Fact Sheet Alphabetical List

Fact Sheet Search

  • First Air-to-Air Refueling

    On Oct. 5, 1922, Lts. John A. Macready and Oakley G. Kelly set a world endurance record of 35 hours, 18 minutes, 30 seconds in their Fokker T-2 airplane over San Diego, Calif., for which they received the Mackay Trophy. Had they not run low on gasoline, they could have remained in the air until

  • Doolittle's Atlantic-to-Pacific Flight

    The first transcontinental flight across the United States within a single day (24-hour period) was made by Lt. Jimmy Doolittle on Sept. 4, 1922. Flying a DH-4B, Lt. Doolittle took off from Pablo Beach, Fla., and landed at Rockwell Field near San Diego, Calif., covering a distance of 2,163 miles in

  • First Alaskan Flight

    The first flight from the continental U.S. to Alaska was made by four DH-4Bs under the command of Capt. St. Clair Streett. The flight departed Mitchel Field, Long Island, N.Y., on July 15, 1920, and arrived at Nome, Alaska, on Aug. 24. The same planes and crews returned to Mitchel Field on Oct. 20,

  • Transcontinental Reliability and Endurance Test

    In 1919 the Air Service initiated a project to test its men and planes to the utmost under various kinds of flying conditions over an extended distance. Two groups of aircraft were to leave New York and San Francisco at the same time on Oct. 8, fly to the opposite coasts of the U.S., and then return

  • Round-the-Rim Flight

    In its desire to test the long-range capabilities of the airplane, the Air Service decided to fly a Glenn Martin bomber completely around the periphery of the U.S. The flight, which began at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., on July 24, 1919, was made in a counterclockwise direction. Since time and

  • Flights to High Altitude

    Schroeder's Altitude Flights, 1918-1920During World War I, the Air Service began making test flights at high altitude. On Sept. 18, 1918, Capt. Rudolph W. "Shorty" Schroeder set a world record of 28,900 feet in a Bristol airplane from McCook Field. In 1919 he established three more world altitude

  • Air Corps Development, 1919-1935

    Following World War I, many Americans believed the United States should never again become involved in European entanglements. Military appropriations were reduced dramatically and the Air Service was cut to only 10,000 men as of June 30, 1920. This reduction in funds had a paralyzing effect upon

  • Blunder Trophies

    Humor was a virtue not greatly lacking among the test pilots at McCook Field and, later Wright Field. Although the pilots assigned to the Flying Section approached their jobs in a most diligent and professional manner, they still possessed that habit so common among those who fly -- jocularity. A

  • Research & Development in the Interwar Years

    Gyroscopic ControlsThe fuselage section of a Sperry "Messenger" airplane was converted into an experimental "guided missile" in 1922. Gyroscopic equipment was installed in the airplane to control its altitude and direction of flight. Later refinements of gyro controls led to the development of

  • Caproni Ca. 36 Restoration

    Recognizing the significance of the Caproni bombers as an important milestone in the evolution of U.S. strategic bombardment doctrine as well as in the history of U.S. wartime combat aviation, the National Museum of the United States Air Force had the good fortune to arrange a long term loan of one