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Aviation History
1967
1967 - 1411.PDF
1088 FLIGHT International, 28 December A single Pratt & Whitney JT9D turbofan replaces two P&W J57s on an inboard pod of a B.S2 test bed in this artist's impression. The engine, which is rated at 43,5001b thrust, is under development for the Boeing 747. First flight of the test bed is scheduled for next summer NO TEETH FOR RAAF MIRAGES? THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS stood to be trying to obtain a licence for the production of cannon ammunition for its RAAF Mirage Ills. At present all such ammunition has to be purchased from France and there are fears that supplies might be interrupted in an emergency. This total dependence on France is causing concern to Australian defence planners, for they feel that President de Gaulle—who is opposed to the American and Australian role in Vietnam—could refuse supplies if Aus- tralia were to deploy her Mirages in South-East Asia. The supply aspect was given promin- ence recently by the Federal Opposition Leader, Mr Gough Whitlam, who asked what would happen if Australia had to employ her Mirages in the face of such French action. Mr Gough pointed out that France had cut off vital supplies to the Israeli Air Force during the recent Arab/Israel war. The Minister for Supply, Senator Norman Henty, disclosed that Australia imported $A519,000 (£240,000) worth of 30mm cannon ammunition last year. A large quantity is used for training; this is expected to become larger still as the RAAF Mirage complement increases unitil the one-hundredth and final air- craft is delivered at the end of next year. Senator McClelland said in Canberra that he doubted whether, in the event of an emergency, the Department for Supply would be sufficiently geared to provide the RAAF with the type and quantity of ammunition which would be needed. At present, he went on to say, the Department for Supply was manu- facturing only 3.8 per cent of the ammunition needed by the RAAF; the balance was imported. New Role for South Cerney AFTER A THIRTY-YEAR association with officer and aircrew training, RAF South Cerney is to become a dormitory unit for Air Support Command. The final passing-out parade for cadets at the Aircrew Officer Training School was due to be held on December 22. The school will be transferred to RAF Church Fenton, thus rejoining its associate unit, the Primary Flying Squadron, which was transferred last January. Opened in 1937, RAF South Cerney became the home of 3 FTS. It became famous during the war for its role in pilot training and also as HQ 23 Group, which controlled advanced pilot train- ing. The station was one of the first to be bombed by the Luftwaffe, in June 1940. After the war it filled a variety of roles in Flying Training Command and was the home of the Central Flying School, Basic. In 1957, 1 FTS (renamed the Aircrew Officer Training School last January) moved to South Cerney and the Primary Flying Squadron was formed in 1965 to give initial flying instruction to newly commissioned pilots. F-lll Costs Up Again MR DENIS HEALEY, Secretary of State for Defence, told Parliament in a written answer on December 13 that the total cost of Britain's F-111K programme to March 1976, but including capital repay- ments and interest thereafter, would be about £425 million. The total dollar cost, estimated before and after devaluatk was respectively £310 million an £360 million. This figure (£425 million) represen an increase of £90 million over tt previously estimated cost; of tl £335 million mentioned by Mr Heale earlier this year, some £300 millio would have been dollar expenditure. A before, the cost includes the costs ass dated with training air and grou| crews, and the provisioning of re and facilities, and spread over a !. a period. The original cost of the F-lllk p; gramme was to have been £280 milli over this period; this apparently h< good up until early this year. The n< figure thus represents an increase 52 per cent over the original estimati There is some possibility that Healey will seek to extend the F-ll offset assignment, by which Britain allowed to sell equipment to the Unit States government on the same terms American manufacturers. At presf Britain is allowed to sell goods up $325 million over the next ten year- far, United Kingdom has already re, ^e orders to the value of $178 million. Mr Roy Mason, Minister of Dcfens for equipment, said on December I A Fokker F.27 Troopship of the RNethAF in United Nations markings lands at Ypenburg. TS aircraft was requested by the UN for operation in the Holy Land shortly after the Arab/lsii ease fire. The aircraft is fitted out for mixed freight and passenger carriage and has 12 sea" in the rear fuselage
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