World
Aviation in 1933
30 March
Boeing Model 247, the first airliner with retractable
undercarriage, enters service with United Air Lines.
1 April
The Indian Air Force, Bharatiya Vayu Sena, is formed.
4 April
United States Navy (USN) dirigible (steerable airship) USS
Akron crashes into sea off New Jersey with 73 killed.
21 April
The first flight of new United States Navy (USN) dirigible (steerable
airship) USS Macon.
27 May
Japan withdraws from the League of Nations.
6 June
The Dornier Do8t Wal makes a flight across the South
Atlantic. One refuelling stop is required, using a refuelling
ship.
1 July
Unable to immediately purchase Boeing Model 247s,
Transcontinental & Western Air (TWA) had requested that the
Douglas Aircraft Company develop a competitor. The Douglas
DC1 makes its first flight on this date.
1-15 July
24 Italian Savoia-Marchetti S55X flying boats, under the
command of General Italo Balbo, make the first transatlantic
formation flight. The flight between Italy and Chicago in
Illinois is to take part in the Century of Progress
Exposition.
15-22 July
Wiley
Post, flying a Lockheed Vega, makes the first round the world
solo flight. His flight begins and ends at Floyd Bennett
Field in New York, with a route via Berlin, Moscow, Irkutsk
and Alaska - a total distance of 5,099 kilometres (15,596
miles).
5-7 August
French Air Force pilots Lieutenant Maurice Rossi and Paul
Codes establish a new world distance record of 9,104 metres
(5,657 miles) from New York in the United States to Rayak in
Syria, using a Blériot Zapata aircraft.
17 August
The Soviet Union tests its first semi-liquid fuelled rocket,
the GIRD-IX, .
28 September
G. Lemoine flies a Potez 50 to a new world record altitude of
13,661 metres (44,820 feet) at Villacoublay in France.
14 October
Germany withdraws from the League of Nations ending world
attempts for disarmament.
20-21 November
Lieutenant Commander T.G.W. Settle and Major C.L. Fordney,
two United States Marine Corps (USMC) officers, establish a
new balloon altitude record at Akron in Ohio. They ascend to
18,665 metres (61,237 feet).
1
December
The first daily air service in India is established by Indian
National Airways between Calcutta and Dacca.
31 December
The Polikarpov I-16 makes its first flight. It is the first
monoplane fighter with an enclosed cockpit and retractable
undercarriage.
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