1957 in aviation - Definition and Overview

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

Events

January

• January 18 - Three Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses 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 Lockheed Super Constellation of Flying Tiger Lines sets a payload record for a commercial aircraft of 41,749 lb (18,936 kg) between Newark, New Jersey and Burbank, California

April

• 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 Christmas Island

June

• June 2 - Cpt Joseph Kittinger sets a new balloon altitude record of 96,000 ft (29,261 m)

July

• July 19 - A USAF Northrop F-89J Scorpion launches a live MB-1 'Ding Dong' nuclear rocket

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 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

December

• December 12 - Maj Adrian Drew sets a new world speed record, in a modified F-101 Voodoo, of 1,207 mph (1,943 km/h)

First flights

January

• January 23 – Nord 1500-02 Griffon II

February

• February 17 - Bell X-14

March

• March 28 - Canadair Argus

May

• May 16 - Saunders-Roe SR.53

July

• July 4 - Ilyushin Il-18
• July 9 - Aviation Traders Accountant

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

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