On This Day in History

1927: Lt James H. Doolittle performs the first known successful outside loop.

1927: Because of an attempted prison break at Folsom Prison, two aircraft from the California National Guard’s 115th Observation Squadron, armed with machine guns, are sent to Sacramento to stand by for possible use. But

2000: Randolph AFB receives the first production-model T-6A Texan II. USAF’s new primary trainer would replace the T-37 and the Navy’s T-34 training aircraft.

1973: From Kennedy Space Center, a two-stage Saturn V launches Skylab 1 into orbit, where its two Solar Array System wings fail to deploy. These were partially repaired on subsequent missions. Skylab was America’s first

1952: 5th Air Force F-86s destroy 5 MiG-15s in aerial combat. 4th Fighter Interceptor Group Commander Col Walker M. Mahurin, leader of all three missions, is shot down and captured.

1968: MEDAL OF HONOR. Lt Col Joe M. Jackson volunteers to rescue a three-man Air Force combat control team at Kham Duc. Before the rescue, enemy forces set the camp afire, overrun the forward outpost,

1942: The President orders the Air Medal be established to award any person who while serving in the armed services after 8 Sep 1939, distinguishes or had distinguished himself/herself by meritorious achievement in an aerial

1944: General Electric’s XJ79 turbojet engine makes its first flight in the NB-45 test aircraft over Sche­nectady, N.Y. This engine later develops and is tested in December 1955, becoming the j79. This engine will subsequently

2006: The last operational C-141 (Tail No. 66-0177) lands at Wright Field for donation to the National Museum of the USAF. The landing ends 42 years of ops in the active-duty USAF, ANG, and AFRC.

  1927: The Patent Office issues a patent on hinged inset trailing edge ailerons, an invention that later becomes a standard feature on aircraft. #Science