Yesteryear

A variety of more than 30 Iraqi Air Force combat aircraft have been unearthed in recent weeks, after having been hidden in desert sand at al-Taqqadum airfield west of Baghdad in an effort to conceal them from US forces. US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on August 5 that although US forces had been in the area for 12 to 13 weeks they had no idea that the aircraft were present, as they had been completely covered with sand.

The first production Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk was unveiled on August 1. The aircraft is the eighth example built, preceded by seven development airframes, used for the advanced concept technology demonstration phase (ACTD). During development some ACTD aircraft were used during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in early 2003. The USAF plans to acquire 51 Global Hawks.

The defining Boeing 367-80 prototype of the 707 family, which had been stored at the Boeing Museum of Flight, Seattle was flown for the first time in more than 10 years on August 4. The aircraft is scheduled to depart from Seattle on August 24 with a stop at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio before arrival in Washington-Dulles International on August 27. It will enter permanent display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s new Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center due to open on December 17, the 100th anniversary of the first flight of the Wright Brothers.

25 Years Ago

On August 10 the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum at Hamilton began engine runs on Avro Lancaster FM213, which has been restored to an airworthy condition. It was 24 years since the Packard Merlin engines were last run. Ground trials have since been carried out and a first flight is set for 24 September. The Lancaster’s undercarriage has been modified to accommodate tyres from an Avro Shackleton.

The last three Convair F-106 Delta Darts from the active USAF inventory of on-line aircraft, comprising two F-106As and one F-106B, were retired by the 177th Fighter Group on August 1.

The maiden flight of the USN’s new Helicopter Combat Support Aircraft, the HH-60H, was carried out on August 17. Derived from the SH-60F, the primary role of the new version is strike rescue with secondary tasks involving special warfare missions.

Between the end of August and mid-October, four Tornado F Mk 3s of No 29 Squadron will make an around- the-world flight. After departure from Coningsby they will participate in defence exercises in Thailand and Singapore before flying to Australia to be at the Bicentennial Air Show at RAAF Richmond between 12 to 16 October. After exercises with RAAF fighters they will return to the UK via the Pacific and the US. Other RAF participants at Richmond will be two Nimrods, a TriStar tanker and Hercules C Mk 3 while the RN will have a Sea Harrier FRS Mk 1 embarked on HMS Ark Royal during a visit to Sydney for the Bicentennial Naval Salute.

The last Republic RF-84F Thunderflash reconnaissance fighters in service in the world are being retired by the Hellenic Air Force as they reach their airframe fatigue limit of 9,000 hours. The Greek RF-84Fs had been in service with No 348 Squadron at Larissa. The remaining aircraft are the last eight from 35 received, comprising 25 from the US, two from the Netherlands and eight from Federal Germany, operated by the squadron since 1956-57.

In the worst accident to occur at an airshow, three Aermacchi MB-339s of the Italian Frecce Tricolori display team collided at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany on August 28. In the tragedy 40 people including the pilots were killed and many more injured when one of the aircraft came down into the crowd. In the aftermath, West Germany banned all airshows.

50 Years Ago

Evidence of the continuing widespread use of the Douglas DC-3 was underlined in a recent ICAO report on August 1 which indicated 1,233 DC-3s remained in worldwide service representing almost 25 per cent of the world commercial airliner total of 5,103.

The maiden flight of the prototype British Aircraft Corporation’s BAC One-Eleven, G-ASHG, took place from Hurn airfield, near Bournemouth on August 20. Originally proposed in 1956 as the smaller 30-seat Hunting H.107, the new larger twin-engined jet airliner is hoping to gain orders as a Viscount replacement.

A first test of a dummy Apollo spacecraft was made in a sub-orbital flight using a Little Joe II booster on August 28, in the first test in the US Apollo program. The booster has been designed for sub-orbital testing of the vehicle.

The New Zealand Government has given approval for the purchase of three Lockheed C-130E Hercules for No 40 Squadron to replace the Handley Page Hastings transport aircraft. Approval-in-principle has also been given to acquire five modern ASW types to replace the Sunderland flying boats.

The Deputy Chairman of Victa Ltd, G B Richardson announced on August 29 the company will build the Aircruiser, a four-seat version of the Airtourer, powered by a 134kW (180hp) O-360 Lycoming engine. During the first year of production, 29 Air Tourers have been delivered with another 24 on order while the current production rate stands at four aircraft per month.

On August 22 the third rocket-powered North American X-15A, 56-6672, on the program’s 91st flight was flown by NASA pilot Joe Walker to an unofficial world altitude record of 106,009m (351,200ft) after launch from a Boeing NB-52. During the flight, which reached the highest altitude achieved by an X-15, a speed of Mach 5.58 (3,794mph) was reached on this, Walker’s last X-15 flight, when he technically qualified for astronaut wings because of the height reached.

British European Airways recently ordered two Sikorsky S-61N helicopters for scheduled passenger services between Land’s End and the Scilly Isles. With accommodation for 25 passengers, the helicopters will enter service next year replacing de Havilland DH.89 Rapide biplanes.