Warplane Survivors USA: California, Rosamond, Edwards AFB, Air Force Flight Test Museum

California Warplanes, Rosamond, Edwards AFB, Air Force Flight Test Museum

Rosamond, Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Flight Test Museum, 95ABW/MU, 405 S Rosamond Boulevard, 93524-1850.  (661) 277-8050.  This 12,000 sq. ft. museum houses exhibits covering such diverse subjects as the formation of the ancient lakebeds, early homesteading, the first military uses of Edwards, flight testing during the Second World War, breaking the sound barrier, aviation records set at Edwards, testing the X-15, and the story of Glen Edwards, for whom the base was named.  Other exhibits include aircraft hardware, personal memorabilia, aviation fine art and photography, and models.  A museum centerpiece is the historical mural “Golden Age of Flight Test,” a 10 foot by 20 foot painting by noted aviation artist Mike Machat.  The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 9 AM to 4:30 PM and is closed Sunday, Monday, and federal holidays. Admission is free.  Currently, due to security restrictions, the museum is only open to those individuals with official business on Edwards Air Force Base or individuals attending a tour through public affairs.

Beech UC-45J Expeditor (Serial No. 408823), c/n 5805, 823, ex SNB-2, (Ex (Serial No. 43-33532), (BuNo. 67161), Reg. No. N57161.

Bell P-59B Airacomet  (Serial No. 44-22633), c/n 27-41, ex-”Reluctant Robot”, early RPV, mounted on a pylon in front of the base library.

Bell X-1 (Serial No. 46-0062), “Glamorous Glennis” replica.

Bensen X-25B Gyrocopter (Serial No. 68-10771), gyrochute DDV test vehicle.

(USAF Photo)

Boeing XB-47 Stratojet (Serial No. 15257), JATO launch, ca 1947.

Boeing XB-47 Stratojet (Serial No. 46-066), second prototype.  This aircraft has been moved from Ramntoul, Illinois.

Boeing B-47B Stratojet (Serial No. 51-25-BW).

(calgriz Photo)

(Alan Wilson Photos)

Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress (Serial No. 52-0008), c/n 16498, “Balls Eight”, NASA Mothership, NASA 008.  EAFB north gate.  This Mothership launched the majority of X-15 flights.

Boeing B-52D-70-BO Stratofortress (Serial No. 56-0585), c/n 17268, AFFTC Museum Air Park display.

Boeing C-135A Stratolifter, (Serial No. 60-0377), c/n 18152, B2 Avionics test-bed.

Boeing-Vertol H-21C Workhorse Helicopter, (Serial No. 52-8623), c/n C.44, Reg. No. N8540.

Cessna A-37 Dragonfly (Serial No. 73-1114), c/n 43534, ED.

Cessna NA-37B Tweet (Serial No. 73-1090), c/n 43456, ED, ex-test Pilot School support.

Consolidated ZXF-81 (Serial No. 44-91000).

Consolidated ZXF-81 (Serial No. 44-91001).

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Convair F-106B-75-CO, QF-106 Delta Dart (Serial No. 59-0158), c/n 8-32-10, AD275, on display at Century Circle.

Convair YB-58/TB-58A Hustler (Serial No. 55-0665), “Snoopy”, YF-12 radar test, major damage.  Located on the Edwards AFB photo test range, south side of Rogers Dry Lake, approximately ½-mile north of East Avenue B and one mile east of 140th Street.

Compass Dwell RPV MMC-845.

(Bill Larkins Photo)

de Havilland Canada DHC-2/U6A Beaver (Serial No. 116856), Torrance, California, March 1953.

de Havilland Canada DHC-2/U6A Beaver (Serial No. 53-2781), c/n 562, ED, Reg. No. N384N.

de Havilland Canada DHC C-7B Caribou (Serial No. 63-9765), c/n 232, Ex-US Army Golden Knights.  Repainted in Vietnam War-era colours.  The aircraft has more than 73 bullet holes that have been patched from its wartime service.

Douglas TB-26H Invader (Serial No. 44-34165), c/n 27444, Reg. No. N9146H, Calspan flying simulator.

Douglas C-53D Skytrooper (Serial No. 41-20093), c/n 11639, Reg. No. N101KC.

Douglas EF-10B/F3D-2Q Skyknight (BuNo. 125850), c/n 8044, CY-19, ex-USMC F3D-2.

Douglas A-3D-1 Skywarrior (BuNo. 135434), ex-barrier test/fire training.

Fairchild C-119B Flying Boxcar (Serial No. 48-0352), ex-firebomber, USDA loan.

Fairchild C-123B-9-FA/C-123K Provider (Serial No. 54-0683), on loan from USDA.

Fairchild-Republic YA-10B Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 73-1664), c/n A10-0001, this is the only 2-seat variant built.

Fairchild T-46A (Serial No. 84-0492), NGT Next Generation Trainer prototype (Serial No. 1).

General Dynamics F-111A Aardvark (Serial No. 63-9766), c/n A1-01, 1st F-111 built.

General Dynamics NF-111A Aardvark (Serial No. 63-9778), c/n A1-13, NASA AFTI (Advanced Fighter Technology Integration).

General Dynamics NF-16B Fighting Falcon (Serial No. 75-0750), c/n 61-6, first 2-seat B variant.

General Dynamics F-16B Fighting Falcon (Serial No. 80-0634), c/n 62-67, mounted on a pylon in front of Base HQ alongside F-86F (Serial No. 52-5241), also on a pylon.

Gloster Meteor TT 20 NF 11 (Serial No. WD592), Reg. No. N94749.

Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star (Serial No. 49-0851).

Lockheed EF-80A Shooting Star (Serial No. 44-85123), c/n 080-1146, 1946 trans-continental speed record.

Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (Serial No. 52-9846), mounted on a pylon at TPS.

Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (Serial No. 53-5099), c/n 580-8438.

Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (Serial No. 53-5540).

Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (Serial No. 58-0669), c/n 580-1718.

Lockheed YF-94A Starfire (Serial No. 48-0356), c/n 1146, FA-356, prototype A, ex TF-80C/T-33. This aircraft was previously on display as a gate guard at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas and is currently in storage at Edwards AFB awaiting restoration.

Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (Serial No. 56-0801).

(USAF Photo)

Lockheed NF-104A Starfighter  (Serial No. 56-0760), c/n 183-1048, NF-760, composite with parts from (Serial No. 56-0756), this aircraft was the SR-71 first flight chase plane.  Mounted on a pylon outside the Test Pilot School.  USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) commandant Eugene Deatrick (51A), student Mike Loh (67B), and instructors Jim Rider (65C) and Jim Rhodes (66A) in front of Lockheed NF-104A (Serial No. 56-0760), 1 June 1968.

Lockheed NF-104A Starfighter  (Serial No. 56-0790), c/n 183-1078, FG-790, rocket assisted, mounted on a pylon at TPS, Reg. No. N820NA.

Lockheed C-140A Jetstar (Serial No. 59-5962), last operational USAF C-140.

Lockheed NC-141A Starlifter (Serial No. 61-2779), No. 5 aircraft radar test bed, modified with an F-15 nose section.

Lockheed A-12 Blackbird (Serial No. 60-6924), c/n 121, Oxcart prototype, on display at Blackbird Park.

Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird (Serial No. 61-7955), c/n 2006, ex Flight Test, Skunk Works logo on the tail.

Lockheed D-21 Drone, on loan from NASA.

Lockheed U-2D (NS), Dragon Lady ex Edwards Air Force Base, previously on display at March Air Force Base.

LTV YA-7D-1-CV Corsair II (Serial No. 67-14583), c/n D-002, ED, ex DIGITAC fly-by-wire test aircraft.

LTV A-7D-11-CV/YA-7F Corsair II (Serial No. 71-0344).

M2-F1 Lifting Body. Reg. No. N86652.

Martin B-57B Night Intruder (Serial No. 52-1576), c/n 166, NASA 809, Reg. No. N809NA.

(Alan Wilson Photo)

McDonnell F-101B Voodoo (Serial No. 58-0288), c/n 660, 05.

McDonnell-Douglas NF-4C Phantom II (Serial No. 63-7407), c/n 311, ED, 1st production F-4C.

McDonnell-Douglas NRF-4C-20-MC Phantom II (Serial No. 64-1004), c/n 690, ED.

(TSgt. Ed Boyce, USAF Photo)

McDonnell F-4D-28-MC Phantom II (Serial No. 65-0763), 194th FIS, 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard, 1987.

McDonnell-Douglas YF-4E Phantom II (Serial No. 65-0713), c/n 1761, prototype E, ex F-4D.

McDonnell-Douglas F-15B Eagle (Serial No. 73-0114), c/n 41/B009, ED.

(Alan Wilson Photos)

McDonnell-Douglas YC-15A (Serial No. 72-1875), c/n CX001, 15, Reg. No. N15YC, on display near the west gate in Century Circle.

MMC-845 RPV Compass Dwell (Serial No. 01454).

North American F-86F Sabre (Serial No. 52-5241), c/n 191-937, FU-241, mounted on a pylon outside 412 TW/HQ, beside F-16B (Serial No. 80-0634), also on a pylon.

North American F-100A Super Sabre (Serial No. 52-5760), No. 5, photo range target.

North American F-100A Super Sabre (Serial No.53-1688), in storage at Mojave airport.

(Alan Wilson Photo)

North American YF-100A Super Sabre (Serial No. 52-5755), c/n 180-2, FW-755, 2nd Super Sabre built, on display in Century Circle.

North American CT-39A Sabreliner (Serial No. 60-3505), c/n 265-33.

North American T-28B Trojan (Serial No. 137702), c/n 200-65, Army Flight Test.

(NASA Photo)

North American X-15 (Serial No. 56-6672), replica of X-15 No. 3 that crashed in 1967 with the loss of pilot Michael Adams.  Mounted on a pylon.

A North American team designed the aircraft, with technical guidance from the NACA Langley Aeronautical Laboratory (now NASA Langley Research Center), Hampton, Virginia. The basic X-15 was a single-seat, mid-wing monoplane. The X-15 initially flew with two XLR-11 engines, producing a thrust of 16,380 lb. Later, the Thiokol Chemical Corp. throttleable XLR-99 engine was installed. The XLR-99 provided a maximum thrust of 57,000 lb. and a minimum thrust of 28,000 lb. It was fueled by anhydrous ammonia and liquid oxygen.

Three rocket-powered X-15s flew a total of 199 times. The first X-15 arrived at the NASA High-Speed Flight Station (now NASA Dryden Flight Research Center) in early 1959. All flights took place within the "high range" east of Edwards Air Force Base, California, and the NASA Flight Research Center.

Because the rocket engine consumed large amounts of fuel, the X-15 was air launched from a B-52 research aircraft at about 45,000 feet, flying over 500 mph. Depending on the mission, the rocket engine provided thrust for the first 80 to 120 seconds of flight. The remainder of the normal 8- to 12-minute flight was without rocket engine power and ended in a 200-mph glide landing. Because the nose wheel lacked steering and the main landing gear employed skids, the X-15 landed on a dry lakebed. The Rogers Dry Lake adjacent to Edwards and Dryden was the intended landing location for all flights, but numerous lakebeds were selected in advance for emergency landings.

The X-15 used conventional aerodynamic controls for flight in the dense air of the usable atmosphere. Rudder surfaces on the vertical stabilizers controlled yaw (i.e., movement of the nose left or right) and canted horizontal surfaces on the tail controlled pitch (i.e., nose up and down) when moving in synchronization or roll when moved differentially.

For flight in the thin air outside the Earth's atmosphere, the X-15 used a reaction control system. Hydrogen peroxide thrust rockets on the nose of the aircraft provided pitch and yaw control. Those on the wings furnished roll control. The outer skin of the X-15 was a nickel-chrome alloy called Inconel X, employed in a heat sink structure to withstand the results of aerodynamic heating when the aircraft was flying within the atmosphere. The cabin was made of aluminum and was isolated from the outer structure to keep it cool. (NASA)

Northrop X-4 Bantam (Serial No. 46-6761), No. 1 of 2, moved from the USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, 2003.

Northrop F-89D Scorpion (Serial No. 52-1959).

Northrop F-89 Scorpion (Serial No. 52-01883), ex-Aberdeen target, not in good shape.

Northrop X-21A (Serial No. 55-408) B-66 Laminar flow/target, transferring to USAFM.

Northrop X-21A (Serial No. 55-410) B-66 Laminar flow/target, transferring to USAFM.

Northrop T-38A Talon (Serial No. 61-0810), mounted on a pylon.

Northrop F-20A Tigershark, Northrop marketing mock-up.

Northrop YA-9A (Serial No. 71-01367), 1st  prototype, only two were built.

PGM-17A Thor, ex-Rocket Propulsion Test Article.

Piasecki H-21C Workhorse Helicopter (Serial No. 52-8623), on loan from USDA.

Piasecki HUP-2/H-25 Retriever Helicopter  (BuNo. 130059).

Piper PA-48 Enforcer, c/n 48-8301002, Reg. No. N482PE, No. 2 of 2.

Republic F-84F-10-GK Thunderstreak (Serial No. 51-9350), FS-350, Air Park Museum display.

Republic XF-84H Thunderstreak (Serial No. 51-17059).

(Rennet Stow Photo)

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Republic F-105D-1-RE Thunderchief (Serial No. 61-0146), c/n D341, HI.

Rutan 354 Vari-Eze, Museum foundation loan.

Sikorsky SH-34G Seabat Helicopter (Serial No. 53-4477), c/n 58-0022, 00, USMC.

Sikorsky VH-34C Choctaw Helicopter (Serial No. 57-1726), c/n 58-0918, ex-Presidential Flight.

Sikorsky CH-3E/JCH-3E Jolly Green Giant Helicopter  (Serial No. 62-12581), c/n 61506.

Teledyne-Ryan AQM-34J Firebee I.

Teledyne-Ryan BQM-34A Firebee I.

Vought F-8U Crusader (Serial No. 145385).

Vought RF-8G Crusader (Serial No. 144607), ex X-31 Chase plane.

Rocket Engines: XLR-99, XLR-8, XLR-11, LR-121.

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