June 07

On June 7, 1938, the Douglas DC-4E, an experimental four-engine airliner, embarked on its first test flight from Santa Monica, California. Designed to carry up to 52 passengers, the DC-4E featured innovations such as tricycle landing gear and a pressurized cabin. Although its complexity and cost halted mass production, the DC-4E provided crucial lessons in aircraft design. Its technological breakthroughs influenced the subsequent Douglas DC-4 and DC-6 models that would dominate postwar aviation. The test flight marked a pivotal step in the evolution of large, long-range passenger airliners.

On June 7, 1975, Sony introduced Betamax, the world's first consumer videocassette recorder format. Betamax offered superior picture quality and compact tapes compared to existing video systems. The recorder allowed users to record television broadcasts and watch movies at home for the first time. Despite its technological edge, Betamax lost the market battle to VHS due to shorter recording times and licensing decisions. Nonetheless, Betamax set the standard for home entertainment technology and paved the way for later video formats. Enthusiasts still praise Beta's role in revolutionizing media consumption.