Yester Year

• On April 27 the USAF confirmed the permanent retirement of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird from operations.

Two SR-71s are in service with the USAF, two others including a SR-71B operational trainer are used by NASA for high altitude testing, and two are in returnable storage.

Aircraft not required by NASA will either go to USAF bases for permanent display or put into storage at AMARC Davis- Monthan, Arizona, pending a USAF Museum decision on their disposition.

• Airbus delivered the first customer A330-200 to launch operator Canada 3000 on April 30. It is configured in a 340-seat single class layout.

• The Boeing 737-800 received European JAA approval on April 9 and the first example, D-AHFC/N5573P, was delivered to launch customer Hapag Lloyd on April 22. The German airline has ordered 16 737-800s to replace its 737‑400s and -500s.

25 Years Ago

• The prototype Piper PA-48 Enforcer turboprop development of the P-51 Mustang, N481PE, had its first flight from Lakeland, Florida, on April 9. Powered by a 2445shp (1823kW) Lycoming T55-L-9 and armed with two wingmounted 30mm Gepod antitank cannons, the Enforcer is viewed as an economical complement to the A-10 Thunderbolt.

• Alaska Airlines has placed an order for six of the new McDonnell Douglas Super 83 plus three options to become the launch customer.

This aircraft is an extended range version of the DC-9 Super 80 which can carry 155 passengers over a range of 4265km (2650 miles). They will be used on routes from southern California to Seattle, Anchorage and Fairbanks.

• The Argentine military has been obtaining replacements for aircraft lost in fighting during the Falklands war. These include 10 Dassault Mirage 5Ps transferred from Peru, 22 Mirage IIICJs and 24 A-4E and A-4H Skyhawks supplied by Israel, and a new L-100 Hercules transferred from the Argentine military airline LADE to replace the Hercules shot down by a Sea Harrier.

• A Gloster Sea Gladiator is being restored at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton.

The aircraft will be finished in 1940 sea camouflage of light green undersides and dark grey on top.

• Defence Minister Gordon Scholes announced on April 29 that two Boeing 707-338Cs had been purchased from Qantas for the RAAF for $9. 1 million. They will join the two other RAAF 707s obtained earlier from Qantas.

50 Years Ago

• Grumman F11F-1F Tiger BuNo 138647 set an official world altitude record of 76,831ft on April 18, flown by USN Lt Cdr George C Watkins from Edwards AFB, California.

• Lockheed this month delivered its 30,000th aircraft with the handover of a F-104B Starfighter to the USAF.

• The first de Havilland D. H. 106 Comet 4, G-APDA, had its first flight on April 27.

Lasting 1hr 23min, the flight from Hatfield was flown by de Havilland’s chief test pilot John Cunningham assisted by Pat Fillingham, E Brackstone- Brown, J Johnston and J Marshall.

• The prototype Blackburn B-103 low level strike aircraft, XK486, made its first flight on April 30. The 39 minute flight took off from RAE Thurleigh near Bedford and was flown by Blackburn test pilot D J Whitehead with B J Watson, the company’s head of flight test, in the rear seat. It included a climb to 17,000ft.

• A Napier Double-Scorpion rocket motor is to be fitted to the English Electric P. 1B supersonic fighter. A ventral pack fitted to the belly of the fighter will contain the rocket motor and its oxidant tank, with fuel for the motor drawn from the fighter’s normal tanks.

• A number of USAF aircraft were on display at RAAF Richmond on April 2 while returning to Japan from the New Zealand Air Force Anniversary celebrations.

Present were two F-100D and two F-100F Super Sabres, two WB-66D reconnaissance bombers, two C-124 Globemasters and two Lockheed C-130 Hercules, as recently ordered for the RAAF.