A milestone in aviation history: Aviators parachute from from moving aircraft in France. . . .and Texas.

It was reported that on this day, in 1918, a French aviator, and an American one, both experimented with parachuting from moving aircraft.

Like all things aviation,  parachutes were advancing fairly rapidly under the pressure of World War One. They'd already been introduced for balloon crewmen, who could parachute out of balloons in combat scenarios.  Indeed, they typically did so when it became apparent a balloon was about to be attacked, as they had to put the parachute harness on in order to get out. They did not simply routinely wear it.  But up until this point in the war, it had not been the case that aviators wore parachutes or even could.

Indeed, it would not become standard until after the war.  While these experiments proved it could be done, it remained the case that wearing an early parachute in an early airplane was not easy to do, and indeed, was largely impractical for the most part.

A larger view of the same newspaper can be seen on our Today In Wyoming's History site for this date.

Holscher's Hub: Casper Balloon Festival, 2018.

Holscher's Hub: Casper Balloon Festival, 2018.

The Hanger. Wardell Field, Bar Nunn, Wyoming.

This is, and isn't, what it appears to be.

This is "The Hanger", a restaurant in Bar Nunn, Wyoming.  But originally it was what it looks like, an aircraft hanger.

Radial engine on display in The Hanger.  A decommissioned small airplane hangs from the roof.

Wardwell Field was Natrona  County's second airport (the first sits down in what is now Evansville).  The field served from 1927 up until the early 1950s when what had been the Army Air Force's training base west of Casper was turned over to the county. That latter facility, with its much larger runways and much flatter surface was obviously superior, so Wardwell was abandoned in favor of what is now the Natrona County International Airport.  During the boom of the 1970s the old runways were developed into streets and the town named in a playful fashion after the developer.

The fact that it was built on what had been runways was never forgotten and the town uses it as its symbol.  The old central hanger remains, but its now this restaurant.

Lex Anteinternet: Collier's. July 27, 1918.

Lex Anteinternet: Collier's. July 27, 1918.

Lex Anteinternet: The German Naval Attack on Orleans, Cape Cod, Mass...

The German Naval Attack on Orleans, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. July 21, 1918.

On this day in 1918 the large U-156 surfaced off of Orleans, Massachusetts and took shots at the tugboat Perth Amboy and the four barge it was towing, damaging the barge and sinking all four barges.  The U-boat also shelled the town with its deck guns.

The U156 was a Type 151 German submarine, the same type as this captured example on display in the UK following World War One.  These were abnormally large U-boats that had originally been designed to be merchant blockade runners.  Note the two deck guns.

During the attack, a Surfboat was launched by the United States Life Saving Service, which is now part of the Coast Guard, to rescue the sailors trapped on the tug and the barges and came under shell fire from the submarine as well.

Curtis HS.

Shortly, the Navy dispatched Curtiss HS flying boats and Curtiss Model R bombers from Naval Air Station Chatham and they attacked the submarine.

Curtis Model R dropping a torpedo.

The entire incident was the only example of a German U-boat surfacing to attack a coastal target during the war, let alone bombarding a town.  What exactly the U-boat commander had in mind isn't known, as several weeks later the submarine disappeared with all hands.  Chances are, however, that commanding a large submarine with two deck guns, he simply chose to use them, and fairly successfully at that.

Lex Anteinternet: First Aircraft Carrier Launched Raid. Todern, July 19, 1918.

First Aircraft Carrier Launched Raid. Todern, July 19, 1918.

On this day the Royal Navy achieved a military milestone when it launched the first aircraft carrier supported air raid in history.

Sopwith Camels on the HMS Furious.

Seven Sopwith Camels were launched from the Royal Navy's aircraft carrier, the HMS Furious, upon the German Navy's airship base at Tonder, which is now part of Denmark but which was then part of Germany.

The Furious had been a battle cruiser, but it had been converted to an aircraft carrier.  The attack, which was delayed due to weather, was undertaken in two waves.  The Germans were taken by surprise.  Two airships and a captive balloon were destroyed.  However, only one Camel was recovered.  Three were interned in Denmark after their pilots took them there as they feared they had insufficient fuel to make it back to the carrier.  Two of the planes were abandoned and one was lost at sea. The one that made it back was damaged.

Lex Anteinternet: Quentin Roosevelt shot down and killed in combat, ...

Lex Anteinternet: Quentin Roosevelt shot down and killed in combat, ...: Quentin Roosevelt, age 20, one of Theodore and Edith Roosevelt's son, was killed in aerial combat over France. Quentin was the youn...

July 14, 1918 - Quentin Roosevelt Shot Down

Lex Anteinternet: Transportation disasters and milestones, and a dra...

Lex Anteinternet: Transportation disasters and milestones, and a dra...: 101, officially, (it may have been 121) people were killed and 175 injured in  a train collision of two trains belonging to the Nashville...