▁record ▁of ▁ 5 9 , 4 4 6   ft ▁( 1 8 , 1 1 9 ▁m ) ▁in ▁a ▁de ▁Hav ill and ▁V amp ire . ▁ ▁March ▁ 2 4 ▁– ▁A ▁B oul ton ▁Paul ▁P . 1 0 8 ▁Bal li ol ▁becomes ▁the ▁first ▁aircraft ▁to ▁fly ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁tur b op rop ▁engine ▁( an ▁Arm strong ▁Sid de ley ▁M amba ). ▁ ▁March ▁ 2 8 ▁– ▁United ▁States ▁Air ▁Force ▁B - 2 9 ▁Super fort ress es ▁under go ▁aer ial ▁ref uel ing ▁tests , ▁demonstr ating ▁the ▁vi ability ▁of ▁this ▁technique ▁to ▁extend ▁the ▁range ▁of ▁strateg ic ▁bom bers . ▁ ▁April ▁ ▁Two ▁spe cially ▁modified ▁G loster ▁M ete ors ▁begin ▁car rier ▁tri als ▁ab o ard ▁. ▁ ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁Airlines ▁dis cont in ues ▁operations . ▁ ▁The ▁International ▁Federation ▁of ▁Air ▁Line ▁Pil ots ' ▁Associ ations ▁is ▁formed ▁during ▁a ▁conference ▁in ▁London . ▁ ▁April ▁ 3 ▁– ▁Al ital ia ▁launch es ▁its ▁first ▁post war ▁service ▁from ▁Italy ▁( R ome - C i amp ino ) ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁( Lond ons ▁North olt ▁Aer od rome ). ▁ ▁April ▁ 5 ▁– ▁A ▁Soviet ▁Air ▁Force ▁Y akov lev ▁Y ak - 3 ▁f ighter ▁har ass ing ▁aircraft ▁flying ▁into ▁West ▁Berlin ▁during ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Block ade ▁coll ides ▁with ▁a ▁British ▁European ▁Air ways ▁V ick ers ▁V C .