The prototype Hawker Hurricane just prior to its maiden flight, November 6, 1935

Hawker Hurricane

First Flight November 6, 1935
The World War II-era British fighter Hawker Hurricane accounted for 60 percent of the RAF air victories in the Battle of Britain. Although superseded by the Supermarine Spitfire, over 14,000 Hurricanes were built and they served in every theater of the war.

L. Sprague de Camp

November 27, 1907 — November 6, 2000
Author of over 100 books in science fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction, L. Sprague de Camp’s notable works include his time travel/alternate history Lest Darkness Fall, The Incompleat Enchanter fantasy series (with Fletcher Pratt), and any number of brilliant short stories. He won the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America.

During World War II, de Camp worked as a researcher with Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov at the Philadelphia Naval Yard and became a reserve lieutenant commander in the US Navy. He was a member of the Trap Door Spiders, a New York City literary group that served as the basis for Isaac Asimov’s mystery stories about the “Black Widowers.” He was married to Catherine Crook, with whom he collaborated on a number of works.

Left to right: Robert Heinlein, L. Sprague de Camp, Isaac Asimov, Philadelphia Naval Yard, 1944

Sid Sackson

February 4, 1920 — November 6, 2002
Legendary board game designer and collector Sid Sackson’s games included Acquire, Can’t Stop, and Focus. He wrote a number of books on games and wrote a monthly column for Strategy & Tactics magazine. His collection of games numbered in excess of 18,000; these were auctioned after his death. He was inducted into the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design Hall of Fame in 2011.

Also on November 6

On November 6, 1935, Parker Brothers acquired the forerunner patents for the board game Monopoly® from Elizabeth Magie, inventor of the earlier The Landlord Game.

The deadliest civilian helicopter crash in history took place at Scotland’s Sumburgh Airport on November 6, 1986, when a British International Boeing 234LR Chinook crashed, killing 45.

Jonathan Harris, best known as the villainous Dr. Zachary Smith on the TV series Lost in Space, was born November 6, 1914. (He died November 3, 2002.)

Rebecca Romijn, supermodel and actress who played Mystique in the X-Men movie series, was born November 6, 1972.