Yesteryear

• The only remaining airworthy example of a Fairey Gannet is being used as a testbed by the Hamilton Standard Division of United Technologies to obtain acoustic data for an eight-bladed contraprop. The AEW Mk3XL482 was retired at Culdrose in 1978 and placed into storage before purchase by a private collector and later flown to the USA in September 1982 as N1350X. It was subsequently acquired from the new owner by Hamilton Standard.

• The USN has announced that its next two nuclear powered aircraft carriers will be namedAbraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and George Washington (CVN-73), scheduled to join the fleet in 1989 and 1991 respectively at a fully equipped cost of $4500m each.

• Certificationtesting of the Airbus A300-600 has seen 35 flights totalling 98. 5 hours completed by the end of August. This included 3 days of hot and high trials at Madrid.

• Cathay Pacific Airways has purchased its first aircraft, a DC-3 which had been in service in recent years with Air Queensland as VH-MAL. Originally registered as VR-HDB in 1946, it later entered service in New Guinea in 1955 as VH-MAL. It had the distinction of operating Cathay’s first Sydney/Hong Kong service on September 24 1946. Recently re- registered as VR-HDB, it arrived in Hong Kong on September 23 and will be stored until placed on display in the proposed Museum of Science and Technology.

Flight testing of the A129 Mangusta begins on September 15 1983.

20 Years Ago

As part of the Australian-Indonesian programme of defence cooperation, two Douglas C-47s were presented by the Australian Government to the Indonesian Air Force on September 10.

• The first two Westland Commando Mk. 1 tactical helicopters had their first flights at Yeovil on September 12 and 13.

• The new two seat trainer version of the Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighter with full combat capability will be designated the F-5F.

The McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom has entered service with the West German Air Force, with JG 71 “Richthofen” at Wittmundhafen, the first unit to equip with the type.

• Piper has selected the name “Cheyenne” for its new twin engined turboprop aircraft.

In a recent exercise, German motorways have been used as emergency landing strips by Luftwaffe Flat G. 91s and RAF Harriers. The motorways incorporate 2. 4-3km lengths specially designed for that purpose.

All Nippon Airways has taken up optionson eight additional Lockheed Tristars, takingtheir firm orders to 14. Tristar sales now stand at 125 plus options on a further 76.

• Air France has ordered its first Boeing 747F freighter for delivery in November 1974 taking total 747 sales to 253.

The Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet has been selected by the Belgian Air Force as its new trainer and an order has been placed for 33 to replace Fouga Magisters. It is the first export order for the joint French-German programme which will coverthe production of 400 Alpha Jets to be delivered equally to their respective air forces • The first of two General Dynamics YF-16 Lightweight Fighter prototypes is in final assembly at Fort Worth, Texas and is expected to have its maiden flight early next year.

• BAC/Aerospatiale Concorde 02 wearing the liveries of British Airways (starboard) and Air France (port) completed a nine day tour of the Americas on September 26. It flew from Washington to Paris-Orly in 3hrs 33min beating the previous record of 3hr 39min established by a Convair B-58A Hustler on May 26 1961. The Concorde carried 25 passengers plus test equipment making a full 350kg (25,000lb) payload.

30 Years Ago

Mr Fairbairn, the Minister for Air, in an answer to a question in the House of Representatives, has said that the old wartime strip at Tindal in the Northern Territory will be redeveloped for the RAAF as a major airfield. The RAAF Airfield Construction Squadron will commence work next month on a 9000ft (2745m) runway with parallel taxiway and hardstandings at a cost of £3,500,000.

• Three Hawker Siddeley Trident 1Es have been ordered by Iraqi Airways for delivery in 1965. This takes total Trident orders to 29, including 24 for British European Airways (plus options on another 24) and Kuwait Air- ways two (plus one option).

TenRANWestland Wessex helicopters took off from HMAS Melbourne in Sydney Harbour on September 4, and after a flight over some of the inner suburbs, flew under the Sydney Harbour Bridge in two “V” formations of five. They then flew over Cockatoo Island, returned under the bridge and departed for RANAS Nowra. The flight was made to signify the return of seven warships from exercises off the coast of Queensland. It was the first time more than one aircraft had flown under the Harbour Bridge at the same time.

The first squadron to become operational with the Grumman A-6A Intruder is VA-42 at Oceana Naval Air Station, Virginia Beach. • Three Canadair CL-44 swing tail freighters have been ordered by the newly formed Japan Cargo Airways, for delivery early in 1964. They will operate between Japan and the US west coast.

Highlights of the Air Force Week display at Richmond on September 14 were the aerobatic performance by some of No 75 Squadron’s CA-27 Sabres, an intercept by two DHA Vampires on a Neptune which had made an attack on the base and a memorable flypast by 12 GAF Canberras. An interesting visitor was the modified RAF English Electric Canberra B. 6 XH568 in a red and white colour scheme, fitted with a long nose probe.

The prototype Hawker Siddeley 748MF has been transported by road from the Avro-Whitworth factory at Chadderton to Woodford airfield, where it will be for reassembled for its first flight.