1954 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1954:

Events

The United States Navy adopts the probe-and-drogue aerial refueling system.

January

January 10 - a de Havilland Comet 1, operating BOAC Flight 781, crashes into the Mediterranean Sea near Elba following fatigue failure, killing all 35 people aboard.

April

April 1 - last operational flight by an RAF Spitfire, a photo-reconnaissance sortie against bandits in Malaya.
April 8 - a de Havilland Comet 1, operating South African Airways Flight 201 from Rome to Cairo and Johannesburg, disintegrates in mid-air over the Mediterranean Sea near Naples following fatigue failure, killing all 14 passengers and seven crew.
April 8 - a Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair Harvard collides with a Trans-Canada Airlines Canadair North Star over Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, killing 36 people on the aircraft and 1 person on the ground.

May

May 1 - The Myasishchev M-4, the first Soviet bomber designed to reach the United States and return to the Soviet Union, is displayed to the public for the first time. In reality, it lacks the range to reach the United States and return.

June

June 2 - Yugoslavian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15s attack a Belgian Douglas DC-3, which lands in Austria.
June 21 - three USAF B-47 Stratojets cross the Pacific Ocean in under 15 hours.

July

July 1 - The Japan Air Self-Defense Force is founded.
July 22 - a Cathay Pacific Airways Douglas DC-4 is shot down near Hainan Island.
July 26 - Soviet Air Force Lavochkin La-7s attack two US Navy A-1 Skyraiders searching for survivors from the CPA flight. The Skyraiders in response shoot down the La-7s.

September

September 5 - KLM Flight 633, a Lockheed L1049 Super Constellation, ditches after takeoff from Shannon Airport in Ireland, killing 28 of 56 on board.

November

November 2 - the VTOL Convair XFY transitions from vertical to horizontal flight and back.
November 7 - Soviet Air Force MiG-15s shoot down a USAF B-29 Superfortress off Hokkaidō, claiming it was spying.
November 17 - a B-47 is forced by bad weather to remain aloft for 47 hours 35 minutes, needing nine aerial refuellings.

December

December 25 - BOAC Boeing 377 Stratocruiser G-ALSA crashes on landing at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, killing 28 of the 36 passengers and crew onboard.

First flights

March

March 4 - Lockheed XF-104, prototype of the F-104 Starfighter.

June

June 14 - PAC Fletcher.

July

July 15 - Boeing 367-80, prototype of the Boeing 707 and Boeing C-135 families.

August

August 3 - Rolls-Royce Thrust Measuring Rig (free flight).
August 4 - English Electric P.1, prototype of the English Electric Lightning.
August 23 - Lockheed YC-130 Hercules, from Palmdale, CA to Edwards Air Force Base.

September

September 29 - McDonnell F-101A Voodoo, flown by test pilot Robert C. Little.

October

October 3 - Douglas XF4D-1.
October 6 - Fairey FD.2.

Entered service

Tupolev Tu-16 with Soviet Air Force.

February

Supermarine Swift with No. 56 Squadron RAF.

September

FJ Fury with VF-173.
September 27 - F-100 Super Sabre with 479th Fighter Day Wing.

1954 in Aviation Pictures

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia