From the Wright Brothers’ flights at Fort Myer to the early days of National Airport, Washington has a rich aviation history. These posts dig into the planes, pilots, and airports that shaped flight in and around the capital.
Take a look back in time at a photograph of the Rex Smith aeroplane being piloted by Antony Jannus around 1911. See this remarkable image of aviation history here!
Witness the history of aviation! Read about Harry Atwood’s historic flight to the White House in 1911, shared by GoDCer Mike. See the picture, read the Washington Post article, and more!
History happens every single day and many of you witnessed this one (I did). The sight of the 747 and Space Shuttle over DC was amazing and it warrants a quick video post to share with everyone. The video was taken by the folks over the Department of Interior, when the fly by happened just two months ago on April 17th.
Here’s a great shot of it from NASA’s Flickr feed.
On May 20th, 1963, the Washington Post reported on the record-setting flight of Air Force One to Moscow. The 8-million-dollar Boeing 707 shattered 14 air records and buried a Soviet myth. Read more about this historic flight!
In September 1930, staff at the Mayflower Hotel found Lt. Col. Richard Creecy dead from a pistol shot and his wife dying from hatchet wounds inside a double-locked fifth-floor room. The coroner called it a suicide. Homicide detectives, the Marine Corps, and the Creecy family weren’t so sure.
Aviation has a long history in the Washington area. In 1958, Pan Am inaugurated their transatlantic passenger jet service. President Eisenhower was present for the christening ceremony at National Airport. Learn more about this historic moment!
The Ludington brothers set a world record for air passengers carried in 1932. Learn about Washington’s Ludington Airlines and the astonishing feat of getting from Washington to New York City in two hours!
