Yester Year

• The NATO air war with Yugoslavia, Operation Allied Force, ceased on June 10. During the 78 days of the campaign 14 of 19 NATO nations contributed a peak of 1050 aircraft with the major portion – 723 – from US forces. In a conflict which began on March 24 more than half of Yugoslavia’s 15 MiG-29s had been shot down by March 30. NATO air losses were one unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and a USAF F-117A Nighthawk hit by a SAM, with the pilot rescued.

• After a handover ceremony at St Louis on June 7 the first of 17 new F-15E Strike Eagles for the USAF was delivered to the 57th Wing at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

These are the first F-15Es to join the USAF since 1994.

• On June 14 Boeing announced the delivery of the first two AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters to the US Army at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

• Airbus reported on June 1 that the A319CJ Corporate Jet with six additional cargo hold fuel tanks had commenced flight trials from Hamburg the previous day. The flight included a climb to the maximum cruise altitude of 41,000ft followed by a landing at Toulouse.

• On June 2 the Pratt & Whitney powered PW2337 Ilyushin Il-96T freighter became the first Russian commercial transport to receive US FAA certification.

25 Years Ago

• Virgin Atlantic launched its low-cost services across the Atlantic from London Gatwick to Newark, New Jersey, on June 22 with a daily flight and a oneway fare of £99 using a Boeing 747-200B.

• Crossair placed the Saab- Fairchild SF340 into scheduled service on June 15 from Basle, Switzerland, to both Frankfurt and Paris. The aircraft had been handed over to Crossair on June 6.

• The Burt Rutan designed Voyager, which is intended for an unrefuelled non-stop around the world flight, first flew on June 22 flown by Dick Rutan. The Voyager is built with carbon-graphite and has an empty weight of 843kg and a takeoff weight of 5142kg, which includes 4056kg of fuel.

• Federal Express has ordered an additional six McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to join 10 already in service. The first will be a DC-10-30CF convertible freighter for delivery this year followed by five DC-10-30F freighters in early 1986.

• British Airways has ordered three British Aerospace 748 Series 2Bs for its Highlands Division to join two existing 748s purchased in 1975 which are to be modified to 2B standard.

Two will be new-build aircraft while the third will be the BAe demonstrator which will be completely refurbished before delivery.

• The maiden flight of the prototype Westland Lynx 3, ZE477, took place from Yeovil on June 14. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Gem 60 engines the helicopter reached a speed of 100kt during the flight.

50 Years Ago

• A new light aircraft distance record was set by Max Conrad on June 2-4 when he landed his Piper PA-24 Comanche 250, N110LF, in Los Angeles after a 58hr 38min 12,340km flight from Casablanca, Morocco.

• A US Navy P4M Martin Mercator was attacked by North Korean MiG-17s off the North Korean coast over international waters on June 16. The aircraft returned to Japan with an emergency landing at Miho.

• During 1958 de Havilland Aircraft of Canada exported 17 Beavers and 33 Otters. Beaver production began in 1948 and by the end of 1958 1071 out of 1290 built have been exported, including 850 L-20s for the US Army. Otter production began in 1952 and 271 from 299 built have been exported including 188 U-1As for the US Army.

• The Royal Ceylon Air Force is taking delivery of an initial batch of six Hunting Jet Provost T. 3 armed trainers and an order has been placed for a further batch. It is anticipated a total of about 18 aircraft will be based at Katunayake near Negombo north of Colombo. The Jet Provosts have a machine gun in the base of each air intake.

• The Royal Flying Doctor Service has decided to re-engine six of its Drovers with Lycoming engines and Hartzell constant speed propellers to replace the existing Gipsy Major 10s.

• On June 14 Donald W Douglas Jr announced the 68 first class or 87 tourist class seat Douglas DC-9 would be available in 1963. The proposal outlines an airliner powered by four 7500-8000lb Pratt & Whitney JTF-10A-1 turbofans with a gross weight of 52,200kg.