iscover
The F/A-18C first flew on September 15 1986
Yesteryear
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10 Years Ago
General Dynamics has received a $4.3 billion contract from the USAF to produce an additional 720 F-16s with an initial delivery under the contract set for next summer, to continue until 1991. By September 15, General Dynamics had delivered 1604 F-16s and is currently producing the aircraft at a rate of 150 per year. On September 25, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that the BAe Nimrod AEW Mk.3 and Boeing E-3 had been shortlisted in consideration for the RAF’s future AEW aircraft. A new unit, No 60 Squadron, equipped with Boeing 707s, has been activated by the South African Air Force at Waterkloof. The SAAF has refused to comment on the 707’s role and the number of aircraft obtained, and their source has not been revealed. It is believed the aircraft will be modified by IAI, or with assistance from IAI, to a tanker/transport role to allow operations with the SAAF’s Atlas Cheetahs and Mirage F1s. Delta Air Lines has sold all of its 13 McDonnell Douglas DC-8 Series 71s in service to United Parcel Service, with the aircraft to be delivered by the end of this year. The maiden flight of the “C” model of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet took place at St Louis on September 15 and has been delivered to the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California for evaluation. Deliveries of production examples of the single seat F/A-18C and two seat F/A-18D will begin in October 1987. Both versions have several changes including an airborne self protection jammer, an improved mission computer and provision for reconnaissance equipment. Deliveries of the first F/A-18A Hornets to No 3 Squadron took place on August 29 when A21-8 and A21-9 arrived at Williamtown after a 55 minute flight from Avalon. The squadron anticipates having six Hornets in service by the end of this year. It is the first delivery to one of the RAAF’s Hornet squadrons, with previous deliveries to No 2 OCU where training is now under way. Qantas has ordered a sixth Boeing 747-300 with Rolls-Royce RB211-524D4 Upgrade engines, for delivery in April 1987.
20 Years Ago
The Boeing 727, which is by far the best selling airliner in the world, continues to receive further orders. A repeat order for six additional 727-200s from American Airlines has placed them in the position as Boeing’s largest customer. Since the first contract for 707s was announced by American Airlines on November 9 1955, it has now ordered a total of 280 Boeing jet airliners. United Airlines ordered 28 727-200s, which is Boeing’s largest civil order since 1968. Total sales of the 727 now stand at 1345. The RAF’s No 53 Squadron was disbanded on September 14 and its 10 Short Belfasts have been offered for sale and are currently at No 5 MU, Kemble. A notable milestone was reached this month when Rex Aviation sold its 2000th Cessna, a Cessna 210L Centurion II, VH-FOC. The company started in hangar 275 at Bankstown in 1954 and General Manager David Irons estimates that at an average unit price of $30,000, total sales are valued at $60 million. Rex Aviation estimates that it currently has 55% of the local GA market. The Falcon 50 rolled out on September 4 1986. The prototype Dassault Mystère/Falcon 50 F-WAMD was rolled at Bordeaux Merignac on September 4 and the first flight is expected in early November. During a recent interview, the Chief of Staff of the French Air Force, General Maurice Saint Cricq, said the first priority for the French AF was the Dassault Mirage 2000 air superiority fighter planned for introduction into service in 1982. On September 6 a Soviet Air Force MiG-25 Foxbat landed at Hakodate in northern Japan and the pilot Lt Viktor Belenko, asked for political asylum. It was the first MiG-25 to fall into non communist hands. Lt Belenko has said the aircraft has several deficiencies, it has no ejection seat, it takes a long time to accelerate to high speeds which are then difficult to maintain, and the deicing system does not function properly. This particular MiG-25 appears to have a top speed of Mach 2.8, which is the highest figure on the Mach meter, above which is a red danger line. The MiG-25 had been previously credited with a Mach 3.2 speed by Western observers. A USAF technical team which inspected the aircraft said considerable portions are fabricated from heavy steel instead of titanium, which was used in advanced Western aircraft.
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30 Years Ago
The USAF is analysing the results of combats with North Vietnamese MiG-17s and MiG-21s, because of concern over US aircraft losses in Vietnam. Reports from USAF pilots indicate that although the McDonnell F-4 Phantoms and Republic F-105 Thunderchief perform satisfactorily at relatively great ranges when using air-to-air missiles, they are not showing up well in close combat. Complaints mention poor cockpit visibility, manoeuvrability, and lack of guns to engage in dogfights with MiGs. The USAF thinks types which would be more suitable for this purpose are the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and LTV F-8 Crusader. A new world speed record for women was established by Marina Solovyeva in the USSR on September 24 flying a Ye-76 (MiG-21) at 1102kt (2044km/h). The 25th SBAC Show at Farnborough is the first to permit the appearance of foreign aircraft, provided a proportion of British equipment is used. The V/STOL Dassault Mirage IIIV-02 second prototype flew at Mach 2.04 on September 12 and also made a vertical takeoff and landing. The initial flight of the first Convair 640 conversion, N7262, carried out by Scottish Aviation took place on September 12. The Convair 640 conversion was accomplished by installing Rolls-Royce Dart R Da 10 engines with Dowty Rotol propellers in a basic 340/440 airframe. On September 9, the flight took place of the Vulcan B.1 XA903 modified by Bristol Siddeley to carry the Olympus 593 in a representative Concorde half nacelle. The Cunard Steamship Company Ltd agreed on September 16 to sell its 30% interest in BOAC-Cunard Ltd to BOAC. BOAC-Cunard was formed in June 1962 and its fleet recently consisted of 11 Boeing 707-436s, two 707-336Cs and four Super VC10s. On September 14, the Beech Aircraft Corporation delivered its 25,000th aircraft, a King Air for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The first aircraft to be produced by the company was the classic negative staggerwing Model 17 in 1932.
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