Aviation Firsts

TO FIND A SUBJECT ON THIS PAGE: Enter "Ctrl F" on your computer. A box will open on your screen that says "Find." Type in what you are looking for and it will be highlighted on the page.

AVIATION FIRSTS

Aviation firsts have generally occurred more rapidly involving technological advancements during times of war.

Before the advent of aircraft, fleets of warships from the most powerful nations on earth would travel the oceans of the globe. Most recently the aircraft controlling the skies would often be a deciding factor in the outcome of conflicts.

The advent of the jet engine and advances in aerodynamics mean that aircraft can fly higher and faster than ever before.

Although the speed of aircraft has increased greatly since the first ones took to the sky, accomplishments have also taken place with regard to maneuverability.

Most recently, exotic materials have allowed for stronger, yet lighter structures. Aircraft can travel farther than ever before through the use of streamlining and more efficient engines.

In recent history, most aviation firsts within the earth's atmosphere have involved larger payloads being lifted to higher altitudes. A few aircraft have set remarkable speed records, but those have been on the edge of space where a thinner atmosphere allowed less speed reducing friction.

Our wish is for future firsts in aviation to enhance science and further the development of peaceful technology.

February 9, 1910

First mass produced scout aircraft used in World War I by Germany - Taube

October 10, 1914

First dedicated fighter plane ever to fly - Vickers F.B.5 Gun Bus

December 3, 1914

First aircraft ever to have a machine gun fire through its propeller arc - Morane Saulnier

April 1, 1915

First monoplane fighter; first aircraft to have synchronized gun firing through its propeller arc - Fokker Eindecker

August 2, 1917

First aircraft to ever land on a moving ship - Sopwith Pup

October 20, 1921

First flight of a RAF all metal fighter aircraft - Armstrong Whitworth Siskin

August 29, 1929

First flight of the first civilian aircraft ever to beat front line military aircraft in a race - Travel Air Mystery Ship

November 29, 1929

First aircraft to fly over the South Pole:Ford Trimotor

March 25, 1931

First RAF fighter aircraft to exceed 200 MPH in level flight - Hawker Fury

January 10, 1932

First flight of a "modern" United States bomber aircraft - Martin B-10

March 20, 1932

First U.S. all metal, low-wing fighter to fly - Boeing P-26

November 20, 1933

First single engine monoplane produced by Focke Wulf after World War 1 - FW-56

July 1, 1934

First aircraft ever to fly a total of 635 hours, 34 minutes before landing - Curtiss Robin

July 17, 1935

First flight of a mass produced four engine bomber - Boeing B-17

Nov. 6, 1935

First flight of a British fighter aircraft capable of top speeds of over 300 mph -Hawker Hurricane

July 4, 1937

First fully controlled helicopter long duration flight - Focke Wulf FW-61

August 11, 1937

First British fighter aircraft with more than four machine guns - Boulton Paul Defiant

October 11, 1938

First British single seat twin engine fighter aircraft - Westland Whirlwind

October 14, 1938

First U.S. production aircraft to exceed 300 MPH in level flight - Curtiss P-40

August 27, 1939

The first ever experimental jet takes flight - Heinkel He 178

May 29, 1940

First U.S. production aircraft to exceed a speed of 400 MPH in level flight - Chance Vought F-4U Corsair

July 28, 1940

First ever radar intercept of an enemy aircraft: Bristol Blenheim

August 3, 1940

First transport helicopter to fly - FA-223

September 22, 1940

First jet fighter to fly - He-280

December 7, 1940

First flight of a monoplane RAF dive bomber - Fairey Barracuda

March 12, 1941

First four engine bomber to fly World War II missions against German forces - Halifax

December 28, 1941

First ever test flight of a cruise missile - Fieseler Fi 103 V-1

January 14, 1942

First flight of a helicopter produced in quantity, first USAAC helicopter, and first helicopter to land on a ship at sea - Sikorsky R-4

January 14, 1942

First U.S. aircraft to raid Japan after the start of World War II - North American B-25

May 21, 1942

First aircraft to be designated from the start as a night fighter takes to the air - Northrop P-61

July 18, 1942

First operational jet aircraft to fly - Me-262

September 9, 1942

First air attack on U.S. mainland - Yokosuka E14Y

June 15, 1943

First jet bomber to fly - Arado Ar 234

June 23, 1943

First operational aircraft with ejection seats - Heinkel He-219

August 18, 1943

Flight of first dedicated rescue helicopter that would eventually be the first helicopter used in the Antarctic - Sikorsky H-5

November 2, 1943

First flight of a multi-engine U.S. Navy fighter - Grumman F7F

May 22, 1944

First Kamikaze attacks launched - Ki-45

June 14, 1944

First production rocket propelled fighter plane becomes operational - Me163

September 8, 1944

First flying vehicle to exceed the speed of sound - German V-2 Missile

September 6, 1945

First flight of a helicopter across the English Channel - FA-223

December 3, 1945

First jet aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier - Vampire

June 25, 1946

First flying wing bomber to fly - XB-35

February 28, 1946

First post-war U.S. fighter: F-84

September 2, 1947

First British Navy jet to fly: Sea Hawk

October 14, 1947

First supersonic aicraft in level flight - Bell X-1

November 24, 1947

Flight of first Grumman jet fighter - F9F

December 17, 1947

First swept wing bomber to be deployed by the U.S.A.F. - Boeing B-47

September 29, 1948

First non-stop flight around the world - B-50

April 16, 1949

First flight of an American production jet aircraft to have an afterburner and the first operational all weather interceptor - F-94

June 25, 1950

First U.S. fighter to down an enemy aircraft during the Korean war - F-82

Feb. 23, 1951

First French supersonic, swept wing, jet fighter to fly: Dassault Mystere

May 25, 1953

First U.S. production aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight - F-100

September 18, 1953

First Soviet aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight -MiG-19

October 3, 1953

First US Navy aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight -F4D

March 4, 1954

First aircraft to hold simultaneous records for speed, altitude and time to climb - F-104

December 19, 1954

First supersonic all-weather interceptor and first operational delta-wing aircraft - F-102

March 25, 1955

First supersonic carrier-based aircraft -F-8

March 10, 1956

First supersonic training aircraft - T-38

December 30, 1956

First flight of a bomber at supersonic speeds Convair B-58

January 18, 1957

First jet plane flight around the world without landing - Boeing B-52

August 31, 1957

First flight of a British delta-wing jet bomber - Avro Vulcan

December 6, 1957

First U.S. built turboprop airliner flies - L188 Electra

October 14, 1959

First flight of a U.S. Army turboprop powered airplane - OV-1 Mohawk

November 13, 1963

First time the largest aircraft ever to land on and take off from an aircraft carrier - C-130

December 21, 1964

The first operational aircraft to employ variable geometry wings takes flight - F-111

September 7, 1965

First dedicated attack helicopter and first to have tandem crew seating - AH-1

October 24, 1967

First airborne radar aircraft to direct a successful attack on an enemy plane - EC-121

December 31, 1968

First flight of an airliner capable of speeds over Mach 1 - Tu-144

January 21, 1976

First regularly scheduled supersonic flights commence -Concorde

August 13, 1976

America's first light twin helicopter takes flight -Bell 222

April 25, 1978

First helicopter outside of the Soviet Union certified for all-weather operations - SA330

Sept. 30, 1982

First helicopter around the world flight - Bell 206

December 14, 1984

First forward swept wing (FSW) aircraft to exceed the speed of sound is flown - X-29

February 22, 1987

First flight of sub sonic airliner to use fly by wire controls - A320

October 9, 1988

First aircraft to fly a fully automated flight from takeoff to landing - Condor

December 7, 1988

First F-15B development aircraft modified by NASA for flight control research - F-15 S/MTD

March 19, 1989

First production tilt-rotor aircraft to fly - V-22

February 17, 1991

First flight of a civil aviation four seat aircraft with a pressurized cabin - Lancair IV-P

June 14, 1994

First flight of a jetliner 100% digitally designed using three dimension computer graphics - Boeing 777

April 24, 2001

First drone aircraft to successfully fly across the Pacific - RQ-4

August 13, 2001

First solar powered aircraft to set new altitude record - NASA Helios

June 21, 2004

First non-government manned aircraft to reach space - SpaceShipOne