Archive for the 'Aviation' Category

THE DUCT TAPE STORY

duct tape

In 1942 Revolite, formerly a division of Johnson & Johnson, originally developed
an adhesive tape made from a
rubber-based adhesive applied to a durable
woven cotton fabric backing. This tape resisted water and was used as
sealing tape on
ammunition cases during World War II. It was also used
to repair
military equipment quickly, including jeeps, firearms, and aircraft.

The origin of the name of the tape is the subject of some disagreement. The
Oxford English Dictionary says that perhaps "duct tape" was originally "duck
tape".  

ducttape car
You can fix anything with a roll of duct tape!

DuctTapeProm

posted by Bob Karm in AUTO RACING,Automobiles,Aviation,DEBUT,Government,HISTORY,INVENTION,WAR and have No Comments

BYRD FLEW OVER NORTH POLE ON THIS DAY IN 1926

byrd north pole newspaper

admiral-richard-byrd

byrd's plane

posted by Bob Karm in AIRCRAFT,Aviation,DEBUT,Expedition,HISTORY and have No Comments

ACE FIGHTER PILOT BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1892

red baron pln 

red baron 2  
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (May 2, 1892 – April 21, 1918)

                     

Baron Von Richthofen is best known as “The Red Baron”, a German
fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World 
War I. He is considered the top
ace of that war, being officially
credited with 80
air combat victories, more than any other pilot.

He remains quite possibly the most widely-known fighter pilot of all 
time, and has been the subject of many books and films. 

 

Red-Baron-peanuts
Snoopy’s imaginary battles against the Red Baron began in the comic
strip in October 1965.

the red baron 2

posted by Bob Karm in AIRCRAFT,Aviation,BIRTHDAY,CLASSIC AIRCRAFT,COMIC'S,HISTORY,MILITARY,WAR and have No Comments

THE U-2 INCIDENT ON THIS DAY IN 1960

 gary-powers u2
Francis Gary Powers by his Lockheed U-2 Spy Plane  

powers on trial  
U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, center, in Moscow’s Hall of Columns during
the opening of his espionage trial.

The U-2 incident occurred during the Cold War presidency of Dwight Eisenhower
and the leadership of
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, when a United States
U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers (above) was shot down over the
airspace of the Soviet Union.

The U.S.government at first denied the plane’s purpose and mission, but then
was forced to admit its role as a covert
surveillance aircraft when the Soviet
government produced the remains of the downed aircraft and it’s surviving
pilot along with photos of Russian military bases taken by Powers.

On August 17, 1960, Powers was convicted of espionage against the Soviet
Union and was sentenced to a total of 10 years, three years in imprisonment
followed by seven years of hard labor
. On February 10, 1962, Powers was
exchanged along with American student Frederic Pryor in a spy swap for
Soviet KGB
Colonel Vilyam Fisher.

powers-route

u2-wreckage
U-2 wreckage captured in the Soviet Union

posted by Bob Karm in AIRCRAFT,ANNIVERSARY,Aviation,Government,HISTORY,MILITARY and have No Comments

PLANES FIRST FLIGHT ON THIS DAY IN 1927

 Lucky-Lindy
Charles "Lucky Lindy” Lindbergh


spirit first flight
photo of the historic first flight of the Spirit of St. Louis, from Dutch Flats Airport.

The Spirit of St. Louis was built by 35 employees of Ryan Airlines, Inc., in San
Diego, California. It took just 60 days. Essentially all of those employees came
to the field to witness Charles Lindbergh taking the aircraft on its first test flight.

on May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the historic first non-stop flight from 
Roosevelt Airfield in New York to Paris, France in 33 hours, 30 minutes for 
a distance of approximately 3,600 miles.

Lindbergh-Spirit-of-St_-Louis
Charles Lindbergh, third from the right

posted by Bob Karm in AIRCRAFT,ANNIVERSARY,Aviation,DEBUT,HISTORY and have No Comments