Yesteryear

• Rockwell International received contracts in January from the USAF to proceed with the development and production of the B-1B strategic bomber. One contract was for the modification and flight test of the two B-1A prototypes while the other relates to the work to be carried out on the first B-18.

Air France has terminated Concorde flights from Paris to Rio de Janeiro and Caracas because of losses faced on those services. Load factors had declined from 68% to 47% and from 45% to 36% respectively since 1979.

• British Air Ferries will acquire British Airways’ seven remaining Vickers Viscounts operated by the Highland Division, over the next 3 months. This will take the BAF fleet to 18 Viscounts, 12 Dart Heralds and 12 HS. 1258.

McDonnell Douglas has received a $US196m follow-on contract for four addi- tional KC-10 tanker transports taking total KC-10 orders to 16.

• The Government confirmed in Canberra on 24 February that HMS Invincible will be purchased for £175m. Following the decision to sell the Invincible to the Australian Government, HMS Hermes which was to have been phased out next year, will now be retained by the Royal Navy for another two years.

• The first Boeing E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft for NATO was delivered to Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany on 22nd January • The RNZAF’s five Lockheed C-130H Hercules have had new outer wing sections installed at Dobbins AFB in the USA. This modification will extend the life of the C-130Hs by at least 15 years.

20 Years Ago

• The first major shipment of aircraft structural parts produced in Australia for Boeing has arrived at their factory at Renton. Consisting of 56 Boeing 727 wing ribs weighing 1,600 b they are intended for one aircraft. It is the first time Boeing has subcontracted any wing structure work to an outside firm.

The prototype Lockheed S-3A Viking anti-submarine aircraft had its first flight at Palmdale on 21st January. During the 90 minute flight it reached 230mph and 20,000ft altitude. The Viking will replace the USN’s Grumman Trackers and 191 production versions have been ordered. .

• US reconnaissance satellites have taken photographs over the past two years which seem to confirm that Russia is building a flat top aircraft carrier of about 30,000 tons at Nikolayev on the Black Sea.

• Federal Cabinet gave approval on 8th February for Trans Australia Airlines and Ansett Airlines of Australia to each purchase four Advanced Boeing 727-200s at a total cost of $67. 5m with spares. Each airline will receive the first aircraft late this year, one in 1973 and two in 1974. This stretched version of the 727 is powered by new Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15 engines featuring new sound suppression characteristics which are expected to make it the quietest jet transport in use.

• The last RAAF aircraft in South Vietnam, four DHC-4 Caribou of No 35 Squadron left Vung Tau on 19th February and arrived at Richmond on 26th February after a fly past over Sydney.

The purchase of 30 additional Hawker Siddeley Harriers for the US Marine Corps has been confirmed by the US Department of Defense at a cost of about £51m. This will take total US orders to 60 and it is believed that the USMC hopes to eventually procure a total of 114 Harriers.

•Trials will begin this month of a Boeing 707-320modified as an AWACS test aircraft with a 30ft diameter radome mounted above the fuselage. The USAF has a requirement for 42 of an eight engined operational version. • Participating in Operation Whisky Sour held at Darwin from 1st to 18th February were eight Mirages from No 76 Squadron and four Avro Vulcans from No 4 Squadron RAF.

During a recent flight, the Russian Tu-144 supersonic transport is reported to have reached Mach 2. 38 at 60,000ft.

30 Years Ago

The fourth series of Lockheed U-2 flights were carried out from East Sale during March. Other USAF aircraft present at the base to support the operation were Martin NB-578, Boeing WB-50s and Douglas C-124 Globemasters.

The Douglas Aircraft Company has announced plans to build a small jet trans- port known as the Model 2086 comparable in size to the BAC One Eleven. The Model 2086 will seat up to 77 passengers, operate over 200 mile stage lengths and be powered by two rear mounted turbofan engines.

An airworthiness certificate has been awarded by the FAA to the Convair 990 jet airliner. The first 990s will enter service with American Airlines, Swissair and Varig.

• Eight new British aircraft which will make their first flights this year are the Bristol 188 stainless steel supersonic research aircraft, HS Trident, DH. 125 executive transport, Short Belfast, the Continental engined version of the Short Skyvan, Vickers VC10 and the Beagle Miles M-117 and M-218.

• A Vickers Viscount 818 Series has been purchased by Ansett-ANA from Cubana to replace VH-TVC which crashed into Botany Bay on 30th November 1961. The replace-met aircraft left Nassau in the Bahamas on 15th February and arrived in Melbourne on 22nd March in Cubana colours carrying its new registration of VH-RML and Cuban registration CU-T-623 on its wings and nosewheel doors.

The USN has taken delivery of its last Lockheed Neptune. The type was in production from 1945 and during that period, 838 Neptunes in seven versions joined the USN. Production of the Neptune for allied countries will continue well into this year.

The Department of Civil Aviation has informed all Australian airlines operating turbine powered aircraft that they will be required to install weather radar in their present and future fleets. This equipment will have to be added to the Viscount 700 Series and Friendships already in service while the Electras and Viscount 800 Series are already equipped with radar.