Russians Over Alaska?
Last week's reports - and earlier ones - of vapour trails over the coast of Alaska opposite Siberia are thought to indicate that Soviet aircraft are reconnoitring this strategically important coastline. The United States military and air authorities are taking every precaution against what was described to a correspondent recently returned from Alaska as "the possibility of a Pearl Harbour up here in the Northlands", even to the extent of enrolling Eskimos as spotters for the Alaska National Guard. At settlements like Kotzebue, on the coast just across the frozen sea from Siberia, the sharp-eyed Eskimos are being given instruction in aircraft recognition.
Friendship Freightship
First mention was made last week of the Fokker project for a DC-3 replacement. More details of the aircraft, which bears the designation F.27 Friendship, have been released since the first note appeared. The intention is to build two prototypes - one powered by two Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops, the other by two Wright Cyclone piston engines. Provisional figures have been released for the turboprop-powered version, which will have a span of 95ft, length of 65.5ft and wing area of 754 sq ft. Gross weight would be 39,550 lb, of which payload would amount to 5,850 lb - equivalent to 28 passengers, luggage and freight.
Potent Weapon?
Officially but unhelpfully described as "a new gimmick", special equipment carried on USAF Sabres is believed to be largely responsible for the fact that in the first fortnight of this month no fewer than 44 Mig-15s were destroyed over NW Korea. This exceeds the previous best total for any full month.
Just how low can you get?
Budgie News came across this ex-892 Sqn Royal Navy (and later Royal Air Force) McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG1 (XT863/014) in a scrapyard outside Cowes, Isle of Wight. This old girl used to clatter onto the deck of the mighty Ark Royal lV, before taking up a new life with the RAF after the Ark was decommissioned in 1978. The aircraft now sits among discarded old cars as a "gate guardian" at Cliftongrade scrap metal merchants.
Source: Flight International
