1950 in aviation - Definition and Overview

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1950:

Events

• Arrow Air is founded

March

• March 20 - Royal Air Force Avro Lincoln bombers are sent to Singapore to be used against the Communist guerillas of Malaya in the Malayan Emergency.

June

• June 1 - BEA commences the first regular passenger service to be flown by helicopter, between Liverpool and Cardiff.
• June 25 - Korean War breaks out
• June 25 - the USAF begins evacuating US citizens from South Korea
• June 27 - A USAF F-82 Twin Mustang shoots down a North Korean Air Force Yak-9, the first air-to-air kill of the Korean War.
• June 27 - USAF B-29 Superfortresses of the 19th Bombardment Group attack Seoul railway station and the bridge over the Han River in the first strategic bombing mission of the war.
• June 28 - USAF B-26 Invaders fly the first strike mission into North Korea.
• June 30 - P-51 Mustangs of No. 77 Squadron RAAF are sent to Korea as part of Australia's contribution to the war.

July

• July 3 - F9F Panthers of VF-51 flying from USS Valley Forge become the first US jet fighters to go into combat. A North Korean Yak-9 is shot down.
• July 3 - Supermarine Seafires of No. 800 Squadron FAA and Fairey Fireflys of No, 827 Sqn from HMS Triumph fly the first non-US sortie over Korea.
• July 23 - aircraft carrier USS Boxer crosses the Pacific Ocean in record time, from Alameda, California to Yokosuka in 8 days 16 hours.
• July 29 - a BEA Vickers Viscount makes the first turboprop-powered passenger flight.

August

• August 3 - United States Marine Corps air operations over Korea commence, with VMF-214 flying strike missions from USS Sicily
• August 27 - P-51 Mustangs of No. 2 Squadron SAAF are sent to Korea as part of South Africa's contribution to the war.

September

• September 4 - Cpt Robert Wayne becomes the first pilot to be rescued from behind enemy lines by a helicopter
• September 15 - Task Force 7, centred on five US Navy carriers and one of the Royal Navy, supports the USMC assault on Green Beach, paving the way for the Inchon Landing
• September 22 - Col David Schilling makes the first crossing of the Atlantic in a jet fighter, a F-84 Thunderjet.

October

• Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15s from the 29th Fighter Aviation Regiment are supplied to support the North Korean Air Force. They are flown by Soviet and Chinese pilots.
• October 1 - the Royal Danish Air Force is re-established
• October 20 - US paratroops are used to cut off supplies from Pyongyang

November

• November 7 - BOAC retires its last flying boat airliner from service.
• November 8 - 1Lt Russell Brown shoots down a MiG-15 from his F-80 Shooting Star, the first victory by a jet over another jet.

December

• December 6 - C-47 Dakotas of 13 Flight Royal Hellenic Air Force evacuate US casualties from the Chonjin Reservoir.
• December 9 - RAAF Gloster Meteors replace the P-51s of 77 Sqn. in Korea
• December 17 - the F-86 Sabre begins operations in Korea

First flights

January

• January 13 - Mikoyan-Gurevich I-330, prototype of the MiG-17
• January 19 - Avro Canada CF-100 RCAF 18101

March

• March 26 - XA2D Skyshark

April

• April 30 - SNCASE Grognard

May

• May 5 - Scottish Aviation Prestwick Pioneer prototype G-AKBF
• May 10 - de Havilland Heron

June

• June 19 - Hawker P.1081 VX279
• June 27 - IAe Pulqui II

October

• October 10 - Boulton Paul P.111 VT935

Entered service

July

• July 29 - Vickers Viscount with BEA

August

• August 6 - Handley Page Hermes with BOAC