On This Day in History

1999:   The 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, CA decides to end a mission that used three EC-18B Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft (ARIA).

  1908:   At Hammondsport, the Curtiss Motor Vehicle Company becomes the first airplane company formed in the US.

1951:   USAF announces the production of the first all-jet heavy bomber, the Boeing XB-52.

  2001:   Operation SWIFT FREEDOM. C-17s land in Afghanistan on an airstrip about 80 miles south of Kandahar to deliver Navy Seabees.

1933:   The Army accepts Martin’s first production-model B-10 bomber. It was the first all-metal monoplane bomber with an internal bomb bay, retractable gear, rotating gun turret, and enclosed cockpit. It flew faster than pursuit aircraft

  1941:   Germany and Italy declare war on the United States; Congress responds in kind with a similar declarations against them.

  1968:   MEDAL OF HONOR. While flying a UH-1F helicopter, 1Lt James P. Fleming twice exposes his aircraft to intense hostile fire while rescuing a special forces reconnaissance patrol near Due Co, Vietnam, receiving the

1983:   The West German Parliament approves Ground Launch Cruise Missile and Pershing II missile deployments in West Germany.

    1988:   At Palmdale, Northrop unveils the B-2 Stealth Bomber.

  1970:   SON TAY RAID. A special USAF and Army task force of volunteers tries to rescue US servicemen from the Son Tay POW camp 20 miles west of Hanoi, but the prisoners had been