People, Bottom Line, Video & Book Re views

Superb air to air colour filming, combined with expert commentary provides a complete visual profile of the Skyhawk, affectionately known as “Heineman’s Hot Rod” after its famous designer. The video traces how Heineman foresaw the need for a small, light, simple and relatively cheap, single engined, single place jet attack aircraft to replace the Skyraider the concept of the design philosophy through development and production to entry into service in the mid fifties.

There is good coverage of early test flying including carrier qualification. In addition there are quality action shots of the Skyhawk operating over Vietnam including extensive coverage of it operating from carriers during that conflict.

The video traces the development of the various models that saw service with the US Navy and USMC and there is also good coverage of export models of the aircraft operating with overseas air forces and navies. One small criticism however, as an Australian produced video is that perhaps more time given could have been given to A-4G operations by the RAN.

A section devoted to the aircraft operating with the Blue Angels, the crack USN aerobatic team, covers modifications made to the aircraft to improve its already outstanding aerobatic capability.

Good quality film and the wide ranging historical coverage certainly makes this a worthwhile addition to the Great Planes series.

Available in VHS from Australian Aviation, PO Box 3105, Weston Creek, ACT 2611 for just $34. 95 plus $5. 00 p&p. Telephone orders on (06) 288 1677 or by fax on (06) 288 2021.

Great Planes – North American F-100 Super Sabre:

AVI Another in the excellent AVI Great Planes series depicting the histories of the more important aircraft of aviation.

The F-100 needs little introduction, being the successor to two of history’s greatest fighter aircraft, the P-51 Mustang and F-86 Sabre. The ‘Hun’, as it became affectionately known, went on to serve a long and productive career that spanned a quarter century of tactical aviation and included service in Vietnam. In fact, a little known fact is that the F-100 logged more combat sorties than any other aircraft type in that theatre.

Of great interest in this particular video is the excellent footage of the aircraft throughout its career including much from the USAF Thunderbirds aerobatic team. So beloved was the ‘Hun’ that the team on several occasions rejected moves for a replacement and preferred to retain their Super Sabres in preference to newer more exotic types.

An excellent tape of an aircraft that not a lot has previously been done on, particularly so since it was the first of the legendary USAF Century Series of supersonic fighter aircraft from an era that has now well and truly passed.

Available in VHS only direct from Australian Aviation, PO Box 3105, Weston Creek, ACT, 2611 for just $34. 95 plus $5. 00 p&p. Phone orders on (06) 288 1677 or by fax on 06-288. 2021.

Books

Kiwi Green Versus German Eagle:

JNorby King Written by a WWII RNZAF pilot, this book follows the career of the author as a fighter pilot in the European and North African campaigns during the war.

Beginning with enlistment in the RNZAF the book, traces the author’s wartime service, including training on Tiger Moths in New Zealand, Harvards in Canada, to service in Spitfires in 43 Commonwealth Squadron fighting over Malta and Sicily and later 485 New Zealand Squadron, supporting the allied advance over Europe. This book is not a history as such, but follows one person’s wartime experiences and is written in a personable and intimate style which gives the impression of being near the action.

The book is directly available from the author at 107 Papamoa Beach Road, Papamoa, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand for $A25 including postage.

Turbulent Years: A Commercial Pilots Story:

Brian Waugh A book for those who enjoy the exploits of De Havilland 89 Dragon Rapides/ Dominies and their pilots, this is the story of Brian Waugh, a charter and regional airline pilot in post war New Zealand.

Autobiographic in nature and printed after the author’s death, this account deals with the ups and downs of a career spanning three decades, starting with the authors days as a member of the Royal Air Force up until 1967 when his flying days ended as a result of a tragic accident.

Portraying the workings of post war regional airlines in New Zealand, the book deals with the many problems which since the beginning of airline flying has dogged small level operators as well as the events and circumstances, such as risky supply drops and hair raising crashes, which made that era of flying unique.

A nicely written, well illustrated book, it is available from Hazard Press Limited, PO Box 8427, Christchurch, NZ for $NZ27. 00.

People

Tony Thirlwell has joined Qantas as Director of Marketing Services. The CAA has announced the establishment of the Technical Services Division team with the following appointments; David Gale Airport Systems Management, Kevin Loughrey Maintenance Support, Malcolm Ball Divisional Support, Mark Tra- vers Finance Support, Geoff Smythe Brisbane, Peter Shephard Sydney, Anthony Hankins Melbourne, Richard Akroyd Adelaide, Keith Orkney Perth. Allan Newton has retired as Deputy Chairman Rolls-Royce of Australia Pty Ltd; he has been relieved by Roger Pratt. Senator Bob Collins is now Minister for Transport & Communications following the departure of Senator Graham Richardson whilst Senator Peter Cook takes over the junior portfolio of Aviation & Shipping previously held by Bob Collins.

Bottom Line

British Aerospace Australia has reported strong growth and record sales for the year ended December 31, 1991 with pre tax profits rising to $2. 5m and sales more than doubling to $75m. Boeing has reported sales of $US7. 967bn (SA10. 62bn) and net earnings of $US441m (SA588m) for the first quarter of 1992, compared with sales of $US6. 091bn ($A8. 12) and net earnings of $US309m (SA412m) in 1991. The increase was due primarily to increased commercial aircraft sales and to profits from the defence and space business which reported a loss in the same quarter of 1991. News Corporation has boosted profits from $189. 1m to $333. 8m in the nine months ending March 31 which represents a 77% improvement in performance. BSkyB Television and Ansett Transport Industries, which are 50% owned by News Corporation posted a combined loss of $76. 8m for the period, however BSkyB’s recent move into profit indicates that most of the loses have been incurred by Ansett.