Edwards Air Force Base (EDW, KEDW)

[bilwor]

Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) YA-7F 'Strikefighter' cnD-255 USAF 71-0344 a by Bill Word, on Flickr

Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) YA-7F 'Strikefighter' cnD-255 USAF 71-0344 c by Bill Word, on Flickr

Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) YA-7F "Strikefighter" (D-255)(USAF 71-0344)(ED 412th Test Wing) (Converted to supersonic with afterburning Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 engine of 26,000 pounds thrust. The fuselage was lengthened 4 ft with new fuselage sections, a 30 in section in front of the wing and an 18 in section behind the wing. The vertical stabilizer height was increased about 10 in, the unit horizontal tail was flipped from dihedral to anhedral.)

[bilwor]

Douglas TB-26H 'Invader' ('Variable Stability Simulator') cn27444 USAF 44-34165 N9146H d by Bill Word, on Flickr

Douglas TB-26H "Invader" ("Variable Stability simulator") (27444)(USAF 44-34165) (N9146H)(Calspan Flight Research)(Variable Stability System (VSS)the basic flight characteristics of such an aircraft could be altered by a stability-augmentation system, so that a wide range of static and dynamic characteristics, representing the flying qualities of a different aircraft, could be safely simulated and evaluated in flight. Initially, only the pitch axis was converted into the variable stability mode. In 1963 variable stability roll and yaw to the VSS and finally A closed-loop throttle servo was added to the B-26 in the mid 1960s for a Supersonic Transport simulation. This was the first application of a four degree-of- freedom  simulation system.

[Barry Griffiths]

Current Speckled Trout
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker USAF 63-7980 "Speckled Trout" Test Tanker II 412th FLTS by Barry Griffiths, on Flickr
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker USAF 63-7980 "Speckled Trout" Test Tanker II 412th FLTS by Barry Griffiths, on Flickr

[Barry Griffiths]

Original Speckled Trout
Boeing C-135C Stratolifter USAF 61-2669 "Speckled Trout" 412th FLTS by Barry Griffiths, on Flickr

[bilwor]

Scaled Composites SC-133-AT3 "SMUT" (001)(N133SC) (Special-Mission Utility Transport)   (Advanced Technology Tactical Transport [ATTT] proof-of-concept demonstrator is a 62% scaled version of an airplane designed to challenging STOL and long range requirements under contract to Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [DARPA])


Scaled Composites SC-133-AT3 'SMUT' cn001 N133SC Special-Mission Utility Transport a by Bill Word, on Flickr

Scaled Composites SC-133-AT3 'SMUT' cn001 N133SC Special-Mission Utility Transport b by Bill Word, on Flickr

[bilwor]

General Dynamics NF-111A "Aardvark" (A1-13)(USAF 63-9778)(NASA)(was modified for the  Transonic Aircraft Technology (TACT) program by adding a highly efficient  supercritical wing. At the end of the TACT program a new program to extend the supercritical wing technology to a higher level of performance. A joint NASA and Air Force program called Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) was created. The supercritical wing on the F-111A aircraft was replaced with a wing built by Boeing Aircraft Company System called a "mission adaptive wing" (MAW). This wing had an internal mechanism to flex the outer wing skin and produce a high  camber section for subsonic speeds, a supercritical section for transonic speeds,  and symmetrical section for supersonic speeds. The surface irregularities from leading edge slates was eliminated and trailing edge flap effects reduced. The use of flexible wing skins to produce a smooth upper surface brought this wing a little closer in concept to that of a bird.

General Dynamics NF-111A 'Aardvark' cnA1-13 USAF 63-9778 NASA b by Bill Word, on Flickr

General Dynamics NF-111A 'Aardvark' cnA1-13 USAF 63-9778 NASA d by Bill Word, on Flickr

General Dynamics NF-111A 'Aardvark' cnA1-13 USAF 63-9778 NASA e by Bill Word, on Flickr

[bilwor]

Fairchild-Republic T-46A "Eaglet" (USAF 84-0492)(One of three built for the Next
  Generation Trainer [NGT] program)

Fairchild-Republic T-46A 'Eaglet' USAF 84-0492 b by Bill Word, on Flickr

Fairchild-Republic T-46A 'Eaglet' USAF 84-0492 c by Bill Word, on Flickr

[Tower Guy]

Very nice group of photos Bill, you've got a lot of history in theses shots.

[bilwor]

Thanks Harvey, I like to give all the info about the aircraft, especially if the are unique.
bill

[Mike Margolis]

Very nice bill! Last time I saw a T-46 was when a pair sat on the ramp getting gas at Willie in the late 80's - they were on the way to the bone yard. It was terrible to see brand new airplanes being parked. The T-46 would have been a great basic jet trainer!

[Scott Youmans]

Interesting to see the T-46 again.   Didn't know one ended up there.  I saw one or two at MASDC years ago.  I spent many hours during the eighties working on the F109 engine program at Garrett prior to its cancellation.

[bilwor]

Douglas C-53 "Skytrooper/Gooney Bird" (4863)(USAAC 41-20093)(painted as MATS 120093) Transferred to the Navy as BuNo 05073 January 9, 1942. Civil Registry NC30084. Sold to the Venezualen airline Avensa and  registered YV-C-AVO on March 14, 1947. It was withdrawn from use in 1972.

Douglas C-53 'Skytrooper-Gooney Bird' cn4863 USAAC 41-20093 b by Bill Word, on Flickr

[azspyder]

A couple of "heavies"...

[Barry Griffiths]

Very nice shots, in very difficult light, Steve.

[azspyder]

Very nice shots, in very difficult light, Steve.

Thank you very much Barry!