1957 in aviation

yearbox
in?=in aviation
cp=19th Century
c=20th century
cf=21st century
yp1=1954
yp2=1955
yp3=1956
year=1957
ya1=1958
ya2=1959
ya3=1960
dp3=1920s
dp2=1930s
dp1=1940s
d=1950s
dn1=1960s
dn2=1970s
dn3=1980s

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 (18,937 kg) between Newark, New Jersey and Burbank, California

April

* April 6 - Olympic Airways is created by shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, from the ashes of bankrupt Hellenic state airline T.A.E. (Technical and Aeronautical Exploitations).
* 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

Please note that the link to CHRISTMAS ISLAND is incorrect. The link goes to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean (an Australian protectorate). However, The Christmas Island where the British hydrogen bombs were tested was in the PACIFIC OCEAN, near to Hawaii. This island, one of the Line Islands, was subsequently returned to the Gilbertese people who renamed it KIRIBATI. There is no connection between the Indian Ocean Christmas Island and the British Army bomb testing.

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 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 aircraft program
* August 28 - a rocket-boosted English Electric Canberra sets a new world altitude record of 70,308 ft (21,430 m)

eptember

* 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).

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