Yesteryear

• The NSW Police Air Wing took delivery of a Bell 206 Jet Ranger Ill at an official ceremony on 9 May.

• The Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force is still operating 11 Lockheed P-2H Neptunes built by Kawasaki. A total of 64 P-2Hs were received by the MSDF with deliveries which began in 1955. It is not intended to retire these surviving aircraft until 1982. Since the first Neptune was completed in 1945 a total of 1,182 have been produced.

• The finalbatch of seven Northrop F-5E Tiger Ils will be delivered to the Republic of Singapore Air Force during June by USAF Lockheed C-5A Galaxy. Total deliveries have been of 18 F-5Es and three two seat F-5Fs.

• The first Embraer EMB110 P1 Bandeirante passenger/cargo version to operate in Australia was delivered to Advance Airlines on 11 May. Fitted with a large rear cargo door and convertible interior it differs from the P2 version already in service with Masling.

• Air Europe, which was formed during August 1978, inaugurated operations with a Boeing 737-200 flying an inclusive tour from Gatwick to Palma on 11 May.

• The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle made its combat debut on 27 June when Israeli Air Force Eagles destroyed five Syrian Air Force MiG-218.

• The go-ahead has been received from the UK Ministry of Defence for the conversion of five Super VC10s and four VC10s to tanker configuration at a total cost of £40m.

•The departure of a Boeing 747 from Sydney on 15 May operating QF3 to San Francisco via Honolulu marked 25 years of Qantas services across the Pacific inaugurated by their Lockheed L1049C Super Constellation VH-EAG *Southern Constellation’ on 15 May 1954.

• The first production Panavia Tornado was rolled out at British Aerospace’s Warton plant on 5 June.

• The £100,000 Kremer prize for the first manpowered aircraft to cross the English Channel was won on 12 June by the Gossamer Albatross, designed and built by a team lead by Dr Paul MacCready.

20 Years Ago

•The Minister for Civil Aviation Mr Swartz announced on May 1 that both Ansett and TAA had received approval to order one more Boeing 727 and six additional DC-9-30s each. The cost to each airline will be between $35m- $40m.

• Rolls-Royce has offered a new version of the RB211 available for delivery to aircraft manufacturers from October 1972. The 50,550 RB211-55 has been designed to meet the thrust requirements of the long-range version of the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar and will also be on offer for the A300 Airbus.

• The fourth Sepecat Jaguar had its maiden flight at Istres on 27 May flown by Jimmy Dell, the Chief Test Pilot of BAC’s Preston Division.

• A contract for a fifth Super VC10 (previously on option) has been signed by East African Airways Corporation for February 1970 delivery. A total of 54 VC10s are now on order.

• The ‘KSSU Group’ comprising KLM, UTA, SAS and Swissair, announced on 7 June their intention to place orders for 36 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30s with first deliveries to commence late in 1972. This order takes total DC-10 orders and options to 177.

• A gift of $50,000 has been made by BP Australia to the organisers of the proposed London/Sydney air race to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ross and Keith Smith fight from Great Britain to Australia in December 1919.

• Included in the Queen’s Birthday Honours announced on 14 June was the creation of Reginald Myles Ansett as a Knight Commander of the British Empire for services to the community and the transport industry.

• Qantas’ Chairman Sir Roland Wilson announced during June that the airline has amended its order for Boeing 747s to the 7478 model. This version is 30 tons heavier than the standard version and is powered by the uprated 47,000lb Pratt & Whitney JT90-7 compared with the 43,500 P&W JT9D-3. The first Qantas delivery is still set down for August 1971.

• Beech Aircraft Corporation delivered their 9,000th V-tail Bonanza during June to a Colorado farmer. The first Bonanza was flown in December 1945.

The 500th McDonnell Douglas DC-9, a Series 50 for Allegheny Airlines was delivered on 27 May.

• The first order has been received by Beagle for the military Bulldog version of the Pup from the Royal Swedish Air Force. The order is for 58 Bulldogs plus 20 options with deliveries commencing August 1970.

• An initial order has been placed by the French Air Force for 35 Dassault Mirage F1 interceptors and the total order is expected to be for 100 aircraft.

30 Years Ago

• Amongst aircraft on offer from the New York aircraft brokerage firm of Frederick B Ayer are a batch of 45 ex American Airlines aircraft. The 54 seat DC-6 is available for $575,000, the 80 seat version for $625,000, the 1951 model DC-6B for $700,000, a DC-6B for $775,000 and the all cargo DC-6A for $875,000.

• Pan American announced on May 11 that they will take delivery of their first Boeing 707-321 possibly as early as July. They plan to introduce the type on the US/Honolulu route about 45 days after acceptance of the first air- craft. The 150 passenger Intercontinental may later operate beyond Honolulu to Japan rather than to Australia, although the Japanese authorities are currently not allowing jet operations into Tokyo.

• The RAAF’s 12 Lockheed P2V-5 Neptunes are to be flown to the US for modernisation at a cost of £775,000 per aircraft with the first batch of three aircraft due to leave during July or August. Two Westinghouse J-34 jet engines will be fitted outboard of the Wright Turbo Compounds and the wings will be strengthened. The service life of the Neptunes will be extended by several years following the modification programme.

• The Minister for Civil Aviation, Senator Paltridge issued a statement on 1 May that Cabinet had approved the acquisition of land in the Tullamarine area for a new Melbourne Airport to replace Essendon.

• Cathay Pacific will operate Lockheed Electras on the Sydney/Port Moresby/Manila/ Hong Kong service due to commence in late July. The initial survey flight is due to arrive in Sydney on 18 July. Qantas will also introduce Electras on the route later this year replacing the current Lockheed Super Constellations.

• Aerolineas Argentinas inaugurated jet airliner services between South America and the UK on 19 May with a Comet 4 flying from Buenos Aires to London. In other Comet news, Comet 48 were introduced by BOAC on the London/Singapore route on 1 June with the first service operated by G-APDE.

• A new light aircraft distance record was established by Max Conrad when he landed his Piper Comanche at New York on 4 June after a 7,683 mile non-stop flight from Casablanca.

• An era drew to a close on 15 May when the last water based aircraft operated by the RAF, a Sunderland, made its final operational flight.

• A modification programme is to be put in place by de Havilland Australia involving the six Drovers operated by the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The Gipsy 10 engines with fixed pitch propellers will be replaced by Lycomings fitted with Hartzell constant speed propellers. After a two year re-equipment survey the RFDS has decided that the ruggedly built Drover used in its intended utility role, is more suited to their requirements than many current lighter executive type aircraft.