Austin Hancock

Commercial Pilot, CFI, and Museum Entrepreneur, with a subject focus on WWII Aviation. I am dedicated to building flight experience so I can fly WWII Fighters, such as the P-51 Mustang, for museums and airshows, and in the USAF Heritage Flight. I lead and run the Pennington Flight Memorial, to honor local MIA Tuskegee Airman F/O Leland “Sticky” Pennington.
11 Articles

Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the Lockheed XF-90

Discover the story of the Lockheed XF-90, a Cold War-era prototype fighter developed as a…

Austin Hancock

Today in Aviation History: First Black Pilot to Shoot Down a Luftwaffe Aircraft

On July 2, 1943, Tuskegee Airman Lt. Charles Hall became the first Black pilot to…

Austin Hancock

Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the Boeing Model 15

On June 2, 1923, Boeing’s Model 15 fighter biplane made its first flight, ushering in…

Austin Hancock

Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190

Eighty-six years ago today, on June 1, 1939, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190—nicknamed the "Shrike"—took to…

Austin Hancock

Today in Aviation History: First Aircraft Flight Across the Pacific Ocean

On May 31, 1928, aviation pioneer Charles Kingsford Smith made history with the first aircraft…

Austin Hancock

Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the Douglas DC-8

Sixty-seven years ago today, the Douglas DC-8 soared into the skies for the first time,…

Austin Hancock

Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the Chance Vought F4U Corsair

Eighty-five years ago today, a warbird legend was born. On May 29, 1940, the prototype…

Austin Hancock

Today in Aviation History: The Anniversary of Mathias Rust’s Flight to Red Square

On May 28, 1987, 19-year-old West German pilot Mathias Rust stunned the world by landing…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

On May 27, 1958, the skies over St. Louis witnessed a historic moment as the…

Austin Hancock

Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the North American F-100 Super Sabre

On this day in aviation history — May 25, 1953 — the North American F-100…

Austin Hancock