Yester Year

• The twin turbofan Beriev Be-200 amphibious flying boat had its maiden flight on September 24 from the Irkutsk Aircraft Production Association airfield in Siberia.

Based on the larger military A-40, the Be-200 is intended for civil roles including firefighting. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has ordered seven Be-200s, the only order so far received.

• The last new production Panavia Tornado, 8319/CS72 (UK military test serial ZH592), was delivered at Warton to the Royal Saudi Air Force on September 28.

In all 974 Tornados were delivered, with the first two examples flown to RAF Cottesmore on July 1 1980.

• On September 25 the last five Boeing EC-135 Looking Glass airborne command and control posts were retired from USAF service at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. Their role has now been adopted by the

25 Years Ago

• An F/A-18 Hornet made the first takeoffs from a ski-jump ramp at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, on September 26, as part of an evaluation of the use of an upward curved ramp to shorten the takeoff roll of conventional jet aircraft.

• Air-Inter has purchased the development and certification Dassault Mercure 02 to join its existing fleet of 10. The Mercure had lain unused at Istres since 1978.

• The prototype NDN‑1T Turbo-Firecracker military trainer, G-SFTR, had its maiden flight on the evening of September 1 from Sandown, Isle of Wight, flown by its designer Desmond Norman of NDN Aircraft Ltd. This aircraft is a contender for the RAF’s Jet Provost replacement.

• North Coast Air Services of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, has purchased an ex RNZAF Bristol 170 Freighter.

• The British Science Museum has purchased a Lockheed Model 749 Constellation from Aces High Ltd. Originally delivered to KLM in September 1947 it was sold in 1960, converted to a freighter configuration, and passed through several hands before acquisition by Aces High in March 1982. It became G-CONI and after plans to use it in a film did not proceed it was dismantled and shipped from Ireland to the UK.

• A US Army UH-60A Black Hawk carrying four External Stores Support System (ESSS) auxiliary fuel tanks recently flew 1355nm (2511km) from Sikorsky’s Stratford, Connecticut, factory to Fort Rucker, Alabama.

50 Years Ago

• UK commercial flying boat services ended on September 30 with the last Aquila Airways Solent flight on the Southampton- Madeira service.

• Lieutenant William P Lawrence became the first naval aviator to fly at twice the speed of sound in a fleettype aircraft on September 15 during an evaluation flight of the F8U-3 Crusader at Edwards AFB, California.

• When the final report of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was issued on September 30, the chairman, General James H Doolittle, said in forwarding letters that NACA would cease to exist at the close of business that day. All facilities and employees will be absorbed the following day with the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which will also control all US non-military space projects.

• The first Lockheed Constellation, ‘Old 1961’, has been placed into storage after the completion of engine tests for the Electra.

Originally built as a military C-69, it was purchased by Hughes Aircraft after the war. It was bought back by Lockheed and stretched to become the first Super Constellation, and in 1954 was converted into a turboprop testbed.

• Southern Cross Aviation has begun construction of the prototype SC-1 low wing four-seater powered by a 180hp (134kW) Lycoming for executive and agricultural purposes in Toowoomba.

First flight is expected before the end of this year. o