1955 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1955:

Events

The United Kingdom's first atomic bomber unit, the Royal Air Force's No. 138 Squadron, becomes operational, flying Vickers Valiants.

February

February 13 - a Sabena DC-6 crashes on Mount Terminillo, near Rieti, Italy, killing 29, including actress and model Marcella Mariani.
February 19 - TWA Flight 260, a Martin 404, crashes into the Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque, New Mexico, killing all 16 on board.
February 26 - George F. Smith becomes the first person to survive a supersonic ejection, from a North American F-100 Super Sabre travelling at Mach 1.05.

March

March 10 - Pakistan International Airlines is formed.
March 20 - American Airlines Flight 711, a Convair CV-240, strikes the ground during final approach at Springfield, Missouri, killing 13 of the 35 on board.
March 22 - a United States Navy Douglas DC-6 hits a cliff in Honolulu, killing 66.
March 26 - Pan American World Airways Flight 845/26, a Boeing 377, ditches into the Pacific Ocean off the Oregon coast, killing four.

April

April 1 - post-World War II bans on powered flight in West Germany are lifted and reconstituted Lufthansa resumes operations.
April 11 - the Air-India Constellation Kashmir Princess is sabotaged by Kuomintang agents in a failed attempt to assassinate Zhou Enlai. 16 people are killed.

June

June 16 - As part of an attempted coup against President Juan Perx³n, Argentine Naval Aviation and Argentine Air Force aircraft bomb and strafe the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires and the adjacent Plaza de Mayo while a large crowd is gathered there to express support for Perx³n, killing 364 people and injuring over 800. The bombing of Plaza de Mayo is the largest aerial bombing ever to take place in mainland Argentina.
June 28 - Jean Moire lands a Bell 47 helicopter on top of Mont Blanc, at an altitude of 4,807 m (15,772 ft).

July

July 26 - Capital Airlines adopts the Vickers Viscount, the first US airline to select a British airliner.
July 27 - El Al Flight 402, a Lockheed Constellation, is shot down by Bulgarian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15s. All 58 aboard are killed.

August

August 11 - two United States Air Force C-119 Flying Boxcars collide near Stuttgart, Germany, killing 66.
August 29 - an English Electric Canberra sets a new altitude record of 65,876 ft (20,079 m).

September

September 3 - J. S. Fairfield makes the first ejection from an aircraft on the ground, escaping from a Gloster Meteor traveling at 120 mph (193 km/h) along a runway.
September 9 - American Airlines, TWA, and United Airlines agree to adopt a domestic "Coach Class" for transcontinental flights across the United States.
September 16 - Gloster Meteor aircraft of the Argentine Air Force attack the Argentine Navy destroyers Cervantes and La Rioja in the River Plate during the Revolucix³n Libertadora against Juan Perx³n, inflicting numerous casualties.
September 18 - Argentine Naval Aviation aircraft attack an Argentine Army column during the Revolucix³n Libertadora against Juan Perx³n, halting the column before it can capture a naval air base.

October

October 6 - a Douglas DC-4 operating United Airlines Flight 409, crashes in the Medicine Bow Mountains near Centennial, Wyoming, killing all 66 on board.
October 10 - helicopters from USS Saipan play a key role in rescuing people stranded by flooding in Tampico (Mexico).
October 16 - the Boeing 367-80 (a 707 prototype) crosses the United States in just 3 hours 58 minutes.

November

November 1 - a Douglas DC-6B operating United Airlines Flight 629, is destroyed following departure from Denver, Colorado by a bomb planted by Jack Gilbert Graham, attempting to cash in his mother's life insurance policies. All 44 on board are killed.
November 22 - Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 drops the first Soviet thermo-nuclear bomb RDS-37 in Siberia.

December

Royal Air Force Bomber Command (UK) becomes an all-jet operation upon the retirement of its last piston engine Avro Lancasters from bomber duty.
December 4 - Glenn L. Martin, founder of the Glenn L. Martin Company, dies at age 69.
December 15 - the de Havilland Mosquito flies its final operational sortie with the Royal Air Force.

First flights

February

February 14 - Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-2, prototype of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

March

March 2 - Dassault Super Mystx¨re
March 12 - Aérospatiale Alouette II
March 25 - F-8 Crusader

April

April 25 - FFA P-16 J-3001

May

May 27 - Sud Caravelle

June

June 17 - Tupolev Tu-104
June 17 - Reynolds-Bensen B-8 gyro-glider prototype
June 25 - Dassault Mirage I
June 25 - Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer

July

July 14 - Martin XP6M-1 Seamaster, BuNo 138821
July 23 - PZL TS-8 Bies

August

August 4 - Lockheed Article 001, prototype of the Lockheed U-2

September

September 7 - Sukhoi S-1, prototype of Su-7
September 20 - Nord 1500 Griffon

October

October 22 - Republic XF-105
October 25 - Saab Draken

November

November - Cessna 172
November 24 - Fokker F27

December

December 6 - Bensen B-8M autogyro
December 15 - Douglas DC-7

Entered service

January

January 9 - Vickers Valiant with No. 138 Squadron RAF

June

June 29 - B-52 Stratofortress with the 93rd Bomb Wing

1955 in Aviation Pictures

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia