Yester Year

• Following an order from President Clinton to implement “a strong, sustained series of air strikes” against Iraq because of Saddam Hussein’s continued obstructionist attitude to UN arms inspectors, Operation Desert Fox took place on December 16-19. Initiated at 11. 00pm Gulf time on the 16th with aircraft from the USS Enterprise, it also involved the launch of 250 Tomahawk missiles from seven surface vessels and a submarine. Also participating in the Operation were USAF B-52s and 12 RAF Tornado GR. 1s and six reconnaissance aircraft.

• The last Saab J35 Drakens in service with the Swedish Air Force were retired at Angelholm on December 12.

• Lockheed Martin has announced the resumption of F‑16 deliveries to the USAF after a lull of 18 months, caused by the lack of funds in the FY95 Defense Budget.

• The first production Super Hornet, F/A-18E E6 – which had its first flight from St Louis/Lambert International on November 6 – was formally accepted by the USN on December 18.

25 Years Ago

• Boeing rolled out the 1000th 737, N306DL, on December 9 at Renton, Washington – one of 33 on current delivery to Delta Air Lines. 737 orders have now reached 1114. Ten years ago Delta took delivery of the 1000th Boeing 727.

• Syrian anti-aircraft and surface-to-air missiles attacked USN reconnaissance aircraft over the Bekaa Valley, 20 miles east of Beirut, on December 3. In retaliation a force of 16 USN Grumman A-6 Intruders and 12 A-7 Corsair IIs from the USS Independence and John F Kennedy attacked six Syrian positions overlooking the valley the following day. A Corsair and an Intruder were lost to anti-aircraft fire, the Navy’s first combat loss of fixed-wing aircraft since the Vietnam War.

• Airbus Industrie has announced it will build a total of 47 A300s and A310s in 1984.

• Short Brothers has been awarded a £3. 5 million contract to refurbish five Canberra PR. 9 photographic-reconnaissance aircraft for the RAF.

• Reports indicate the Brazilian air force is interested in purchasing the RAN’s surplus McDonnell Douglas A-4G and TA-4G Skyhawks to operate from the Brazilian navy’s aircraft carrier Minas Gerais. The Brazilian navy operates helicopters from the carrier while fixed wing Grumman S-2E Trackers are flown by the air force.

• Three of the RAAF Lockheed C-130A Hercules that have been in storage for six years have been sold, two to the Colombian Air Force and one to the French government. It is likely the remaining aircraft will be sold to a US company which specialises in the cannibalisation of aircraft for spares.

50 Years Ago

• National Airlines will operate the first US internal jet service, from New York to Florida, under a mutual leasing system commencing on December 10 with Pan American. Pan Am will lease two DC-8s from May 15 to October 15 each year for its peak Atlantic season and National two 707s for its busy Florida traffic season.

• The USN says its accident rate for landings has been reduced from 30 to eight per 10,000 on its 17 operational aircraft carriers equipped with angled decks and mirror landing aids.

• Speaking at the annual meeting of Ansett Transport Industries Ltd on December 9, chairman and managing director of Ansett-ANA, R M Ansett, said that aircraft surplus to requirements such as six DC-4s, three DC-3s and three Elizabethans had been disposed of. By April 1959 four of the Viscount 832s and two Electras will be in service supported by the Convair Metropolitans and DC-6s, while by August, six Friendships will be in use as DC-3 replacements.

• The first of 12 Lockheed C‑130A Hercules on order for the RAAF was handed over at Marietta, Georgia, on December 5. On December 6 the first five aircraft – A97-205 to -209 – departed across the Pacific via Hawaii, Canton Island and Fiji for an arrival at Richmond on December 13. A further four aircraft, A97‑210 to-213, departed on December 29.

• The New York Port Authority will only permit the operation of Boeing 707s and de Havilland Comets from New York International under strict conditions which will require them to takeoff from runway 22 across water.