World Aviation in 1951 - Part 1

Part 2

5 January
An advance party of No.421 Squadron, No.1 Fighter Wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) arrives at London airport.

A Military aid agreement between the United States and Portugal is reached.

16 January
Six consolidated Vultee B36D bombers of the United States Air Force (USAF) land at Lakenheath, Suffolk on a training flight from their base at Carswell Fort Worth Texas.

23 January
United States Air Force (USAF) Republic Thunderjet fighters shoot down four Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG15s.

31 January
Captain Charles Blair flies a Mustang piston engine fighter non-stop from New York to London covering 3,500 miles in 7 hours 48 minutes.

5 February
The USA and Canada announce their intention to set up a Distance Early Warning (DEW) system for North America.

6 February
The United States Air Force (USAF) announces that it lost 223 aircraft in Korea, mostly through accidents, up to January 1951. The United States Navy (USN) and Marine aircraft losses were 182.

6 March
The United States Air Force (USAF) approves licence production of the English Electric Canberra by the Glenn L. Martin Company, under the designation 'B57'. It is the first operational aircraft of non-United States design to be accepted into service with the USAF since the 2nd World War.

13 March
Qantas Consolidated Catalina 'Frigate Bird II' (VH-ASA) begins a survey flight from Sydney to Chile via Ester Island and makes the airline's first flight across the South Pacific.

15 March
The Boeing B47 jet bomber is successfully refuelled in flight by a Boeing KC-97A piston engined tanker.

21 March
The conclusion of a Franco-American civil aviation agreement is announced.

28 March
The Federal Bureau of Statistics in Bonn announces figures relating to German casualties at home and on the battle fronts in the Second World War. These total over 5 million (3,200,000 in action or missing, 500,000 civilians during bombing raids and 200,000 disabled war veterans) but they state that the exact numbers will never be known and the figures are probably higher.

1-2 April
United States Air Force (USAF) Boeing Superfortresses bomb bridges and carrier-borne aircraft attack enemy communications in North Korea.

3 April
United States Air Force (USAF) Superfortresses bomb Pyongyang and three Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG15s are shot down by North American F86 Sabres.

15 April
It is announced that production of RB45 Tornado four-engined jet bombers by North American Aviation Inc is to cease.

18 April
An Aerobee research rocket carrying a monkey in a special capsule for a space biology experiment is launched from Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.

20 May
Captain James Jabara of the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing of the United States Air Force (USAF) in Korea, an F86 Sabre pilot, becomes the first jet pilot to score five unconfirmed victories over jet aircraft, by destroying two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG15s.

29 May
The first solo trans-Polar flight is made by American C. Blair, flying a North American P51 Mustang from Bardufoss in Norway to Fairbanks in Alaska. He covers 3,375 miles in 10 hours 29 minutes.

31 May
Captain Charles F. Blair lands at Idlewild Airport in New York after flying non-stop in a Mustang from Fairbanks in Alaska, covering 3,450 miles in 9 hours 31minutes. This is the first solo flight across the North Pole in a single engined aircraft.

12 June
The 16th Independent Parachute Brigade Group arrive in Cyprus using the aircraft carriers Warrior and Triumph.

15 June - 1 July
The 19th International Air Exhibition is held in Paris.

17 June
United States Air Force (USAF) Superfortresses bomb Pyongyang and Sariwon airfields. Air fighting between USAF North American Sabre jet fighters and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG15s results in one enemy aircraft being shot down.

18 June
An agreement is signed between the United States and Saudi Arabia giving the United States special rights to use Dharan airfield on the Persian Gulf for the next 5 years.

In air fighting over Korea between Sabre and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG15 aircraft, five North Korean aircraft are destroyed.

Part 2