2 August 1909 – Heavier-than-air military aviation was born with the US Signal Corps' purchase of the Wright Military Flyer, renamed "Signal Corps Aeroplane No. 1".
14 November 1910 — The first experimental take-off of a heavier-than-air craft from the deck of a US Navy vessel, the cruiser USSBirmingham.
1 April 1911 — The Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers is formed, the first British heavier-than-air unit.
23 October 1911 — Italo-Turkish War, Italian invasion of Libya: Capitan Carlo Piazza flew the first reconnaissance flight in heavier-than-air aircraft, marking the first use in war.[5]
1 November 1911 — Italo-Turkish War, Italian invasion of Libya: Lieutenant Giulio Gavotti conducted the first aerial bombardment from an Etrich Taubemonoplane
4 March 1912 — Italo-Turkish War, Italian invasion of Libya: Lt. Gavotti conducted the first aerial mission at night.
10 May 1913 — Mexican Revolution: First bombing attack against a naval ship. Didier Masson and Captain Joaquín Bauche Alcalde, flying for Mexican Revolutionist Venustiano Carranza, dropped dynamite bombs on Federalist gunboats at Guaymas, Mexico.[7]
7 September 1914 — World War I, Battle of Galicia: Russian Staff-Captain Pyotr Nesterov became the first pilot engage in aerial combat and achieve a victory, by ramming his Morane-Saulnier Type G into the Austrian Albatros B.II reconnaissance aircraft of pilot Franz Malina and observer Friedrich von Rosenthal.
8 September 1914: Malina, Nesterov, and von Rosenthal all died from their injuries of the previous day, becoming the first fatalities of air-to-air combat.
1 April 1918 — World War I: The Royal Air Force, the world's first independent air force is formed.
20 April 1918 — World War I, Battle of the Lys: Captain Manfred von Richthofen ("The Red Baron") claimed his 80th aerial victory. Responsible for just as many fatalities, Richthofen was the deadliest and most successful fighter pilot in the war.
21 April 1918 — World War I, Battle of the Lys: Richthofen was killed in aerial combat with the No. 209 Squadron RAF, shot either by Captain Arthur "Roy" Brown or a ground gunner.
24 September 1918 — HMSArgus(I49) became the world's first carrier capable of launching and landing naval aircraft after receiving two Sopwith Ship's Strutters.[10]
7 December 1941 — World War II, Attack on Pearl Harbor: The Imperial Japanese 1st Air Fleet attacked Naval Station Pearl Harbor, bringing the neutral United States into World War II. 1st Lt. Fusada Iida likely intentionally crashed his downed plane into the USSCurtiss, among the earliest developments of kamikaze tactics.
21 October 1944 — World War II: Three Japanese planes were prepared for the first official suicide attack run on the Leyte Gulf. Two were bombed before take off, and the third piloted by Yoshiyasu Kunō[ja] was shot down.
9 August 1945 — World War II, Atomic bombing of Nagasaki: The Bockscar Boeing B-29 dropped the "Fat Man" on Nagasaki, Japan. This marked second and so-far last deployment of atomic weapons in warfare.
November 1980 — Iran–Iraq War: Two Iranian AH-1J SeaCobras downed two Iraqi Mil Mi-25s, marking the first air-to-air helicopter battle. The Iran–Iraq War is the only conflict confirmed to have such engagements.
↑ Geoffrey Till, "Adopting the Aircraft Carrier: The British, Japanese, and American Case Studies" in Murray, Williamson; Millet, Allan R, eds. (1996). Military Innovation in the Interwar Period. New York: Cambridge University Press. p.194. ISBN0-521-63760-0.
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