Air Enthusiast 1972-01
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Airscene
On 22 November the Australian Army officially accepted delivery of the first of 75 Bell 206B-1 JetRangers to be used in the LOH role at Eagle Farm Airport, Fairbairn. By comparison with the OH-58A Kiowa version of the JetRanger being supplied to the US Army, the Australian Army model has the uprated Allison 250-C20 turboshaft which offers 400 shp, the Kiowa hawing the 317 shp 250-C18A turboshaft.
The first of eight test and evaluation examples of the Lockheed S-3A Viking ASW aircraft which is scheduled to commence its flight test programme during January 1972.
All Venom Mk 50s remaining in service with the Swiss Flugwaffe have now been fitted with additional avionic equipment to increase their effectiveness in the ground attack role. The introduction of the new equipment has resulted in a noticeable change in the contours of the fuselage nose clearly shown by the photograph.
Rolled out late in November 1971 in preparation for flight testing was the first Boeing 747F, an all-freight version with hinged nose and no fuselage windows, destined for Lufthansa.
This new photograph of the projected Northrop P-530 Cobra illustrates the fact that, although optimised for the air superiority role, it will carry a substantial ordnance load when operated in its secondary role of close support and interdiction. On a close support mission up to 10,000 lb (4 536 kg) of deliverable weapons may be hung from six wing pylons and one fuselage pylon, and maximum external load of weapons and fuel will be 16,000 lb (7 257 kg).