Yesteryear

• The 37 CT-4A Airtrainers ordered by the RAAF have now been delivered. Two are temporarily attached to ARDU, four are at East Sale for the training of instructors while the other 31 aircraft are stationed at Point Cook. • Unofficial reports indicate that Iran would like to purchase up to 30 Sea Harriers if an agreement can be reached to purchase up to four small carriers suitable for their operation.

• Mr Peacock, the Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on 31 May that four RAAF Iroquois accompanied by 25 air and ground crew would be made available to assist the United Nations emergency force in the Middle East.

• The first flight of the Shin Meiwa PS-1 water bomber prototype took place on 17 May. The aircraft was modified from the PS-1 flying boat and can carry eight tons of water and plans are in hand to double this capacity in any production version.

•The first flight of the Hawker Siddeley HS. 125 Series 700 G-BFAN took place at Chester on 29 June, about two weeks ahead of schedule. The formal rollout was on 21 June.

•The maiden flight of the third Rockwell B-1A took place from Palmdale on 14 June. After the 2hr 9min flight the aircraft, which is prototype No. 2, landed at Edwards AFB. The other two aircraft had accumulated 185hr 54min flying time as at the time of this flight.

• Ansett has sold their Boeing 727-100 VH- RMT to Air Nauru and it made its first flight as C2-RN4 “Chief Auweiyeda” at Tullamarine on 11 June.

•The rollout occurred at Seattle during June of the first of two Boeing YC-14 AMST transports. The first flight is expected to take place in mid-August.

• Boeing has received a formal proposal from CFM International to power the E-3A AWACS aircraft with the ten-tonne CFM-56 turbofan if that aircraft is ordered by NATO. The possible order could be for up to 32 aircraft and a decision is likely to be made before the end of this year.

•A market study made by Lockheed-California says the world’s airlines will need to spend US $47,000m on new aircraft over the next 10 years comprising some 400 short-range, 800 medium-range and 1,000 long-range types.

20 Years Ago

• The Bristol 170 Freighter VH-ADL was chartered from Air Express Company by IPEC- Air to commence a new airfreight service on 22 June. The aircraft flew from Brisbane to Cowra and the cargo was then carried by road to Melbourne. The company cannot fly directly from Brisbane to Melbourne as this is prevented by licensing restrictions.

•The first flight of the Avions Marcel Dassault Mirage III F2 took place at Istres on 12 June. This aircraft has a swept wing and tail surfaces instead of the tail-less delta configuration of previous Mirages.

• The first stage of work associated with the construction of the new International air terminal at Sydney Airport commenced on 7 June.

• Boeing has made major changes in the configuration of the 733 SST design. When the variable-sweep wing is fully swept back, the wing trailing edge fits against the tailplane leading edge making the aircraft a full delta. The aircraft is now larger and heavier with a gross weight of 600,000lb, a span of 1771t reducing to 107ft, length of 298ft with accommodation for 300 passengers.

•Two BAC/Sud Concordes have been ordered by Eastern Air Lines. This now takes Concorde sales to 52 aircraft to 12 operators.

• Fokker Friendship sales now total 400. Of these, 222 were sales by Fokker and 178 by Fairchild-Hiller Corporation.

•Further orders for the Boeing 747 have been received since the type was announced in Seattle on 13 April with a launch order for 25 aircraft from Pan America. Since then Lufthansa has ordered 3, Japan Air Lines 3 and an unidentified airline 4. Completion of the first 747 is scheduled for late 1968 followed by certification late in 1969. The Boeing president, Mr William M. Allen, said that Boeing was developing a capability to produce up to 200 747s by December 1972 and a total of 400 by December 1975.

• One of the most popular aircraft on the air show circuit, the Mustang VH-FCB arrived at Essendon on 14 May prior to delivery to its new owner in the Philippines.

• Six Mirages of No75 (F) Squadron left Williamtown on 2 May for Darwin where they will replace the Sabres of No76 (F) Squadron, presently detached there for air defence purposes.

• Eight RAAF Bell Iroquois helicopters of No9 (UH) Squadron left Sydney on 25 May on board the troop transport HMAS Sydney for Vietnam. On arrival in Vietnam, they flew off the ship and landed at Vung Tau on 7 June.

•The second North American XB-70A Valkyrie and a Lockheed F-104N Starfighter chase aircraft were lost following a mid-air collision at 25,000ft on 8 June.

30 Years Ago

• The Douglas C-133A military transport aircraft had its maiden flight on 1 May. Powered by four Pratt & Whitney T. 34 turboprops, the 255,000lb aircraft can seat 200.

• Australian National Airways has been given Commonwealth Government approval to import two more DC-6B airliners due for delivery in September and October. They will join ANA’s existing fleet consisting of 2 DC-6BS, 2 DC-68, 8 DC-4s and several DC-3s and Bristol Freighters.

•The arrival took place at Canberra on 16 May of the first of two Convair 440 Metropolitans on order for the RAAF. They will be operated by the RAAF’s VIP Flight of No86 Transport Wing at Canberra with the second aircraft due to be delivered in November. Flight time for the journey from Travis AFB San Francisco via Honolulu, Canton Island and Nadi was 33hr 31mins.

•Five RAAF Canberras visited the USA during Operation Bala Lagin. They left Amberley on 12 May and returned on 7 June. The highlight of the 23,000 mile flight was their participation in US Armed Forces Day celebrations at Washington on 19 May. An interesting procedure was employed to refuel them at Wake Island. The lack of jet fuel facilities at Wake Island prompted the USAF to fly three KB-29 tankers from Japan to Wake to do the job. Employing air-to-air refuelling techniques on the ground, the KB-29 drogues were unrolled and connected to the Canberras and the fuel was then transferred. The only problem encountered during the flight was the belly landing of one of the Canberras at Hickman Field, Honolulu on the return journey. This was caused by an engine failure and the Canberra will be shipped back to the Government Aircraft Factory for repairs.

• A new system of air traffic control was introduced at Bankstown on 11 June in an effort to reduce problems caused by high performance traffic and light aircraft in the Bankstown circuit. The system employs a control van located on the airfield, with the airfield divided into landing and takeoff zones on either side of the van.

• The successful tender by the Aero Club Federation of Australia for 35 ex-RAF Chipmunks will lead to nine Australian aero clubs being partly re-equipped with these aircraft. Said to be in fair to good condition they were purchased for 487 pounds sterling (600 pounds Australian) each but the eventual cost will be at least 1000 pounds sterling by the time stripping, freighting, packing, insurance and agency fees are paid.

•Two comprehensively equipped Cessna 180 aircraft have been recently delivered. One was VH-RGC to the Rt. Hon. R. G. Casey and VH- RLS to Mr R. R. Law-Smith.