Yesteryear

The manufacturing rights for the Guppy conversion of the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser have been acquired by Airbus Industrie from Aero Spacelines Aeromaritime currently operates two Guppy 201s on behalf of Airbusto transport major A300 components from manu facturing to assembly locations. Five surplus USAF KC-97Gs have been acquired to provide the basis for future conversions which will be needed to cope with expanding A300/A310 production demands.

• Production of the Twin Otter is being increased by De Havilland Canada from four per month which was in place early this year to seven aircraft a month. Total sales are over 700 with a 60 aircraft backlog.

The RAN is understood to be considering both the Westland Lynx and Sikorsky SH-600 Seahawk for use on board the Oliver Hazard Perry class FFG-7 Frigates HMAS ‘Adelaide’ ‘Canberra’ and ‘Sydney. The requirement would be for ten helicopters to be deployed on these vessels.

•The first runs of the General Electric CF6-80 have taken place at Evendale. Certification of this version of the CF6, which will power the Boeing 767 and some Airbus A310s, is expected in September 1981.

• The first Lockheed C-1418 Starlifter was accepted by the USAF Military Airlift Command at Marietta, Georgia on 4 December.

• A number of modifications have been made to the Air Rhodesia Viscount fleet following the loss of two Viscounts to terrorist fired heat seeking SA-7 missiles. Exhaust extension baffles to shift the heat source further aft of the wing have been fitted and the aircraft have been repainted in a matt grey paint. As a further aid, departures from rural airports are planned with the takeoff climb always made towards the sun.

20 Years Ago

• The Department of Civil Aviation announced on 9 December that Qantas had received permission to increase the frequency of its tights to South Africa to two services a week after 1 February 1980.

• The sea trials of the VSTOL Harrier fighter will commence next March when a Harrier will be operated from HMS Eagle in a series of tests conducted jointly by the RAF and Fleet Air Arm.

The Brazilian Air Force which is currently equipped with Gloster Meteor 8s is said to be considering re-equipping with BAC Lightnings.

• Qantas announced during November that they will not proceed to establish an overhaul base at Tullamarine and will instead embark on an expansion programme of their main Sydney base as a prelude to the delivery of their Boeing 747Bs in late 1971.

• The eighth Lockheed C-5A Galaxy required for the test programme had its first flight on 11 November and later flew to Pope AFB, North Carolina where it will take part in paradrop tests. The ninth C-5A, which is the first production version, is due to be delivered to the USAF in December. Because of budget restrictions. the USAF has reduced C-5A orders from 115 to 81.

• On 1 December, Pan American Airways Boeing 707 N892PA aborted its takeoff from Sydney’s runway 34 when bird ingestion caused the failure of both port engines. The aircraft came to a stop 200 beyond t the runway end in swampy ground and although the aircraft was substantially damaged, none of the 136 passengers and crew were injured. The aircraft was moved on the evening of 5 December and a PanAm team will be brought to Sydney to carry out the rebuild.

• The second landing on the moon was carried out during 14-24 November by the Apollo 12 mission made up with an all USN crew comprising Charles Conrad, Richard Gordon and Alan Bean.

• The USAF issued Requests for Proposals for the B-1A strategic bomber on 3 November to meet Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft In connection with this (AMSA) requirements project, airframe proposals have been requested from North American Rockwell, General Dynamics and Boeing and engine proposals from General Electric and Pratt & Whitney. Intended to replace the B-52s, the USAF is believed to have a requirement for 200 B-1As.

The General Electric CF6-50A turbotan engine has been selected by Airbus Industrie to power the A300B Airbus. General Electric would supply the complete engine pod which is identical to the unit used on the DC-10. At a 21 November press conference Sud-Aviation president Henri Ziegler said that the A300B’s unit price would be approximately US$11m.

30Years Ago

• The RAAF has now received back the first four of its Lockheed P2V-5 Neptunes, which have been modified with the addition of two Westinghouse J34-WE-34 auxiliary jet pod engines by Lockheed in the USA. The previous critical fight conditions caused by a loss of one of the two Wright R3350-30A piston engines a at or near the anginal 67,000lb design weight will now be eased with addition of the jet engines. The RAAF are now operating their Neptunes at a 74,000b AUW following progressive authorisations and the USN operate up to an 80,000lb AUW.

• The British Foreign Office announced on 2 December that it had declined the Cuban Government’s request for the supply of 15 Hawker Hunter fighters. The Cuban Government then stated the following day that it was no longer interested in in the Hunters as it had been approached by other parties. The Cuban Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria is presently equipped with Hawker Sea Furies, North American P-51D Mustangs, Republic P-47D Thunderbolts, Douglas B-26 Invaders and North American B-25 Mitchells.

• North American F-100 Super Sabres of the Armée de l’Air fighter bomber wing at Rheims- Champagne have been flying non-stop low level operations against rebel forces in Algeria. The aircraft refuel at Isres near Marseilles on the return fight and the en route cruises are flown supersonically.

• Four types being considered by the RAAF as its standard interceptor fighter are the GAMD Mirage III, Grumman F11F-1F Super Tiger, Northrop N-156F and Lockheed F-104 Star-fighter and the final choice seems to be between the latter two aircraft.

• A new world altitude record was established by a USN McDonnell F-4 Phantom II flown by Cdr L Flint on 6 December when it reached 98,556. This record was broken eight days later when Captain JB Jordan flew a Lockheed F-104C Starfighter to 103,389ft. The following day on 15 December, a USAF Convair F106A Delta Dart flown by Major J W Rogers set a new world speed record of 1525. 93mph at Edwards AFB.

• Qantas received their first three Lockheed L. 188C Electras, VH-ECA, VH-ECB and VH-ECC during November. The first Electra was also delivered to TEAL during the month and they will inaugurate transaman operations with the type in December. Other Qantas fleet changes saw the departure of Lockheed L. 1049E Super Constellations VH-EAH and VH-EAL in November and VH-EAI in December carrying new US registrations.

• Following completion of the overhaul of the French Navy Avro Lancaster W. U. 16 by Fairey Aviation at Bankstown on 19 November, it returned to Noumea and another Lancaster W. U. 27 has now arrived and is undergoing maintenance.