Author Archives: KSOP Editor

The First Spacewalk by a Woman

Aviation History, Aviation news, HistoryBy KSOP Editor July 29, 2025

The First Spacewalk by a Woman Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: www.space.com, TASS/Getty Images On this day in space! July 25, 1984: First spacewalk by a woman Downloaded July 25, 2025 from: https://www.space.com/39251-on-this-day-in-space.html?utm_term=80CFE072-3D22-4ED3-B366-38D5778C5AB2&lrh=979456b06da101021af8477d820fe42a8b8fac61060c8f48a99307e6facca454&utm_campaign=58E4DE65-C57F-4CD3-9A5A-609994E2C5A9&utm_medium=email&utm_content=87EBF5C8-7B28-4810-B182-4DF63BCF324E&utm_source=SmartBrief By Hanneke Weitering On July 25, 1984, the Russian cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya became the first woman to embark on a spacewalk, also…

First Cape Canaveral Launch

Aviation History, Aviation news, HistoryBy KSOP Editor July 28, 2025

First Cape Canaveral Launch Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Space.com, NASA. On this day in space! July 24, 1950: First launch from Cape Canaveral By Hanneke Weitering Downloaded today from: https://www.space.com/39251-on-this-day-in-space.html?utm_term=80CFE072-3D22-4ED3-B366-38D5778C5AB2&lrh=979456b06da101021af8477d820fe42a8b8fac61060c8f48a99307e6facca454&utm_campaign=58E4DE65-C57F-4CD3-9A5A-609994E2C5A9&utm_medium=email&utm_content=AC8B93AD-2AA3-4D07-9BD0-912487D7BCB4&utm_source=SmartBrief Here’s another of those “firsts” we’ve written about from time-to-time over the years of these aviation history vignettes being published. And this one was a…

An Aviation History Fourfer

Aviation History, Aviation news, HistoryBy KSOP Editor July 21, 2025

An Aviation History Fourfer Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, ESPN, San Diego Air and Space Museum, Jay Nemeth/Red Bull In honor of the 95 degrees we’re experiencing in the Sandhills, welcome to a sizzling “hot” mid-July aviation history “fourfer” (fourfer the price of one) starting with today, July 20th, remembering the anniversary of first…

Aviation and Music

Aviation History, Aviation news, HistoryBy KSOP Editor July 21, 2025

Aviation and Music Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, Wikipedia, MGM, YouTube When we were kids in the 1960’s, we’d run next door from our grandmother Mary’s home in Bedford, Ohio at 20 Harrison Street (Mary was my dad’s mom) to Mary’s sister’s home, to visit our great aunt Luella who lived catacorner to her…

Yesterday in Aviation History: The Ryan FR-1 Fireball

Aviation History, Aviation news, HistoryBy KSOP Editor July 1, 2025

Yesterday in Aviation History: The Ryan FR-1 Fireball Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Today in Aviation History, US Navy, Wikipedia First Flight of the Ryan FR-1 Fireball Story by Austin Hancock An FR-1 launching from the escort carrier Badoeng Strait, 1947. Note the jet engine exhaust in the tail, just under the horizontal stabilizer. U.S. Navy…

On This Day in Aviation History: The Battle of The Philippine Sea

Aviation History, Aviation news, HistoryBy KSOP Editor June 23, 2025

On This Day in Aviation History: The Battle of The Philippine Sea Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, US Navy, National Archives, US Navy History and Heritage Command In Battle of the Philippine Sea, U.S. cripples Japanese naval air power on this day in aviation history. HISTORY.com Editors According to History.com and downloaded today from…

Paper as a Weapon: Bombing with Leaflets

Aviation History, Aviation news, HistoryBy KSOP Editor June 17, 2025

Paper as a Weapon: Bombing with Leaflets Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, USAF Photo of American USAAF soldier loading leaflets in bomb, circa 1944. Courtesy USAF. We typically don’t consider paper as a weapon, but it has been used as a weapon in many cases during war and aviation has been a major transporter…

This Day in Aviation History: First American Walks in Space

Aviation History, Aviation news, HistoryBy KSOP Editor June 5, 2025

This Day in Aviation History: First American Walks in Space Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com and NASA Courtesy NASA. According to History.com and downloaded today from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/june-3/an-american-walks-in-space, “On June 3, 1965, 120 miles above the Earth, Major Edward H. White II opened the hatch of the Gemini 4 and stepped out of the capsule,…