Portal:Aviation/Anniversaries/March 7

March 7


 * 2012 – A Syrian Air Force Mikoyan MiG-23 was destroyed on the ground by an anti-tank missile.


 * 2008 – Failure of a brake metering valve causes a Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber of the 28th Bomb Wing to roll forward into two rescue vehicles after engine shutdown at Andersen AFB, Guam, Air Combat Command said 3 September 2008. Damage to the B-1B and the two vehicles totaled $5.8 million. The "Bone" had stopped over at Andersen while transiting home to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota from the Singapore Air Show and had taken off for home but returned after the crew declared an in-flight emergency. The aircraft stopped at designated spot off the runway to be met by emergency apparatus, but rolled into the vehicles unexpectedly.


 * 2007 – Garuda Indonesia Flight 200 crashes on landing at Adisucipto International Airport in Indonesia, killing 22 of the 138 on board. The 737-497 (PK-GZC) touches down almost double the proper landing speed after the pilots forgot to lower the flaps. The Captain ignored both aircraft warnings and First Officer request to go-around. He was later charged with six counts of manslaughter, and found guilty of negligence.


 * 2007 – A privately contracted Mil Mi-8 helicopter from the Republic of Georgia crashes due to technical failures, injuring its three Ukrainian crewmembers, and several Iraqi passengers.


 * 2003 – First flight of the HAL HJT-36 Sitara.


 * 2001 – A Skymaster Airlines Boeing 707-331 C (PT-MST) crashes in São Paulo, Brazil after a hard landing. The cargo flight had three crewmembers aboard, all of whom survived, although the aircraft was ultimately written-off.


 * 1999 – An Indian Air Force Antonov An-32 crashes upon landing in New Delhi, India during poor weather. All 19 people on board are killed.


 * 1988 – A Northrop F-5E Tiger II crashed on take-off from Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, Florida. Lt. Col Charles Lemire of Mesa, Arizona, died in the crash. The aircraft had made a stop at the base before resuming a cross-country training mission. The pilot was trying to eject when the jet hit a wooded area off the end of the runway, according to a base spokesman. The pilot and aircraft were assigned to a squadron at Williams Air Force Base near Phoenix, Arizona. The squadron is part of the 405th Tactical Training Wing at Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix.


 * 1975 – First flight of the Yakovlev Yak-42 SSSR-1974


 * 1969 – Maj Bob Ayres became the first CF-104 pilot to exceed 2,000 hrs on the CF-104.


 * 1966 – France withdraws from NATO


 * 1964 – First flight of the Hawker Siddeley P.1127 Kestrel


 * 1964 – First flight of the Helwan HA-300


 * 1961 – The # 2 North America X-15 became the first manned aircraft to exceed Mach 4 when pilot Capt. Robert M. White reached a speed of 2,905 mph which, at the altitude of 77,450 ft, he achieved Mach 4.43.


 * 1959 – Aviator M. C. Garlow becomes the first to fly a million miles in a jet airplane. Frequent Flier Elite Status FTW.


 * 1958 – A USMC Fairchild R4Q Packet transport crashes in the Pacific Ocean off Naha, Okinawa while returning from Naval Air Station Cubi Point to Atsugi, Japan.


 * 1957 – First flight of the Antonov An-10.


 * 1956 – Dan Perkins, engineer at Britain's Royal Aircraft Establishment, makes his first flight in an inflatable airplane in Bedfordshire, England. It takes 25 min to inflate it, using a large domestic vacuum cleaner.


 * 1953 – Nos. 413, 427 and 434 Squadrons began flying their North American Sabres from Canada to Zweibrucken, Germany, forming No. 3 Fighter Wing.


 * 1950 – Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 307, a Martin 2-0-2, crashes near Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, after hitting a flagpole during approach, killing all 13 on board and two on the ground.


 * 1950 – During a practice dive-bombing attack, Hawker Sea Fury FB.11, VX651, '132', of 736 Naval Air Squadron, loses part of lower engine cowling which strikes wing. Pilot returns to HMS Illustrious but misjudges landing, missing all arrestor wires, hits crash barrier, tearing engine loose, airframe overturns, burns. Pilot okay, but Sea Fury written off.


 * 1946 – Silverplate Boeing B-29-30-MO Superfortress, 42-65387, from Kirtland Army Air Field, New Mexico, on practice mission to Los Lunas bombing range, releases 10,150 pound Fat Man shape, and then disintegrates for unknown reasons and spins in from 32,000 feet. Ten crew die, wreckage strewn up to 16 miles from main portion. B-29 that drops the weapon in Operation Crossroads test Able on 1 July 1946, is named "Dave's Dream" for bombardier Dave Semple, killed in this accident.


 * 1945 – First flight of the Piasecki HRP Rescuer


 * 1942 – The Royal Air Force commits Spitfires to the defense of Malta for the first time, flying 15 of them to the island from the aircraft carriers HMS Argus and HMS Eagle.


 * 1938 – (7-17) The Aragon Offensive sees retreating Republican forces bombarded by German Heinkel He 111 s and Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 s escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 109 s and Fiat CR.32 s, with German Dornier Do 17 reconnaissance planes assisting in the location of targets.


 * 1938 – Nationalist forces begin an offensive in Aragon, supported by German aircraft of the Condor Legion. The Condor Legion by this time has two Messerschmitt Bf 109 groups of four squadrons, two Heinkel He 51 groups of two squadrons, four bomber groups of three squadrons equipped with Heinkel He 111 s and Junkers Ju 52 s, and a reconnaissance group of three squadrons equipped with Heinkels and Dornier Do 17 s.


 * 1934 – Juan de la Cierva lands an autogyro on the Spanish Navy aviation ship Dédalo. It is the first time an autogyro lands on a Spanish ship.


 * 1932 – First flight of the Junkers Ju 52/3m


 * 1927 – First flight of the Westland Wapiti


 * 1915 – The first British tactical bombing raids in support of ground troops made in Menin and Courtai


 * 1910 – The Canadan Aerodrome Co.’s Baddeck No. 2 biplane was flown by J. A. D. McCurdy with F. W. Baldwin as passenger at Baddeck, NS.