Lt. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle

Jimmy Doolittle was one of the great aviation pioneers of the 1920s and 1930s. As an air racer, he was the only winner of the Schneider, Bendix, and Thompson Trophy competitions, considered by many the most important races of the era. As a test pilot with a doctoral degree in aeronautical engineering, he was at the forefront of new technology.

By the end of the 1930s, Doolittle was a household name. After America entered World War II, he planned and led the first attack on Japan, the famous “Doolittle Raid,” on April 18, 1942, for which he received the Medal of Honor.

Jimmy Doolittle was one of the great aviation pioneers of the 1920s and 1930s. A famous air racer, he went on to win the Medal of Honor during World War II.

Who Was Jimmy Doolittle?

  • America’s greatest air racing pilot in the 1920s and ’30s.
  • An aeronautical engineer.
  • A fearless test pilot who made the first “blind” flight.
  • A national hero of World War II.
Fun Fact:

Every good pilot could do an ordinary “loop the loop” with the pilot on the inside of the loop. But most people thought a loop with the pilot on the outside was impossible, because neither the pilot nor the airplane could withstand the forces involved. But Jimmy Doolittle believed otherwise, and he became the first to perform an outside loop in May 1927.