Yesteryear

When the British Defence Secretary Mr John Nott announced the results of the latest review of defence spending on 25 June, he referred to cuts in manpower amounting to 50,000 over the next five years in armed forces and civilian defence jobs. Mentioned was the proposal to retain only two of the three Invincible class carriers. HMS Ark Royal, launched this month, may be offered for sale, possibly to Australia as a replacement for HMAS Melbourne.

• The Osirak nuclear reactor near Baghdad, Iraq was attacked by eight Israeli Defence

Force F-16s escorted by F-15s on 7 June.

Following the mission, the US imposed an embargo on the supply of further F-16s to Israel.

• While the Pentagon has authorised the initiation of full production of the F-18 version of the McDonnell Douglas Hornet for the USN, it has deferred a decision on the A-18 attack model until the autumn of next year. McDonnell Douglas has defended criticism of cost increases by stating that 16% is attributable to USN requirements and 84% to inflation.

• The first Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion assault transport helicopter was handed over at a ceremony at Stratford, Connecticut on 16 June. To date, 35 CH-53Es have been ordered by the Department of Defense and a total requirement of over 100 is expected for the type.

• Saab-Fairchild announced at the Paris Air Show that it has received orders and deposit-paid options for 101 SF340 transports. The first flight is due late next year with deliveries set to commence in the final quarter of 1984. The 200th aircraft is scheduled to be delivered during October 1987 at a then production rate of six a month. The break-even point is expected by then, based on an approximate price of $US4. 3m in 1980 dollars.

20 Years Ago

Both Ansett and TAA have moved from Essendon to Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport and commenced operations at the new airport on 20 June.

• Because of the demand for the Jetstream (with 35 deliveries to date), Jetstream Aircraft Ltd and Scottish Aviation Ltd will form a

joint company to increase production capacity.

Some of the interesting aircraft at this year’s Paris Air Show were the Tu-144 super-sonic airliner, the 5th McDonnell Douglas DC-10, Lockheed L1011 TriStar (the 3rd example to fly), the prototype Dassault G. 8 variable geometry strike/fighter, Dassault Mercure (which first flew on 28 May), the first of the 16 Italian built Boeing-Vertol CH-47C Chinooks for the Imperial Iranian Air Force, Ilyushin Il-76 and a full scale mock-up of the A300B fuselage.

Following the final RAAF Canberra mission in Vietnam on 31 May and their subsequent withdrawal, No 2 Squadron Canberras accompanied by three No 38 Squadron Caribous arrived in Darwin on 4 June. During the Vietnam conflict, the Canberras flew 12,000 missions in which they destroyed approximately 15,000 bunkers, about 15,000 military structures, 1,500 sampans and 70 bridges, for the loss of two aircraft and one  crew.

• A fire at Grafton on 5 June destroyed East Coast Aviation Services Pty Ltd’s Beech Queenair VH-SLB.

In a birthday salute to the Queen, RAF Strike Command flew a formation of 16 aircraft over London on 12 June. Led by a Vulcan B. 2, the other aircraft were a Vulcan B2, four Lightning F. 3s, four Buccaneer S. 25, four Phantom FG. 1s, a Nimrod MR. 1 and a Victor K. 1.

The West German Defence Ministry has ordered 175 single seat McDonnell Douglas F-4Es to replace the Luftwaffe’s Lockheed F-104G Starfighters and Fiat G. 91s.

• The US Congress is continuing to criticise both the 8-1 supersonic bomber and the F-14A naval fighter because of their claimed ineffectiveness and cost. In a later move, Congress was called upon to terminate both the F-14 and F-15, a move which would save $13. 5bn.

30 Years Ago

• The maiden flight of the Aviation Traders ATL-98 Carvair prototype G-ANYB took place at Southend Airport on 21 June. The converted DC-4 can carry six cars pluspas-sengers for the Channel crossing from Southend. Channel Air Bridge has ordered 10 and the first is due to enter service this year.

The 12 Canadair CL-44s being delivered to the RCAF have been given the name Yukon. • All of Qantas’ seven Boeing 707-138s are to be converted in the USA with turbofan engines. The first, VH-EBA, is due to leave on 31 July and the final aircraft, VH-EBG, is due back in Sydney on 6 January 1962.

• Alitalia inaugurated its Rome/Sydney jet service with the arrival of DC-8 F-BUZ at Sydney on 16 June. The aircraft, which has been chartered from TAI for about six months, carries TAI colours with the addition

of “Alitalia on charter from TAI” on the nose. Canada and the United States have

signed an agreement to exchange £114m worth of military aircraft. The US will order 200 F-104Gs for the NATO countries while Canada will receive 66 McDonnell F-101 Voodoos.

It has been reported that Boeing has a project with three tail mounted jet engines designated the Boeing 737 intended for routes now typically served by the Convair 540 and Martin 404.

• Blackburn are developing a version of the Buccaneer designated the B. 2, which will be powered by a military version of the Rolls- Royce Spey turbofan engine.

The last flight by an Ansett-ANA Bristol Freighter from Melbourne to Hobart was operated by VH-INJ on 26 June.

The final flight of an RAAF Avro Lincoln was made by A73-65 on 14 June when it was flown from Garbutt to Darwin. The Lincoln will be used for fire fighting practice. Six remaining Lincolns at Garbutt will be sold and No 10 Squadron will be transferred to Richmond and re-equipped with Lockheed Neptunes.

• Some World War II aircraft have recently been received by Bolivia from the USA. These included two Lockheed P-38s, one Lockheed 10A and four Vought F4U-4 Corsairs. Another similar delivery has been that of several Goodyear FG-1D Corsairs to San Salvadore.