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📅 On This Day in Aviation History — August 14, 195

📅 On This Day in Aviation History — August 14, 1953

Okay, after all of our recent FJ-1 Fury vs. F-86 Sabre discussion, we promise we aren't intentionally turning this into Sabre Week... but aviation history had other plans.

On August 14, 1953, Australia's prototype Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-26 Sabre became the first aircraft to break the sound barrier over Australia—and it happened on only the aircraft's sixth test flight.

If you've been following our recent posts, you already know how North American's straight-wing FJ-1 Fury helped lead to the swept-wing F-86 Sabre. But the Sabre family tree gets even more interesting from there.

Australia's version wasn't simply an F-86 built under license. Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation extensively redesigned the Sabre around the more powerful Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet. Accommodating the new engine required major changes to the fuselage, intake ducting, and engine installation. By the time engineers were finished, only about 40% of the original F-86 structure remained unchanged.

And they didn't stop with the engine.

Instead of the American Sabre's six .50-caliber machine guns, the Australian aircraft carried two 30 mm ADEN cannon. That extra firepower introduced an interesting engineering problem of its own: gases from the cannon could interfere with airflow into the engine and cause flameouts. The solution included specialized baffles around the gun ports to redirect the troublesome gases.

During that historic August 14 test, RAAF Flight Lieutenant William H. Scott took the CA-26 to approximately 25,000 feet before entering a shallow dive over Port Phillip Bay. The prototype accelerated through Mach 1, and its sonic booms announced a new milestone in Australian aviation.

The prototype eventually led to the production CA-27 Sabre, which served with the Royal Australian Air Force and later flew with Malaysia and Indonesia.

So, in just a few posts we've gone from the FJ-1 Fury, to the F-86 Sabre, and now to an Australian aircraft that began with the Sabre but was extensively re-engineered into something distinctly its own.

Apparently it is Sabre Week after all. ✈️

Last week, we asked you all to identify the first

Last week, we asked you all to identify the first aircraft here, and boy did a lot of aviation history come up, which is always our goal!

The correct answer was an FJ-1 Fury, ONE of the Navy's first pure jets, but not quite the first. The first Navy pure jet to take off and land on an aircraft carrier was the FH-1 Phantom, although we don't have that one here at the museum. What we do have is the plane the Fury was most often confused for: the F-86 Sabre, the second jet pictured here.

Some also identified the Fury as the "Navy's version of the F-86 Sabre," but the coolest fact to know is that, here, the FJ-1 DID come first. Much of the Air Force's F-86 design was based off of the FJ-1, one of the major changes being the swept wing on the F-86. In fact, that swept wing design was so popular, the FJ-2, FJ-3, and FJ-4 were all heavily based on the F-86's design. One of those might be considered "the Navy's Sabre," but not our FJ-1.

What are some other similarities and differences you know of between the F-86 and the FJ-1?

✈️ Just One Week to Go! National Aviation Day is

✈️ Just One Week to Go!

National Aviation Day is almost here, and we'd love for you to celebrate with us at Yanks Air Museum's inaugural Aviation Round Table on Wednesday, August 19.

Join fellow aviation enthusiasts, pilots, industry professionals, guest speakers, and members of the community for an engaging discussion on the future of aviation, emerging technologies, and the ever-evolving aerospace industry.

📅 Wednesday, August 19
🕥 Round Table: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
🎟 Admission: Included with regular museum admission

Whether you're a lifelong aviation enthusiast or simply curious about the future of flight, we hope to see you there and connect you with others who share your passion!

Planes or helicopters? 🚁 📷 credit: David Ebersole

Planes or helicopters?

🚁 📷 credit: David Ebersole

📅 On This Day in Aviation History — August 10, 191

📅 On This Day in Aviation History — August 10, 1912

Long before precision airshows and modern aerobatics captivated crowds, British aviator Frank McClean accomplished one of the most daring flights of aviation's pioneering era.

Flying a Short S.33 seaplane up the River Thames, McClean successfully guided his aircraft through the open space between London's iconic Tower Bridge—passing between the upper pedestrian walkways and the roadway below before continuing farther upstream beneath several additional bridges. It's a feat that would be impossible under today's regulations, but in 1912 it demonstrated just how quickly both aircraft technology and pilot skill were advancing.

The Short S.33 itself reflected the innovation of the time. This pusher-configured biplane, powered by a 70-horsepower Gnome rotary engine, represented the cutting edge of early aviation engineering. McClean would later become an influential supporter of British military aviation, helping shape the future of naval flight in the years leading up to World War I.

While aviation has advanced dramatically over the past century, it's remarkable to remember that many of its earliest pioneers weren't just learning how to fly—they were defining and then redefining what an airplane could do. McClean's memorable journey through the heart of London remains one of the boldest demonstrations of confidence, precision, and innovation from aviation's earliest days.

Tower Bridge wasn't the only bridge Frank McClean flew beneath that day though. Can you guess how many additional bridges he passed under before landing? Or even name them?

From the Early Birds & Golden Era through the Worl

From the Early Birds & Golden Era through the World War II Aircraft to the Jet Age & Modern Jets, we categorize our collections by era. If you could only pick one to see the rest of your life, which would you pick?

https://yanksair.org/collections/

Here's a unique bit of aviation history that has n

Here's a unique bit of aviation history that has nothing to do with actual aircraft!

Sometimes with minor alterations, some version or another of the following quote is often attributed to the famous artist and engineer, Leonardo Da Vinci, but to historian's current knowledge, he never actually said nor wrote it.

So who did? An actor PLAYING Leonardo Da Vinci said it on screen in 1965 after John Hermes Secondari wrote the line in a documentary episode about the polymath, called "I, Leonardo Da Vinci." Apparently Mr. Secondari was so good at his job, a bunch of people believed he actually said it until it became "common knowledge."

We're not common though; we know better. What's your favorite aviation quote?

Raise your hand if you're an aviation expert! 👋 Ca

Raise your hand if you're an aviation expert! 👋 Can you tell us what kind of plane we have here?

Check out what Tony's been working on in the shop!

Check out what Tony's been working on in the shop! Sure, plenty of us here at Yanks can investigate, diagnose, and even fix the problems of many aircraft, but Casey's been amazed watching him bend wood to get to this, from an originally totally corroded piece. How many of you have ever done fabric work before? Next time you stop by the museum, when you come out of the door from the flight hangar, veer left to visit Tony's workstation and see what you can learn from him. We can barely keep up!

Happy 236th birthday, Coast Guard! Do we have any

Happy 236th birthday, Coast Guard! Do we have any Coasties out here amongst our fans?

With World Helicopter Day coming up later this mon

With World Helicopter Day coming up later this month (August 16th), stop by the museum to visit one of the rarest helicopters in America! 🚁

Among the many remarkable aircraft in the Yanks Air Museum collection is one that even seasoned aviation enthusiasts may have never seen before—the McCulloch HUM-1 (MC-4A).

Built in 1953 for U.S. Navy evaluation, the HUM-1 was one of only two examples ever produced. Although it never entered full-scale military production, its innovative design helped demonstrate the advantages of the tandem-rotor configuration, a concept that would later become synonymous with heavy-lift helicopters like the Boeing CH-47 Chinook.

Unlike conventional helicopters that rely on a single main rotor and tail rotor, the HUM-1 used two large rotors mounted fore and aft that rotated in opposite directions. This eliminated the need for a tail rotor while providing excellent longitudinal stability and allowing the helicopter's center of gravity to vary over a wider range—important characteristics for utility and cargo operations. Today, tandem-rotor helicopters remain the preferred configuration for many heavy-lift missions.

Our aircraft, Bureau Number 133818, was delivered to the U.S. Navy on June 15, 1953, and spent its brief military career at the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland, supporting research and evaluation before being stricken from service in 1955. Yanks Air Museum painstakingly restored this exceptionally rare helicopter between 2007 and 2011, preserving one of only two HUM-1s ever built for future generations to appreciate.

What's your favorite tandem-rotor helicopter?

Space Day was a huge success last weekend! All of

Space Day was a huge success last weekend! All of our visitors learned so much, especially the kids. Some of them even got to BE Mars! Would you have volunteered to have the Mars Rover roll over you too?

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📅 On This Day in Aviation History — August 14, 195

📅 On This Day in Aviation History — August 14, 1953

Okay, after all of our recent FJ-1 Fury vs. F-86 Sabre discussion, we promise we aren't intentionally turning this into Sabre Week... but aviation history had other plans.

On August 14, 1953, Australia's prototype Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-26 Sabre became the first aircraft to break the sound barrier over Australia—and it happened on only the aircraft's sixth test flight.

If you've been following our recent posts, you already know how North American's straight-wing FJ-1 Fury helped lead to the swept-wing F-86 Sabre. But the Sabre family tree gets even more interesting from there.

Australia's version wasn't simply an F-86 built under license. Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation extensively redesigned the Sabre around the more powerful Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet. Accommodating the new engine required major changes to the fuselage, intake ducting, and engine installation. By the time engineers were finished, only about 40% of the original F-86 structure remained unchanged.

And they didn't stop with the engine.

Instead of the American Sabre's six .50-caliber machine guns, the Australian aircraft carried two 30 mm ADEN cannon. That extra firepower introduced an interesting engineering problem of its own: gases from the cannon could interfere with airflow into the engine and cause flameouts. The solution included specialized baffles around the gun ports to redirect the troublesome gases.

During that historic August 14 test, RAAF Flight Lieutenant William H. Scott took the CA-26 to approximately 25,000 feet before entering a shallow dive over Port Phillip Bay. The prototype accelerated through Mach 1, and its sonic booms announced a new milestone in Australian aviation.

The prototype eventually led to the production CA-27 Sabre, which served with the Royal Australian Air Force and later flew with Malaysia and Indonesia.

So, in just a few posts we've gone from the FJ-1 Fury, to the F-86 Sabre, and now to an Australian aircraft that began with the Sabre but was extensively re-engineered into something distinctly its own.

Apparently it is Sabre Week after all. ✈️

Last week, we asked you all to identify the first

Last week, we asked you all to identify the first aircraft here, and boy did a lot of aviation history come up, which is always our goal!

The correct answer was an FJ-1 Fury, ONE of the Navy's first pure jets, but not quite the first. The first Navy pure jet to take off and land on an aircraft carrier was the FH-1 Phantom, although we don't have that one here at the museum. What we do have is the plane the Fury was most often confused for: the F-86 Sabre, the second jet pictured here.

Some also identified the Fury as the "Navy's version of the F-86 Sabre," but the coolest fact to know is that, here, the FJ-1 DID come first. Much of the Air Force's F-86 design was based off of the FJ-1, one of the major changes being the swept wing on the F-86. In fact, that swept wing design was so popular, the FJ-2, FJ-3, and FJ-4 were all heavily based on the F-86's design. One of those might be considered "the Navy's Sabre," but not our FJ-1.

What are some other similarities and differences you know of between the F-86 and the FJ-1?

✈️ Just One Week to Go! National Aviation Day is

✈️ Just One Week to Go!

National Aviation Day is almost here, and we'd love for you to celebrate with us at Yanks Air Museum's inaugural Aviation Round Table on Wednesday, August 19.

Join fellow aviation enthusiasts, pilots, industry professionals, guest speakers, and members of the community for an engaging discussion on the future of aviation, emerging technologies, and the ever-evolving aerospace industry.

📅 Wednesday, August 19
🕥 Round Table: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
🎟 Admission: Included with regular museum admission

Whether you're a lifelong aviation enthusiast or simply curious about the future of flight, we hope to see you there and connect you with others who share your passion!

Planes or helicopters? 🚁 📷 credit: David Ebersole

Planes or helicopters?

🚁 📷 credit: David Ebersole

📅 On This Day in Aviation History — August 10, 191

📅 On This Day in Aviation History — August 10, 1912

Long before precision airshows and modern aerobatics captivated crowds, British aviator Frank McClean accomplished one of the most daring flights of aviation's pioneering era.

Flying a Short S.33 seaplane up the River Thames, McClean successfully guided his aircraft through the open space between London's iconic Tower Bridge—passing between the upper pedestrian walkways and the roadway below before continuing farther upstream beneath several additional bridges. It's a feat that would be impossible under today's regulations, but in 1912 it demonstrated just how quickly both aircraft technology and pilot skill were advancing.

The Short S.33 itself reflected the innovation of the time. This pusher-configured biplane, powered by a 70-horsepower Gnome rotary engine, represented the cutting edge of early aviation engineering. McClean would later become an influential supporter of British military aviation, helping shape the future of naval flight in the years leading up to World War I.

While aviation has advanced dramatically over the past century, it's remarkable to remember that many of its earliest pioneers weren't just learning how to fly—they were defining and then redefining what an airplane could do. McClean's memorable journey through the heart of London remains one of the boldest demonstrations of confidence, precision, and innovation from aviation's earliest days.

Tower Bridge wasn't the only bridge Frank McClean flew beneath that day though. Can you guess how many additional bridges he passed under before landing? Or even name them?

From the Early Birds & Golden Era through the Worl

From the Early Birds & Golden Era through the World War II Aircraft to the Jet Age & Modern Jets, we categorize our collections by era. If you could only pick one to see the rest of your life, which would you pick?

https://yanksair.org/collections/

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