Yester Year

• The maiden flight of the first upgraded Bell AH-1Z Super- Cobra for the USMC, 162549, took place from Arlington, Virginia, on December 7.

• The first flight of the Lockheed Martin X-35C configured for the USN took off from Palmdale, California, on December 16.

• Impulse Airlines took delivery of its latest Boeing 717, VH‑VQB, at Long Beach on December 29 carrying a new livery featuring the sulphur crested cockatoo. The aircraft was Boeing’s third development 717, N717XC.

• The formal launch of the A380, previously referred to as the A3XX, was announced by the Airbus Supervisory Board in France on December 19. To date firm orders are held for 50 aircraft plus 42 options. Development costs are estimated at about £8. 5 billion. The baseline model has now been designated as the A380-800.

• The contract for Project Wedgetail was signed on December 20 by the Minister for Defence, John Moore, covering the supply of four modified Boeing 737‑700s to the RAAF as airborne early warning and control aircraft plus options on a further three aircraft. The first two aircraft will be delivered in 2006 and will enter service with 2 Squadron the following year.

25 Years Ago

• On December 17 the Douglas DC-3 celebrated its 50th birthday. About 350 examples are estimated to remain in commercial service.

• The RAF’s No 29 Squadron currently based at Coningsby, Lincolnshire, with Phantoms, will be the first Tornado ADV squadron to be formed. They will take delivery of the new definitive F Mk 3 version.

• The maiden flight of the prototype Fokker 50, PH-OSO, took place from Schiphol on December 28. The twin turboprop is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW124s driving Dowty Rotol six blade quiet running propellers. Meanwhile, final assembly of the new Fokker 100 fanjet airliner is now in progress at Schiphol and a first flight is due in the middle of 1986.

• The prototype British Aerospace ATP was towed on schedule to the final assembly hangar at Woodford on December 13 with a first flight scheduled for August 6 1986 at 10. 00 am.

The British Midland Group has signed a contract for three ATPs for 1987 delivery, plus two options. The ATPs will replace Viscounts and Friendships.

• A few hours before new noise regulations came into force on December 31, the last three Hawker Siddeley Trident 3Bs of British Airways remaining in service operated their last flights.

The last two Tridents to operate into Heathrow were G-AWZO and G-AWZU.

• On December 31 the USAF awarded McDonnell Douglas a US$3,387 million contract to proceed with full-scale development of the C-17A transport, including the construction of one flying prototype and two static test airframes. The USAF plans to acquire 210 C-17As.

50 Years Ago

• The Vickers Vanguard was awarded a full C of A on December 2. Ten Vanguards are being prepared for delivery to British European Airways and Trans Canada Airlines.

• After 51 years and the delivery of 12,500 aircraft, Martin handed over its last aircraft at Middle River, Maryland, on December 20. The final delivery was of a P5M-2 Marlin ASW flying boat to the USN.

• During December 8-10 BOAC completed its first all-jet round-the-world service. It introduced the Boeing 707-436 on the London to Hong Kong route via New York, San Francisco, Honolulu and Tokyo. The flight connected with a Comet 4 operating the eastern route from London to Hong Kong.

• A USN North American A3J Vigilante established a new world altitude with payload on December 13 when it reached an altitude of 91,450. 8ft over Edwards AFB, California, carrying a 1000kg payload. This broke the existing record by over four miles.

• The Minister for Defence, Mr Townley, announced on December 15 that the Marcel Dassault Mirage III has been selected to replace the RAAF’s Avon- Sabres. Additional details were later released by the Minister for Air, Mr Osborne. An initial order for 30 Mirages will see the re-equipment of one Sabre squadron plus an operational conversion unit, with deliveries to begin in 1963. The selection of the engine will be made in mid-1962 from either a French engine or the new Rolls-Royce Avon Mk 67 engine. The flyaway cost of each Mirage with a Rolls-Royce engine is approximately £500,000. The selection of the French engine would see a reduced cost.