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.
387 Articles

Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the Lockheed XV-4 Hummingbird

Discover the Lockheed XV-4 Hummingbird, the experimental U.S. Army VTOL aircraft that helped advance vertical…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: First Use of Radio Navigation by an Aircraft

Learn how a U.S. Navy flying boat made history on July 6, 1920, by becoming…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the de Havilland DH.29 Doncaster

Discover the de Havilland DH.29 Doncaster, the experimental British long-range monoplane whose innovative wing design…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the SAN Jodel D.140 Mousquetaire

Discover the history of the SAN Jodel D.140 Mousquetaire, the versatile French four-seat aircraft that…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the Tupolev ANT-16

Explore the history of the Tupolev ANT-16 (TB-4), the massive Soviet heavy bomber prototype that…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: Women’s Non-Stop Flight Record Broken

Learn how Soviet aviator Polina Osipenko broke the women's non-stop flight distance record on July…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito

Discover the history of the Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito, Germany's wooden WWII night fighter that…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the Sukhoi Su-26

Celebrate the first flight of the Sukhoi Su-26 on June 30, 1984, and discover how…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the Piel CP.605 Super Diamant

Discover the history of the Piel CP.605 Super Diamant, the French homebuilt aircraft that evolved…

Austin Hancock

Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the Cessna 120 & 140

Discover the history of the Cessna 120 and Cessna 140, the iconic postwar taildraggers that…

Austin Hancock