 - The People's Republic of China launches a major offensive across the Yalu River against United Nations forces in Korea. Under terrible winter weather conditions, United Nations aircraft are heavily committed to supporting ground forces, which are driven out of northern Korea by the end of the year.[23]
[edit] December
[edit] First flights
[edit] January
[edit] October
[edit] Entered service
[edit] August
[edit] October
[edit] References
- ^ Scheina, Robert L., Latin America: A Naval History 1810-1987, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1987, ISBN 0-87021-295-8, p. 196.
- ^ a b Aviation Hawaii: 1950-1959 Chronology of Aviation in Hawaii
- ^ "Today in History," The Washington Post Express, January 31, 2012, p. 34.
- ^ Angelucci, Enzo, The American Fighter: The Definitive Guide to American Fighter Aircraft From 1917 to the Present, New York: Orion Books, 1987, p. 341.
- ^ Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, p. 3.
- ^ Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, pp. 6-7.
- ^ a b Mauer, Maurer, Air Force Combat Units of World War II: The Concise official Military Record, Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, 1961, ISBN 0-7858-0194-4, p. 12.
- ^ a b Crosby, Francis, The Complete Guide to Fighters & Bombers of the World: An Illustrated History of the World's Greatest Military Aircraft, From the Pioneering Days of Air Fighting in World War I Through the Jet Fighters and Stealth Bombers of the Present Day, London: Anness Publishing Ltd., 2006, ISBN 978-1-84476-917-9, p. 36.
- ^ Knott, Richard C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Oerations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004. ISBN 0-945274-52-1.
- ^ a b c Sturtivant, Ray, British Naval Aviation: The Fleet Air Arm, 1917-1990, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1990, ISBN 0-87021-026-2, p. 165.
- ^ a b c Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, p. 7.
- ^ a b Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, p. 10.
- ^ Wikipedia Peruvian Air Force article.
- ^ Muir, Malcolm, Jr., Sea Power on Call: Fleet Operations June 1951-July 1953, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2005, ISBN 0-945274-53-X, p. 34.
- ^ Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, p. 16.
- ^ Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, p. 12.
- ^ Knott, Richard C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004. ISBN 0-945274-52-1.
- ^ Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, p. 19.
- ^ Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, pp. 19-20.
- ^ Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, p. 23.
- ^ a b Crosby, Francis, The Complete Guide to Fighters & Bombers of the World: An Illustrated History of the World's Greatest Military Aircraft, From the Pioneering Days of Air Fighting in World War I Through the Jet Fighters and Stealth Bombers of the Present Day, London: Anness Publishing Ltd., 2006, ISBN 978-1-84476-917-9, p. 46.
- ^ Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, p. 54.
- ^ a b Knott, Robert C., Attack From the Sky: Naval Air Operations in the Korean War, Washington, D.C.: Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center, 2004, ISBN 0-945274-52-1, pp. 28-29, 34.
- ^ Crosby, Francis, The Complete Guide to Fighters & Bombers of the World: An Illustrated History of the World's Greatest Military Aircraft, From the Pioneering Days of Air Fighting in World War I Through the Jet Fighters and Stealth Bombers of the Present Day, London: Anness Publishing Ltd., 2006, ISBN 978-1-84476-917-9, p. 37.
- ^ Donald, David, ed., The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1997, ISBN 0-7607-0592-5, p. 88.
- ^ Angelucci, Enzo, The American Fighter: The Definitive Guide to American Fighter Aircraft From 1917 to the Present, New York: Orion Books, 1987, ISBN 0-517-56588-9, p. 352.
- ^ Angelucci, Enzo, The American Fighter: The Definitive Guide to American Fighter Aircraft From 1917 to the Present, New York: Orion Books, 1987, ISBN 0-517-56588-9, p. 401.
- ^ Swanborough, Gordon, and Peter M. Bowers, United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911, London: Putnam, 1976, ISBN 0-370-10054-9, p. 228.
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