June 10, 1967
1967: Project TURNKEY. The USAF completes a $52 million airbase at Tuy Hoa, Vietnam, in one year. It was the first base to be designed and built completely under Air Force supervision.
June 9, 1997
1997: The Pathfinder RPV sets a new world record for high-altitude flight by a solar powered aircraft, reaching 67,350 ft. This flight to the highest altitude ever reached by a propeller-driven aircraft took place at the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kauai, Hawaii.
June 8, 1953
1953: The Thunderbirds, officially known as the 3600th Air Demonstration Flight, give their first performance at Luke AFB.
June 7, 1912
1912: Capt Charles DeForest Chandler becomes the first person to fire a machine gun from an airplane in the US.
June 6, 1936
1936: The Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Inc., at Paulsboro, N.J., begins producing 100-octane aviation gasoline, using the catalytic cracking method.
June 2, 1950
1950: The 28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Rapid City AFB, South Dakota receives the first RB-36D (number 44-92091). This reconnaissance version of the B-36B had four jet engines added to the six propeller engines. (Stock RB-36D photo)
June 1, 1934
1934: Army Air Corps airmail operations end. The official record for the brief enterprise reflects 57 crashes and 12 fatalities (the main reason for ending the program), with 1.5 million miles flown to carry 777,000 pounds of mail at a cost of $2.7 million.
May 31, 1956
1956: The 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Turner AFB GA receives the first USAF RB-57D (number 53-3973), the reconnaissance version of the British-designed B-57 Canberra.