This Month in Aviation History: The Last WWII ACE Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Military Times and US Navy https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2025/08/22/world-war-iis-last-american-ace-dies-at-103/ We missed an aviation milestone a couple of weeks ago with the death on August 14, 2025 of a man believed to be the last surviving American ACE of WWII: Don McPherson. He was 103 years…
This Day in Aviation History: Laboring in Aviation Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Good Fellows Foundation, Creative Commons My wife, Arlene, and I have been reminiscing about our first jobs today, Labor Day. How about your first jobs? Mine was washing dishes and pots and pans at a local “greasy spoon” restaurant, named “Paul’s and…
63 Years Ago Today: Mariner 2 Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Space.com/Smithsonian Institution Where were you on this date 63 years ago in 1962? Some of you were only a “twinkle in your old man’s eye”, if that, and not yet breathing. I was a 7-year-old boy looking forlornly the end of summer vacation and…
Today in Aviation History: 1978 and The First Balloon to Cross the Atlantic Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com and the Bettmann Archive Balloon crosses the Atlantic Courtesy of the Bettmann Archive Good Sunday afternoon fellow ECAHF’ers. When we were kids (or had a similar experience with our own kids), it was a real disappointment…
Solar Powered Aircraft Here We Come! But only if CAVU. Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: CBS News, Getty Images Pilot breaks altitude record for solar-powered plane, crossing paths with commercial airliner, his team says August 14, 2025 / 11:00 AM EDT / CBS/AFP Downloaded on August 15, 2025 from: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pilot-altitude-record-solar-powered-plane-raphael-domjan-solarstratos/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us No instrument flight (at least…
This Day in Aviation History: The F-35 Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: MSN.com, US Navy A British F-35 Just Did Something That’s Never Been Done Before© 250520-N-TW227-1112 EAST CHINA SEA (May 20, 2025) An F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, prepares to land on the flight deck of the forward-deployed…
On This Day in Aviation History: JAL Flight 123 Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, Japan Transport Safety Board, and Wikipedia On this day in aviation history we’ll look at one of saddest aviation events that can happen: a mass deaths event caused by a Jumbo Jet crash that takes over 500 lives. Is there…
These Days in Aviation History: Today, Tomorrow, and The Next Day + Looking Ahead Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Goodfellows Historical Foundation Editors, Encyclopedia Brittanica, MSN.com There is so much aviation history out there, it can be difficult to pick which event(s) to share with you. I could fill pages of history every time I…