Warbirds Online » Blog Archive » This Week In Military Aviation History: 2-8 April

Hello again Folks, well this week started out nice weather-wise but now it’s going downhill fast. Typical New York I suppose. I hope it’s nicer where you are. Some planes invited to the air show have been added to the website, if you’d care to take a look. Don’t forget the Biplane Rally and Chili cookoff that will be held the weekend before the air show. As usual, volunteers for both these events are also needed. Well, let’s see what happened this week.
Be Safe,
Tom K.

5-6 April 1917
In the first ever planned night interception operation, German Leutnant Frankl of Jasta 4, flying an Albatros DIII, shot down a BE2c on No. 100 Squadron over Ouiery la Motte.

6 April 1917
The United States declared war on Germany. The United States Army Signal Corps possessed 250 aircraft and the United States Marine Corps had a further 54.

7 April 1917
Cuba declared war on Germany.

4 April 1933
United States Navy dirigible (steerable airship) USS AKRON crashed into the sea off New Jersey with 73 killed.

2 April 1939
The Spanish Civil War ended.

7-9 April 1939
Italy occupied Albania.

6 April 1941
The first aircraft ejection seat, a compressed air unit, was fitted to the German Heinkel He 280 jet fighter.

2 April 1942
The 10th United Army Air Force made its first combat operation when heavy bombers attacked shipping in the Andaman Islands.

2-9 April 1942
Japanese carrier aircraft operated off the coast of Ceylon and India.
6 April 1942
Japanese carrier aircraft made the first air attack on India.

7 April 1945
The 71,000 ton Japanese battleship “YAMATO”, a cruiser, and four of eight destroyers were sunk by endless air attacks from United States Navy carrier aircraft as they fruitlessly attempted to disrupt the U.S. landings on Okinawa.

United States Army Air Force Boeing B-29s received fighter escort for all future missions against the Japanese Home Islands.

4 April 1949
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established, following the signature of twelve nations at Washington, D.C. It became effective on 24 August 1949.

8 April 1950
Russian fighters shot down an unarmed U.S. Navy aircraft over the Baltic, killing ten airmen.

1-2 April 1951
U.S. Air Force Boeing Superfortresses bombed bridges and carrier-borne aircraft attacked enemy communications in North Korea.

3 April 1951
U.S. Air Force Boeing Superfortresses bombed Pyongyang and three MiG-15s were shot down by North American F-86 Sabres.

6 April 1959
It was announced in the United States that seven pilots had been selected from the nation’s armed services for training as space vehicle pilots.

5 April 1963
A “hot line” was established for immediate communication between the United States and the Soviet Union during periods of East-West tension.

5 April 1976
Movie Mogul, oil magnate and air pioneer Howard Hughes died from a stroke. Starting out as an amateur racing pilot, he became an aircraft manufacturer, culminating in the huge eight-engined flying boat “Spruce Goose”, as well as becoming Director of TWA airlines.

2 April 1982
Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands.

6 April 1986
Lufthansa flew its restored pre-Second World War Junkers Ju 52/3m transport and the aircraft received passenger-carrying certification on 6 June.

4 April 2000
United States Department of Defense gave approval for $3.1 billion of Engineering and Manufacturing Development work on the RAH-66 Comanche attack helicopter. The helicopter was due to enter service with the United States Army in 2006.
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Well Folks, that’s it for this week. See Ya in seven.

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