1940 In Aviation

	Cp	19th Century
	C	20th century
	Cf	21st century
	Yp1	1937
	Yp2	1938
	Yp3	1939
	Year	1940
	Ya1	1941
	Ya2	1942
	Ya3	1943
	Dp3	1910s
	Dp2	1920s
	Dp1	1930s
	D	1940s
	Dn1	1950s
	Dn2	1960s
	Dn3	1970s

This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1940 :

EVENTS

January

January 6 - The Finnish lieutenant Jorma Sarvanto manages to shoot down six Soviet Tupolev DB-3 bombers in one mission.

March

March 16 - The United Kingdom suffers its first civilian air-raid casualties of the war after a raid by KG 26 on Scapa Flow

March 25 - the U.S. government grants permission to the country's Aircraft Manufacturer s to sell advanced combat aircraft to nations fighting the Axis Powers .

April

April 9 - Germany invades Denmark and Norway , making extensive use of Paratroops

April 13 - the Royal Air Force begins deploying sea mines around Germany 's coastal waters.

April 24 - 28 - Aircraft Carrier HMS ''Glorious'' evacuates the Gloster Gladiator s of No. 263 Squadron RAF from Norway

May

May 10 - Germany invades the Netherlands , Belgium , and Luxembourg . Paratroops again play a key role.

May 13 - the Sikorsky VS-300 , which made its first flight the previous year, makes its first untethered flight.

May 15 - 16 - British Bombers make their first attack on German land targets, in the Ruhr Valley

June

June 4 - BOAC commences a twice-weekly service between the United Kingdom and Portugal , scheduled to connect with Pan Am flights from Lisbon to New York .

June 8 - after a second expedition to Norway, HMS ''Glorious'' is sunk by German Battlecruiser s (or light battleships) ''Scharnhorst'' and ''Gneisenau'' .

June 10 - Italy declares war on the United Kingdom and its allies and begins an aerial assault on Malta .

July

July 10 - the Battle Of Britain commences with the first German attacks on British convoys in the English Channel .

August

August 15 - the heaviest fighting of the Battle of Britain occurs, with the loss of 46 British and 76 German aircraft.

August 25 - 26 - The Royal Air Force makes its first air raid on Berlin of the war.

August 31 - Polish 303 Squadron , the most efficient allied unit of the Battle of Britain, enters action.

September

September 7 - Hermann Göring orders the Luftwaffe to stop targeting British airfields and attack London itself instead.

September 7- September 8 - the largest mass air combat in history takes place over Great Britain , with 1,200 British and German aircraft operating in an area of only 24 x 48 km (15 x 30 miles).

September 15 - Germany makes its heaviest daylight raid on London

September 30 - the Battle of Britain is said to be over, with Hitler 's planned invasion of the United Kingdom (" Operation Seelöwe ") postponed indefinitely.

October

October 8 - No. 71 Squadron RAF , "Eagle Squadron" is formed, comprising American volunteers.

October 8 - Josef František , the Czech ace (17 victories) - the most efficient allied pilot of the Battle of Britain, died in an aircrash.

November

November 5 - four RAF squadrons are deployed to Greece to support the country against Italian attacks.

November 11 - regular Ferry Flight s of US-built warplanes commence across the Atlantic.

November 11- 12 - Fairey Swordfish from HMS ''Illustrious'' make a highly successful raid against '' Regia Marina '' ships at Taranto , damaging battleship ''Conte Di Cavour'' beyond repair, and extensively damaging two others, ''Littorio'' and ''Caio Duilio'' ( Battle Of Taranto ).

November 14 - 15 - 437 Luftwaffe aircraft make a massed air raid on Coventry . 380 civilians are killed and some 800 wounded.

December

December 29 - 30 - the Luftwaffe makes a devastating attack on London , making extensive use of incendiary weapons.

FIRST FLIGHTS

Ikarus Aero 2

January

January 4 - Fairey Fulmar production aircraft ''N1854''

January 13 - Yakovlev Ya-26, prototype of the Yakovlev Yak-1

February

February 24 - Hawker Typhoon prototype ''P5212''

March

March 20 - Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle prototype ''P1361''

May

May 18 - SAAB B17

May 29 - Vought XF4U-1

August

August 28 - Caproni-Campini N.1 , Thermojet -powered aircraft

September

September 7 - Blohm & Voss BV 222

September 14 - Miles M.20

October

October 12 - Ilyushin TsKB-57, prototype of the Ilyushin Il-2

October 18 - Airspeed Fleet Shadower

October 26 - North American NA-73X, prototype of the P-51 Mustang

November

November 25 - De Havilland Mosquito prototype ''W4050''

November 29 - Junkers Ju 288

December

December 7 - Fairey Barracuda prototype ''P1767''

December 18 - Curtiss SB2C Helldiver

ENTERED SERVICE

February

Blackburn Roc

March

Fairey Albacore with No. 826 Squadron FAA

May

Dewoitine D.520 with French squadrons

July

Fairey Fulmar with No. 806 Squadron FAA

Westland Whirlwind with No. 263 Squadron RAF

November

Avro Manchester with No. 207 Squadron RAF

November 23 - Handley Page Halifax with No. 35 Squadron RAF

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1940 In Aviation