Yesteryear

The 1000th F-16 has been delivered to the USAF and has been assigned to the 86th TFW at Ramstein AB, West Germany. Worldwide deliveries stand at 1,572 to 10 air forces, of which 1,178 have been built at Fort Worth, 216 by Fokker in Holland, and 178 by SABCA in Belgium.

Defence Minister Kim Beazley announced on July 10 that a $230m contract for 67 Pilatus PC-9s had been signed with Hawker de Havilland. The first two aircraft to be delivered to the RAAF in June 1987 will be flyaway versions from Pilatus, and the remaining aircraft, which will be assembled, fitted out, and tested by HdH with increasing Australian content, will be delivered by the end of 1991.

BAe has announced the closure of the Weybridge, Surrey production activities by the end of next year. The last complete aircraft to be built at the site was the Super VC10. Located within the boundaries of the famous Brooklands racetrack, the Weybridge location was originally founded by Vickers and became the centre of activities for the BAC.

The Royal Thai Air Force has obtained 20 ex-Singaporean Lockheed T-33A trainers.

Due to continuing losses, Airlines of South Australia has suspended operations. The major reason for the losses has been competition from third-level operators using smaller aircraft than the airline’s F27s. Airlines of SA’s route rights have been transferred to Kendell Airlines.

Flight testing of an F-4 Phantom with its starboard GE J79 replaced by a Pratt & Whitney PW1120 began on July 31. Bedek Aviation has done the re-engineering mainly in connection with the IAI Lavi program, but it will also provide data for a projected upgrade of Heyl Ha’Avir F-4s, which, if it went ahead, would use the P&W powerplants.

20 Years Ago

Canada signed an order on July 21 for 18 Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, with deliveries to commence in May 1980 and conclude in March 1981. They will be designated the CP-140, and in addition to maritime and anti-submarine roles, will also be used for photo mapping, resources location, and pollution control. The present equipment of Canada’s Maritime Air Group consists of four squadrons with the Canadair Argus and two coastal units with Grumman Trackers.

Sales of the Boeing 747 have now reached 306 following an order from British Airways for two additional 747-200s powered by Rolls-Royce RB211-524s.

On July 28, a Lockheed SR-71A flown by Captain E. W. Joersz and Major G. T. Morgan Jr. USAF established a new speed record of 3,529.56 km/h (2,193.17 mph) over a 15 to 25 km (9.32–15.53 mile) straight course. Other crews set up a new speed and class record over a 1,000 kilometre (631.39 miles) closed circuit of 3,357 km/h (2,086 mph), and an altitude and class record in horizontal flight of 86,000 ft (26,212.8 m). The SR-71 established a new world speed record in July 1976.

The Federal Government announced on July 1 that an order has been placed for 12 Lockheed C-130H Hercules for No. 36 Squadron, to replace the C-130As which were delivered in 1958/59. The cost of the new C-130Hs will be $93.5 million and they will be delivered during 1978. The C-130As may be given to third world countries through Australian aid programs following the introduction into service of the C-130Hs.

The last piston-engined helicopter in Royal Navy use, a Westland Whirlwind HAS.Mk 7, XN299, which was nicknamed the “iron chicken”, was withdrawn from service at the Joint Warfare Establishment at Old Sarum, Wiltshire on July 22.

Following the audacious Israeli commando attack on July 3 at Entebbe airport to free the hostages held by pro-Palestinian terrorists, it has now been reported that the commandos destroyed seven Ugandan Air Force MiG-21s and four MiG-17s.

The first flight of an amateur-built aircraft from Australia to England ended on July 1 when Clive Canning arrived in the UK in his homebuilt Thorp T-18 Tiger VH-CMC.

30 Years Ago

The 100th Hawker Siddeley 125 was completed at the Chester factory on July 15.

McDonnell has offered the USN a variable-sweep version of the F-4 Phantom which could supplement, or even be a substitute for, the GD F-111B. The swing-wing Phantom would be powered by two 17,900 lb (80 kN) General Electric J79-GE-10/17s and it has been reported that McDonnell has offered to build 300 of the version under a fixed-price contract within two years.

Rolls-Royce has announced the selection of the Spey turbofan by the USAF to power the new Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II close-support aircraft. The engine will be jointly developed and produced by Allison as the Allison TF41-A-1 turbofan and is a variant of the Spey-25 installed in RAF and RN Phantoms.

The first official flight of the Victa Aircruiser flown by Vic Walton took place at Bankstown on July 18 before a large party of guests. The Aircruiser, which unofficially flew the day before, is powered by a 210 hp (157 kW) Continental engine.

Douglas is working on a project for an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft for the USAF based on the DC-8 Super 62.

The Argentine Navy has placed various aircraft up for sale including five Martin PBM-5A Mariners, two Chance Vought F4U Corsairs, one Convair PBY-5A Catalina, three surviving Lockheed P2V-5 Neptunes from a batch of six obtained from the RAF, one Beechcraft AT-11, and two Supermarine Walruses. The Argentine Navy Walruses entered service in 1939.

VARIG is reportedly selling its nine Lockheed Super Constellations to the Brazilian Navy to be converted to maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

Dornier has proposed reviving its pre-war Do 24 flying boat with two Pratt & Whitney engines.

United Consultants Corporation of Norwood, Massachusetts has converted the Republic Seabee N87589 to a Twin Bee with the installation of two 215 hp (160 kW) tractor Lycomings.

The first flight of the Northrop/NASA M2-F2 lifting-body research aircraft took place on July 12 after it was launched at 13,715 m (45,000 ft) from a Boeing B-52.