Aviation History
![The Maker of Pilots: Willa B. Brown](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/Lt._Willa_Brown.jpg?v=1711029305&width=446)
The Maker of Pilots: Willa B. Brown
Willa B. Brown, Aviatrix and Maker of Pilots Willa Beatrice Brown was born on January 22, 1906, to Eric Brown (an African American father) and Hallie Brown (her Native American mother) in Glasgow, ...
Read more![The Montgolfier brothers first free flight balloon carrying a human being November 21, 1783.](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/Montgolfier_balloon.jpg?v=1710512229&width=1252)
A reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci's ornithopter he envisioned for manned flight. Leonardo da Vinci made the first real studies of flight in the 1480's. Da vinci had over 100 drawings that illust...
Read more![“MiG Sweep,” by Keith Ferris. Colonel Robin Olds uses a Vector Roll to gain firing position on a MiG-21 fighter.](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/MiG_Sweep_by_Keith_Ferris._Colonel_Robin_Olds_uses_a_Vector_Roll_to_gain_firing_position_on_a_MiG-21_fighter..jpg?v=1709762081&width=1382)
"Mig Sweep" painting by Keith Ferris This painting is a depiction of the McDonnell F-4C21-MC Phantom II depicting the aircraft making a Vector Roll to gain a firing position on an enemy North Vietn...
Read more![A Boeing 707 sitting on the tarmac belonging to SABENA Airlines in 1961](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/Boeing_707-329_OO-SJB_Sabena_Flight_548._Guy_Van_de_Merckt.jpg?v=1708697310&width=800)
The Boeing 707 was one of the first jet powered intercontinental aircraft, it had four engines and one of the most interesting features of the aircraft were it's swept wings and tail surfaces. Spec...
Read more![Sabrina Patricia Jackintell (FAI) sitting her Grob G102 Astir CS glider](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/Sabrina_Patricia_Jackintell_FAI.jpg?v=1708024030&width=592)
Sabrina Patricia Jackintell, World Record Holding Aviatrix
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways…Chardonnay in one hand…chocolate in the oth...
Read more![Buffalo Airways Lockheed L188 Electra aircraft in flight](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/Buffalo_Airways_Lockheed_L188_Electra_aircraft.jpg?v=1704987719&width=640)
This is an interesting story about an aircraft accident that occurred over the Amazon jungle and the sole survivor of that accident. The aircraft involved was a Peruvian airline Lockheed Electra L1...
Read more![The U-2 "Dragon Lady" in flight on a reconnaisance mission.](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/u-2_0.jpg?v=1700155043&width=1222)
Gary Powers and the U-2 Program
The wreckage of the U-2 flown by Gary Powers over the Soviet Union an downed near Sverdlovsk The Aftermath Of The Downing The CIA's first indication that something was wrong with Power's mission oc...
Read more![A drawing of a 1930's era standard airway beacon installation.](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/Standard_Airway_beacon_circa_1931.jpg?v=1697130726&width=432)
The Birth Of Instrument Flying
In the early days of aviation, navigating in bad weather presented a real challenge for pilots, resulting in the early demise of many pilots. There were no navigation aids to help pilots easily fin...
Read more![Jack Northrop's first flying wing aircraft called the N-1M.](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/N9MB_w_brdr.jpg?v=1696630366&width=639)
Early adoption of the Flying Wing occurred in 1908 but achieved some success in 1940 when Jack Northrop built the N-1M Flying Wing aircraft. Following that success Northrop Aircraft Company went on...
Read more![A map of the first US non-stop transcontinental flight in 1923](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/Non-Stop_US_Transcontinental_Map.jpg?v=1695932909&width=2400)
The First Non-Stop US Transcontinental Flight
In early May of 1923 two Army Air Service lieutenants departed from Long Island, NY en route to San Diego, CA in a Fokker T-2 to complete the first non-stop transcontinental airplane flight. The 26...
Read more![A photograph of Lt. JG David S. Ingalls, USN pilot and the very first US Navy Fighter Ace in 1918](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/Lt.-Ingalls.jpg?v=1695389335&width=600)
The U.S. Navy has traditionally had a lot of excellent fighter pilots who performed extremely well in World War I, World War II, and in the Vietnam War. But did you know who was the very first U.S....
Read more![A Blue Angles F11F 'Tiger" in flight](http://aviator-sunglasses.net/cdn/shop/articles/F11F-Blue-Angel-Aircraft-in-flight.jpg?v=1693010373&width=800)
Being a test pilot is a dangerous job sometimes, and unusual events occur on a regular basis. In this case a test pilot shoots himself down but survives.
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