The Spruce Goose, the first aircraft with a wingspan in excess of 300 feet, the largest flying boat ever built, made its one and only flight on
November 2, 1947, in Long Beach, California. It was designed and constructed by Howard Hughes and his Aircraft Company.

Howard Robard Hughes Jr.(December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976)

Howard Hughes, one of the richest men to emerge from the American West during the 20th century, died while being flown from Acapulco
to Houston,Texas.

SANDY KOZEL

CARLATA BRADLEY

 
On this day in 1962, the Soviet Union exchanged captured American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers (seated) for the Soviet KGB spy Rudolph Ivanovich Abel (right) being held by the U.S. 

Francis Gary Powers and a U2 recon aircraft .

The Glienicke bridge just after the Powers swap.

BRIAN THOMAS

Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974)

Charles Lindbergh was a aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and
activist. At age 25 in 1927, he went from obscurity as a U.S. Air Mail pilot
to instantaneous world fame by winning the Orteig Prize for making a
nonstop flight from New York to Paris.

CARLATA BRADLEY

    
    
    
    
    
   
Over Rogers Dry Lake in Southern California, pilot Chuck Yeager flew
the Bell X-1 rocket plane and became the first person to break the
sound barrier on this day in 1947.     

Charles Elwood Yeager turned 96 in February.