American Aviation Historical Society

1949

An Aeronca Sedan, flown by Bill Barris and Dick Reidel, set a nonstop flight record of 1008 hours. They took off from a Fullerton, Calif., airport, flew to Florida and spent the first four weeks circling over Florida cities, and returned to Fullerton. They refueled by flying low and snagging 3-gallon fuel cans from a jeep.

1962

In utmost secrecy at the remote airfield in Groom Dry Lake, Nevada, the first Lockheed A-12 makes its first flight. It is the first of a family of top-secret spyplanes.

1966

Maj P. J. Gilmore and Lt W. T. Smith became first to destroy a MIG-21

1972

The first Lockheed L-1011 TriStar enters scheduled service, with Eastern Air Lines, on its route from Miami to New York.