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Aviation History
1967
1967 - 0146.PDF
144 FLIGHT International, 26 January 1967 The forward fuselage of the bell AH-IG Hueycobra, ordered for the US Army in Vietnam in the escort and fire suppression role, shows a number of interesting features. Mounted in a chin turret (reminiscent of the B-I7G Flying Fortress) is a single, 4,000 rounds-per-minute G£ rotating-barrel machine gun of 7.62mm calibre. The front cockpit houses the gunner, with his moving gunsight, while the box at the side is an ammunition pack which retracts into the side of the fuselage likely to be delivered, and eight units— six intercepters and two ground-attack— operating in all about 80 aircraft will be disbanded from May 1. Before 1970 a further four squadrons will be abolished. Conversion training of pilots to fly the latest Draken variant, the -F, is to cease immediately and about 400 flying trainees, chiefly conscripts, will not com- plete their training. This suggests that Draken production is being abruptly terminated. The cuts follow a re-alignment of defences in which far greater emphasis is now to be placed on ground forces (and their aviation support) than on long-range intercepters. They also follow the recent 1967-68 defence budget, in which Air Force appropriations were 36.2 per cent down over last year's while Army and Navy totals rose by 32.1 and 14.6 per cent respectively. First F-lll Crash WHILE APPROACHING Edwards AFB, Calif, on January 19, a General Dynamics F-lll engaged in the flight development programme crashed and caught fire. Al- though they did not eject, the crew of two—who were on a training flight— escaped with burns. A board of inquiry, which may include Defense Department officials, is being set up to investigate the circumstances. Meanwhile, 2,052hr had been flown by the F-111A and F-111B development aircraft up to December 6. These com- prised l,817hr by F-lllAs and 235 for F-lllBs, while a total of 1,223 flights had been made, 1,064 by -As and 159 by -Bs. Aircraft had been supersonic on a total of 441 flights, while Mach 2 was reached on 114 flights. The test pro- gramme is taking place at Edwards AFB; General Dynamics, Fort Worth; Eglin AFB, Florida; and the Grumman facility at Peconic River, Long Island. Non-smokers only for F-llls ONLY NON-SMOKERS will be trained to fly the F-lll swing-wing fighter bombers of the Royal Australian Air Force. The RAAF, which has followed the USAF and USN in making this decision, is now selecting pilots to fly the new aircraft, the first of which will be delivered in about 18 months. Part of the agreement is that the Americans train Australian pilots to fly the F-lll machines. An RAAF doctor said last week: "An aero-medical study over 12 years has clearly indicated that smoking is the number one enemy of supersonic aircraft and space-vehicle crews. Nicotine in any form seriously impairs the cardio- pulmonary system. For this reason we are even taking a second look at re- formed smokers, no matter how brilliant their other physical and technical records may be." Other limits being placed on RAAF F-lll pilots include height. Men 6ft tall or more are out; ideal height is between 5ft 7in and 5ft lOin. Kuss Team to Benelux LATEST AIR FORCE to consider the Northrop F-5 is that of Japan, which is primarily interested in the F-5B two- seater. Meanwhile the Pentagon's chief salesman, Mr Henry J. Kuss, has come back into the international limelight with the leadership of a mission to the Netherlands and Belgium to attempt to salvage, for the United States, these coun- tries' orders for an F- and RF-84F replacement. As reported on this page last week it now appears that the Nether- lands' order, at least, may go to Canadair, although there are concurrent AVM T. N. Stack, new Commandant of the RAF College moves away from the F-5 and the new Dassault Mirage F.I is interesting the Benelux air forces as an alternative. Mr Kuss is reported to have proposed a mixed US/Benelux production pr0. gramme, in which Northrop, Fokker and Sabca would all have substantial parts, USAF Pilot Intake Up THE USAF has recently increased its annual pilot-training target by 487 and now aims to graduate 3,247 pilots every year, beginning in December. A ninth primary flying training installation is being opened in the summer at Ran- dolph AFB, Texas. The current flying syllabus of the 53- week USAF course comprises 30hr on Cessna T-41s, 90hr on Cessna T37 light jet trainers, and 120hr on Northrop T-38 Talons. No French Missiles for USN THE us NAVY has been refused funds to buy French Nord AS-12 air-to-surface missiles, it is reported from Washington. The potential order was said to be worth between £3 million-£7 million and the Navy's request follows an evaluation of the missiles carried by a Lockheed P-3 Orion. The missile was wanted to attack small surface craft. Civil Airliners as Ship "Targets" TO CALIBRATE AND EXERCISE the tracking systems of its new GW destroyers, the RAN is chartering Boeing 727 airliners from TAA, and will continue to do so until 1968 when the RAAF's F-llls will be delivered. The recourse to civil air- liners is necessary because the Services have no aircraft combining the size, speed and range characteristics necessary. THE FIRST OF TEN HS.748s for the RAAF is being delivered this month, with the second following in February. These are two VIP transports; the remaining eight will be navigational trainers and replace Dakotas. THE NEW COMMANDANT of the RAF College, Cranwell, is to be AVM T. N. Stack, who assumes the post on February 1. AVM Stack is a former deputy cap- tain of the Queen's Flight and is presently SASO, Flying Training Com- mand. FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION Of work OH a fourth Canberra B.2 for the West German Air Force experimental unit, Marshall of Cambridge is now overhaul- ing the first of three ex-RAF B.2s for the Peruvian Air Force. Peru received eight new Canberra B(I).8s in the late 1950s. A NEW VERSION of F-101 Voodoo has been seen at Stead AFB, Nev. Inscribed RF-101H, this aircraft was originally one of the F-lOlCs of the 81st TFW, Bent- waters, and has now been fitted with an arrester hook, centrally mounted belly pylon and blocked-out gun ports. The nose, still the pointed intercepter type. has been modified to carry at least three cameras.
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