July 27, 2017 This week in Edwards history On July 26, 1958, test pilot Capt. Iven Kincheloe Jr. was killed following an unsuccessful ejection when his F-104 suffered an engine failure on takeoff. A Korean War fighter pilot, Kincheloe had been assigned to Edwards in the mid-1950s as a test pilot where he flew many of the new “Century” series
Aug. 10, 2017 This week in Edwards history On Aug. 8, 1955, the X-1A was lost after an explosion took place while still mated to its mother ship at an altitude of 30,000 feet, just 70 seconds before launch. NACA pilot Joe Walker escaped unharmed from the cockpit, whereupon the research plane was jettisoned over the bombing range. The
Sept. 12, 2017 This week in Edwards history On Sept. 15, 1942, contractor personnel were removed from the Materiel Center Flight Test Site prior to the arrival of the secret XP-59 and a group of 11 Bell Aircraft Corp. employees took over the site.
Sept. 5, 2017 This week in Edwards history On Sept. 8, 2005, a production crew from NBC Universal Studios began filming an episode of its award-winning series “Monk” at Edwards AFB. Approximately 50 Edwards personnel worked side by side with actors to portray their job specialties, which then were integrated into the finished production.
Jan. 3, 2018 This week in Edwards history On Jan. 3, 1966, the second prototype of the XB-70 achieved a speed of Mach 3.05 at 72,000 feet, marking the first time the aircraft type had flown at three times the speed of sound. This Edwards History Office file photo was taken June 8, 1966.
June 5, 2017 This week in Edwards history On June 5, 1948, Northrop’s YB-49 No. 2, a prototype flying wing jet bomber, went out of control during its 25th test flight and crashed about 10 miles northwest of Muroc Air Force Base. Three officers and two civilian aircrew were killed. The pilot was Maj. Daniel Forbes, Jr. and the co-pilot was
June 15, 2017 This week in Edwards history On June 15, 1964, the first Douglas B-26K counter-insurgency aircraft was ferried to Edwards to begin limited Category II evaluation for the Aeronautical Systems Center. The B-26K was a modification of Korean War-era Douglas B-26Bs adapted for combat service in Vietnam and later was redesignated
Aug. 3, 2017 This week in Edwards history On Aug. 2, 2006, a C-5 Galaxy taxied across a series of ramps laid out on Rogers Dry Lakebed as part of its Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engining Program. The taxi runs tested the structural integrity and movement of the aircraft’s new engines and pylons under rough conditions.
June 23, 2017 This week in Edwards history On June 23, 1961 Major Robert M. White became the first person to exceed Mach 5 when he flew the X-15 to a speed of Mach 5.27 (3,603 mph). Breaking barriers since 1947 - Celebrating 70 years of supersonic flight.
July 19, 2017 This week in Edwards history On July 17, 1965, the North American XB-70 Valkyrie No. 2 arrived following its maiden flight from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.