May 15, 1963
LAST MERCURY FLIGHT. After 22-orbits around earth, Maj L. Gordon Cooper ends a 34-hour, 20-minute flight in Mercury capsule Faith 7 before landing in the ...
May 12, 1949
1949: BERLIN AIRLIFT ENDS. The Soviet Union ends the blockade after delivery of 2,325,510 tons on 277,569 missions.
May 11, 1964
1964: Jackie Cochran becomes 1st woman to fly more than Mach 2, 1,429 MPH in an F-104G at Edwards AFB.
May 10, 1942
1942: The carrier USS Ranger, off the African Gold Coast, launches 60 USAAF P-40s to Accra.
May 9, 1978
1978: McDonnell Douglas delivers the 5,000th F-4 Phantom built to the Air Force. This date is disputed: some sources say May 24th.
May 8, 1970
MACKAY TROPHY. An AC-119K gunship attacks a heavily defended road section in SEA. Despite losing 15 feet of the aircraft’s right wing and an aileron, ...
May 4, 1942
1942: Through 8 May, the Battle of Coral Sea featured the first naval engagement fought by aircraft, as the opposing ships made no contact.
May 3, 1973
1973: The 1972 Mackay Trophy goes to three Vietnam aces: Captains Richard S. “Steve” Ritchie, Charles B. DeBellevue, and Jeffery S. Feinstein.
May 2,1923
Lieutenants John Macready and Oakley Kelly 1923: MACKAY TROPHY and Distinguished Flying Cross. Lts. Kelly & Maccready fly 1st nonstop transcontinental flight, NY-San Diego, 2,520 ...