1957 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1957:

Events

The Douglas AIR-2 Genie ("Ding-Dong") unguided air-to-air missile enters service with the United States Air Force. It mounts a 1.5-kiloton nuclear warhead and has a lethal radious of 1,000 feet (305 m).
The United Kingdom's Minister of Defence, Duncan Sandys, states that the manned fighter has become obsolete and will be replaced by missiles. His 1957 Defence White Paper proposes ending the use of fighters by the Royal Air Force and concentrating on missile technology.

January

The Avro Vulcan strategic bomber enters service with the Royal Air Force. It begins to enter squadron service during the summer of 1957.
January 18 - Three Boeing B-52 Stratofortress jets make the world's first round- the-world, non-stop flight by turbojet-powered aircraft. The flight is completed in 45 hours 19 minutes, with an average speed of 534 mph (859 km/h)

March

March 4-15 - a US Navy airship sets a duration record for a non-rigid airship, traveling 9,448 miles (15,205 km) in 264 hours 12 minutes
March 11 - a Flying Tiger Lockheed Super Constellation sets a new payload record for a commercial aircraft, carrying 41,749 lb (18,937 kg) on a flight between Newark, New Jersey and Burbank, California

April

April 6 - Olympic Airways is created by the shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis from the ashes of bankrupt Greek state airline T.A.E.
April 11 - North American Aviation is issued a preliminary contract to build prototypes of the XF-108 long-range interceptor aircraft for the USAF.

May

May 15 - a Royal Air Force Vickers Valiant drops the first British Hydrogen bomb, over Kiritimati

June

June 2 - Cpt Joseph Kittinger sets a new balloon altitude record of 96,000 ft (29,250 m)

July

July 19 - A USAF Northrop F-89J Scorpion launches a live AIR-2 Genie ("Ding Dong") unguided nuclear air-to-air missile. It is the only detonation of a Genie.

August

August 1 - NORAD is formed to co-ordinate US and Canadian air defense
August 19-20 - Maj David Simons sets a new balloon altitude record of 101,516 ft (30,942 m)
August 21 - The USAF formally cancels the XF-103 Mach 3 interceptor aircraft program
August 28 - a rocket-boosted English Electric Canberra sets a new world altitude record of 70,308 ft (21,430 m)

September

September 30 - Austrian Airlines is formed from the merger of Air Austria and Austrian Airways

October

October 4 - Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite is launched into orbit
October 4 - The Avro CF-105 Arrow rolled out from the Malton plant (in Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

November

Delivery of the Handley Page Victor strategic bomber to the Royal Air Force begins.

December

December 12 - Maj Adrian Drew sets a new world speed record, in a modified F-101 Voodoo, of 1,207 mph (1,942 km/h)

First flights

January

January 23 - Nord 1500-02 Griffon II

February

February 17 - Bell X-14

March

March 28 - Canadair Argus

April

April 17 - Nord N 3202

May

May 16 - Saunders-Roe SR.53

July

July 4 - Ilyushin Il-18
July 9 - Aviation Traders Accountant
July 16 - Aerotécnica AC-14

September

- Cessna 150

November

November 6 - Fairey Rotodyne

December

December 10 - Aermacchi MB-326

Entered service

February

February 1 - Bristol Britannia with BOAC

March

March 8 - Grumman F11F Tiger with VA-156
March 25 - Vought F8U Crusader with VF-32 Swordsmen

May

McDonnell F-101A Voodoo with USAF

June

June 28 - KC-135 Stratotanker with 93rd Air Refueling Squadron

November

November 19 - Fokker Friendship with Aer Lingus

1957 in Aviation Pictures

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia