Questions tagged [aviation-history]
Questions about aviation history, starting from kites, balloons, airplanes, helicopters and rockets.
39
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2answers
2k views
How can I find my grandmother's OLD instrument rating documentation?
This is my grandmother, Nathalie Myrtle Brown:
The big-eared kid she's posing with is my dad.
She has a claim to fame in that she was the first female instrument-rated pilot in the state of Iowa, a ...
6
votes
3answers
514 views
Which aircraft had the shortest operational life?
I read in Wikipedia that the operational life of Consolidated B-32 was limited to just a handful of months (January to August 1945).
Please note that B-32 wasn’t an experimental model, but an ...
0
votes
0answers
91 views
Why did biplanes and triplanes go away? [duplicate]
Why did multi-wing aircraft (two or three stacked wings) eventually fade off to single-wing aircraft?
3
votes
1answer
157 views
What was the first Russian jet designed with the use of area rule?
What was the first Russian jet designed with the use of area rule? Also, how did the Russians acquire the knowledge of this design method? Was Whitcomb's discovery public?
42
votes
4answers
12k views
Why was Concorde never sold as a private business jet?
Airliners like Boeing 747 and even Airbus 380 are at times considered as personal jets for extremely wealthy people. Looking from the side, Concorde was ideal for this role: while not very big, it ...
2
votes
1answer
177 views
Lindbergh's panel— Ryan NYP— what is this instrument and how was it useful?
Lindbergh's panel-- Ryan NYP-- what is this instrument and how was it used?
See this link-- it should allow you to zoom in by mousing around
https://www.amazon.com/Instrument-Successfully-Atlantic-...
2
votes
2answers
92 views
Re old (1993) US VFR sectional charts— when did the term “Class E” first appear?
When did the phrase "Class E" or "Class E airspace" first appear on the legend of US VFR sectional charts, to identify the meaning of the thin dashed magenta line? I'd like to narrow down the date as ...
2
votes
2answers
163 views
What was the first aircraft designed with a plug-system fuselage, and why?
Nearly all modern transport aircraft are designed with a plug-system fuselage, allowing longer and shorter variants to be built by adding or removing plugs.
In addition, the plug system simplifies ...
2
votes
1answer
189 views
Why wasn't Saint-Exupéry able to cover more distance before his 1935 desert crash?
Is there any source that provides more details on Saint-Exupéry's desert crash in 1935 than Wikipedia does:
On 30 December 1935, at 2:45 a.m., after 19 hours and 44 minutes in the air, Saint-...
6
votes
1answer
263 views
When did the military/Air Force start measuring fuel in pounds instead of gallons?
Watching a training film for the B-47 from 1951, they mention (around 12:30) that the fuel is now measured in pounds instead of gallons on the instruments. Was that a new concept with jet aircraft? ...
2
votes
2answers
168 views
What was the first control room--used for flight test--established in aerospace history?
The control room for space missions in Houston is probably the best, most widely known example of a control room. It is an operations center used in support and execution of flight and space missions....
2
votes
1answer
133 views
What would have been the other stops of Amelia Earhart's ill fated last voyage?
Having just watched Amelia - A tale of two sisters, I wondered whether, had she landed successfully on Howland Island, what, or where, would the remaining subsequent stops for the rest of her ...
8
votes
1answer
346 views
How did the term PAN PAN originate?
Where did the phrase " pan pan" when declaring an emergency originate?
3
votes
4answers
510 views
Which fonts were used in old (1930s) aircraft cockpit displays and instruments?
This is probably more of a graphic design question than aviation but maybe a few hangar rats around here know the answer.
What type fonts were used on the old instruments in aircraft from the 1930s ...
13
votes
2answers
505 views
What was the flight route from New York to Paris that Air France took in 1955?
I have a photograph of me and my sister in 1955 or 1956 boarding Air France to Paris. I seem to remember the route was:
New York - Gander
Gander - Shannon
Shannon - Orly
Is that correct? I know the ...
9
votes
1answer
2k views
What did the “gear warning horn” on the North American P-51 sound like?
I'm working on a sound project for a P51 simulation and I'm having real trouble trying to find a reference on how the P51 gear warning horn sounded like. What mechanisms were used in the '40s to make ...
1
vote
1answer
166 views
How much extra weight is added by strengthening a piston-prop fighter for carrier landings?
To land on a carrier, an aircraft must be strong enough to withstand sudden deceleration by the tail hook catching the arresting wire. I think it also requires strengthening the undercarriage to ...
4
votes
3answers
488 views
Did WW2-era aircraft have constant-speed or variable-pitch props?
This is slightly related to my other question on variable-pitch controls.
I want to know if WW2-era aircraft typically had variable-pitch or constant-speed propellers. Variable-pitch lets the pilot ...
12
votes
4answers
708 views
Has an airplane ever been launched from a train?
Presumably helicopters have landed and lifted off railroad flat cars.
Has an airplane ever been launched from a train?
(my artwork)
F-84 during project ZELL testing (info provided by jwenting)
31
votes
5answers
8k views
Why, until recently, were smooth nose sections not popular?
Why, until recently, were smooth nose sections not popular? By smooth I mean without a break between the nose and windshield. (The question focuses on airliners.)
Seeing the Starliner (left) and DC-7 ...
1
vote
1answer
141 views
Are there any airliner crashes that can be definitively attributed to Mach tuck?
Mach tuck (the tendency of aircraft to develop an increasingly nose-down pitching moment at speeds above its critical mach number) caused a number of crashes of high-speed fighter aircraft before the ...
4
votes
0answers
123 views
Who is this flyer seen in Oakland c. 1929?
Looking for identification of the man on the left. Second from left is W.A. "Sandy" Sanders, third is Denny Wright, and fourth is Clyde Sunderland.
Oakland, around 1929.
7
votes
1answer
372 views
What is this c. 1930 beautiful monoplane seen in Oakland?
Photo from Denny Wright's album. He piloted for
Clyde Sunderland. This photo has no stamp or markings. Anyone recognize this aircraft?
3
votes
0answers
252 views
What is this propeller found underwater in the English Channel?
I need some help identifying this piece.
5
votes
1answer
293 views
How big was the F-14 fleet compared to other US carrier-based aircraft in 1981?
Back in the 80's I was away jesting about the F-14 are here to protect the carriers and the carriers to deploy F-14.
I know there are a number of other aircraft here for other purposes but I really ...
4
votes
1answer
190 views
Were there any folding wing biplanes?
Given that several nations had operational carriers by 1920 and biplanes were still in military service, were there any folding wing biplanes?
Wikipedia: United States first purpose built aircraft ...
18
votes
1answer
1k views
What means of navigation did commercial Soviet airplanes use in the 50s-90s?
Nowadays, practically all Western commercial airplanes use some kind of GNSS/GPS as primary means of navigation, sometimes paired with inertial navigation systems and user-friendly computer interfaces ...
4
votes
0answers
98 views
What uses for flight did early aviation pioneers envision?
Between 1903 and 1914, what did the aviation pioneers think flight would be used for, besides military purposes? Did they envision anything like crop dusting, commercial transportation, charting ...
7
votes
2answers
390 views
What instruments were “standard” in WWI aircraft?
What instruments made up a typical panel of a WWI airplane?
Did any country regulate the required cockpit instruments prior to the United States "Air Commerce Act" of 1926?
28
votes
4answers
4k views
In the early days of flight, were there any cockpit control schemes other than the modern one?
Back in the early days, what kind of control schemes were invented for aircraft, other than the modern one? (pedals to yaw, yoke to pitch and roll).
I'm only interested in control schemes that can be ...
2
votes
1answer
107 views
More information on PanAm's first trans-Pacific flight
I have came across this answer, about PanAm's first trans-Pacific flight (SFO-MNL route via HNL, MDY, AWK and GUM). For the text, I'm working on, I was wondering, if there is any source that can ...
12
votes
3answers
3k views
Why didn't early jetliners use turbofans?
For subsonic operation, high-bypass turbofans seem to have essentially only advantages for efficiency, noise and takeoff thrust, at least until they reach the size where ground clearance or LP/fan ...
6
votes
3answers
468 views
Airport Security Pre-1970-s?
I just accidentally discovered a few pictures on the web, that seem to imply, that there were some sort of airport security checks on passengers all the way back in the 1960-s. It was always my ...
5
votes
1answer
140 views
How did the windshield technology evolve?
I would really appreciate it if someone could please explain the differences and similarities between the cockpit windows of a Boeing 747-400 and Douglas DC-3.
I am just trying to figure out how the ...
7
votes
1answer
372 views
What is this closed cabin / open cockpit biplane from the 1910s?
This photo was taken when Lieutenant Marix RNAS visited his old school, Radley College in Oxfordshire on 30 May 1914. Marix was awarded in October 1914 the DSO for bombing the Zeppelin sheds in ...
5
votes
2answers
956 views
What material is used for the floor panels in the main cabin for Boeing 747-400?
Just conducting some research into materials used in construction for Boeing 747-400 and Douglas DC-3.
I just found out that in a DC-3 the floor panels in the main cabin and companionway are of ...
4
votes
1answer
259 views
What is this WW1 era plane?
I'm trying to identify this plane from an old family photograph. Is it possibly a DH4?
The tail number doesn't bring any success (well, at least not that I can find).
Any info would be much ...
11
votes
6answers
2k views
Has there been an aircraft with multiple type of engines? [duplicate]
Has there ever been an aircraft that can fly using at least two different type of engines? For example, a piston engine and a turbine engine, or a piston engine and a electric motor.
To clarify the ...
3
votes
2answers
163 views
Would an Area-Ruled fuselage improve MiG-15 and MiG-17 performance?
The top speed range of these Mig 15-17 airplanes is in the close trans-sonic region, but when first drawings came, Area Rule was unknown.
Even if owning a jet fighter is not exactly 'Maintaining pilot'...
11
votes
2answers
504 views
19
votes
5answers
665 views
Which aircraft have fought against its own type in active combat?
The criteria for this question are
The aircraft has to be the same type (but not necessarily the same mark)
The two opposing sides are actively hostile; but not restricted to nation states (so civil ...
5
votes
1answer
364 views
Are any Boeing 720s still flying?
A Boeing 720 looked like a 707 but was the size of a 737. I flew in one in 1961. I did not travel regularly until 1970 but I do not remember ever seeing a 720 again. Was it intended to have limited ...
3
votes
2answers
311 views
What is a typical altitude for a dogfight?
At what altitude(s) do dogfights typically occur? How has this changed from World War I up to now?
14
votes
1answer
551 views
What is this pusher?
I am researching the history of pusher aircraft and came across this photo. Any information or guesses as to its history? Country, designer, mfg, pilot, etc? It looks to me like perhaps a 1920's ...
9
votes
1answer
619 views
What clues would have indicated KAL 902 was off course?
Korean Airlines Flight 902 was shot down by a Soviet fighter in April 1978 after the pilot turned through 150 degrees and entered Russian airspace. The New York Times reported it happened around 8.30 ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
What is the meaning of the letters on the side(s) of WWII British aircraft?
WWII British Spitfire and Hurricane had identification letters on the side of fuselage. Do they have a specific meaning? How are the letters chosen?
8
votes
2answers
894 views
Why are airplanes called ‘she’?
What is the reason that airplanes in English have a female gender?
Please illuminate the historical or scientific reason.
0
votes
1answer
244 views
Have there ever been any JATO bottles using only kerosene?
I've been reading about the early rocket work during WW2. They tried all sorts of fuels, hydrogen peroxide, hydrazine, red fuming nitric acid...
Just in the scope of JATO/RATO, has there ever been ...
20
votes
3answers
6k views
In WW2, were self-sealing fuel tanks really cost-beneficial?
I just read this question and answer, which seems to confirm my fears that an incendiary bullet will still destroy you if it hits your fuel. In other words, a self-sealing fuel tank will not protect ...
15
votes
3answers
6k views
Why did the turbojet replace the piston engine?
Many people say that this was because aircraft powered by turbojet engines were faster during WWII. However the Grumman F7F-4N Tigercat, a fighter powered by a piston engine, flew at a maximum speed ...
