August 28th, 2018, is the 110th anniversary of the U.S. Military accepting its first powered aircraft, Baldwin Dirigible SC-1, for Signal Corps #1. It was made in Hammondsport, NY, by the Baldwin Airship Company, and powered by a 20 hp Curtiss engine made in Hammondsport as well. The acceptance Read More...
Atlas Agena launches first interplanetary mission – August 27, 1962
On August 27, 1962, an Atlas-Agena B booster launched the Mariner 2 spacecraft on the first successful interplanetary mission in history. 110 days later, Mariner 2 passed within 21,000 miles of Venus, sending back a wealth of scientific data from seven different instruments. Mariner was Read More...
The C-130 and its Connection to Niagara Falls
On August 23, 1954, the C-130 prototype, designated YC-130, made its first flight from the Lockheed Air Terminal in Burbank, California. While the two prototypes were made in California, every production C-130 has been manufactured in Marrietta, Georgia, at the facility erected by Bell Aircraft to Read More...
Museum Attends Geneseo Air Show 2018
We had a great time meeting people and sharing the story of WNY aviation and aerospace at the Geneseo Air Show at the National Warplane Museum on July 14 & 15. See more photos and video here. Read More...
First Curtiss C-46 Commando Delivered, July 13, 1942
On this day in 1942 the Curtiss-Wright Corporation delivered the first C–46 Commando to the Army Air Force. The C-46 becomes famous for its use in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater, flying supplies over Himalaya Mountains, “the Hump”. The largest twin-engine aircraft in the world at time, over Read More...
July 10th, 1935, Larry Bell founds Bell Aircraft
On this day in 1935 Lawrence Dale Bell founded the Bell Aircraft Corporation in Buffalo, New York, one of America's most accomplished aircraft companies. In addition to manufacturing over 12,000 P-39 and P-63 fighters during World War II, Bell built the P-59, America's first jet, and the X-1, the Read More...
