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Old Viper Tester

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Everything posted by Old Viper Tester

  1. A trio of Vulcans at Nellis AFB for some low-level range work, January 1981. If memory serves, XL360 arrived alone and the other two came in the following week. XL360, 35 Squadron XL443, 35 Squadron XM654, 50 Squadron Thanks for looking, Sven
  2. The Aero Commander 560 is probably close enough. The lump on the nose of the 600 should be easy enough. I think the 600 had upgraded engines but the nacelles were unchanged.
  3. A Prowler, b/n 158800, from VAQ-138 on the Nellis AFB transient ramp, August 1980. Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  4. Royal Thai Air Force F-5s participating in the Green Flag 81-3 large force exercise at Nellis AFB, April 1981. F-5E 79-1694 F-5E 79-1696 F-5E 79-1697 F-5F 79-1692 F-5F 79-1708 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  5. Belgian F-16s - part of a NATO deployment of Vipers from Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands participating in the Red Flag 84-4 large force exercise, Nellis AFB, June 1984. 80-3548, FA-57 80-3552, FA-61 80-3555, FA-64 80-3594, FB-19 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  6. Aero Commander 680(?), logged as U-9D, used as station hacks by the Naval Weapons Center at NAS China Lake. A shame that the only Aero Commander kit that I know of was the Comet/Aurora kit that was in 1/81 scale dating back to about 1960. 57-6184 visiting Nellis AFB, September 1980... and 57-1683 at Edwards AFB, August 1981. Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  7. DC-8-72 N817 belonging to the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB. She actually operates out of Palmdale airport. Visiting Wright-Patterson AFB 31 July 2023. Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  8. Some FB-111As of the 380th Bomb Wing out of Plattsburg AFB participating in the Red Flag 81-1 large force exercise at Nellis AFB, November 1980... 68-0272 69-6508 69-6509 69-6513 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  9. Some of the participants at the Norton AFB open house, March 1990. The smog made for some very strange lighting effects with my Kodachrome. T-37B 59-0337, 82nd Flying Training Wing out of Williams AFB T-38A, 66-4379, 82nd Flying Training Wing out of Williams AFB F-4E 68-0324, 196th Tac Fighter Squadron, California Air National Guard out of March AFB T-43A 71-1405, 323rd Flying Training Wing out of Mather AFB F-5E 74-1536, VFA-127 out of NAS Lemoore A-7D 75-0389, 188th Tac Fighter Squadron, 150th Tac Fighter Group, New Mexico Air National Guard out of Kirtland AFB A-10A 76-0515, 355th Tac Fighter Wing out of Davis-Monthan AFB B-1B 86-0097, 28th Bomb Wing out of Ellsworth AFB F-15E 87-0187, 550th Tac Fighter Training Squadron, 405th Tactical Training Wing out of Luke AFB HH-46A 151927, Detachment 11, HC-11 CH-53A 152414, HMT-302 out of MCAS Tustin CH-46F 157682, HMT-301 out of MCAS Tustin T-2C 158327, VT-26 out of NAS Chase Field TA-4J 158464, TW-2 out of NAS Kingsville TA-4J 158723, TW-3 out of NAS Chase Field T-34C 161843, TAW-4 out of NAS Corpus Christi AV-8B 163868, VMA-214, Marine Air Group 3 out of MCAS El Toro Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  10. During the second half of the 11-month course, the USAF Test Pilot School would bring in aircraft from other units for student sorties to qualitatively evaluate aircraft flying qualities and systems performance. The intent was to give the widest experience possible in evaluating a variety of aircraft. Here, the visiting Scooters at Edwards from the Pacific Fleet Adversary unit, Attack Squadron 127 ("The Cylons"), out of NAS Miramar, providing sorties for TPS Class 81A, October 1981. 153681 153683 154657 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  11. A few of the participants at the Edwards AFB Open House, September 1981. A-7D 67-14583, 6512th Test Squadron A-10A 73-1666, A-10 Combined Test Force A-10 Night/Adverse Weather 73-1664, A-10 Combined Test Force YF-4E 65-0713, 6512th Test Squadron B-1A 74-0160, B-1B Combined Test Force RF-5E 71-1420, Northrop Flight Test Division C-5A 66-8306, 60th Military Airlift Wing C-130E 62-1851, 146th Tactical Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard F-4G 69-7251, 652nd Tac Fighter Squadron F-101B 57-0348, 111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Texas Air National Guard F-106A 58-0774, 194th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, California Air National Guard FB-111A 67-0163, 380th Bomb Wing E-4B 75-0125, 1st Air Command and Control Squadron UH-1F 70-16296, US Army Aviation Experimental Flight Activity UH-60A 77-22716, US Army Aviation Experimental Flight Activity T-28B 138327, US Army Aviation Experimental Flight Activity NB-52B 52-0008, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center F-104G N826NA, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Boeing 747 N905NA, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center A-4M 159781, VMA-211 A-6E 159569, Naval Weapons Center China Lake QF-86F 55-3883, Naval Weapons Center China Lake S-3A 160589, VS-37 CH-46F 157670, HMM-161 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  12. A pair of TA-4J Skyhawks of VT-86 out of NAS Pensacola visiting Andrews AFB, November 1987. Training Squadron 86 was responsible for initial training of Naval Flight Officers. 156925 156932 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  13. The 'vision splitter' eliminated glare and reflections between the two flat panes of the V-shaped windscreen. It was thin enough that it didn't really obscure the forward view unless your head was off to one side or the other. After a while you didn't notice it - or so I was told (my flight was in the back seat).
  14. During the second half of the 11-month course, the USAF Test Pilot School would bring in aircraft from other units for student sorties to qualitatively evaluate aircraft flying qualities and systems performance. The intent was to give the widest experience possible in evaluating a variety of aircraft. Here, the F-106... F-106B 57-2523, provided by the 194th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the California Air National Guard out of Fresno Yosemite Airport. Supporting TPS Class 81A, September 1981. The same aircraft supporting my class, TPS Class 81B, and one of my "qual flight" projects, May 1982. I found controlling the radar without perturbing the aircraft flight path challenging at first with that funky control stick. The left handle was articulated and you moved it left or right to point the radar, elevation was controlled with a thumb switch on top of the handle. At the same time the right handle was fixed and controlled the jet. In my enthusiasm to lock up an airliner outside of our operating area, the jet would bobble around until I froze my right arm while I pointed the radar with my left hand... Forward view with the 'vision splitter' The ram air turbine (RAT) Yes, they swapped out '523, the bird I flew, for '535 later in the week and I didn't notice it when I went out to take detail shots for my report (arghhh!) The control stick F-106B 57-2517, 186FIS, Montana Air National Guard supporting Class 83B, March 1984. Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Testeer
  15. It's one of the PAVE MOVER candidates being evaluated. An attempt to give the F-111 a JSTARS-like capability long before JSTARS existed. That 'blivet' is mounted to the weapons bay and actually flown as pictured. Surprising that it met SEEK EAGLE requirements for landing gear and ground clearances. Can't imagine what it did to the lateral stability of the aircraft. I was in such a rush taking the flight line pictures that I hadn't realized what I had photographed until I got the slides back. Wish I had gotten more detailed shots of it.
  16. In 1980, Eglin AFB was an Air Force Systems Command base. The host unit was the Air Force Development Test Center with its flying activities under the 3246th Test Wing. Tenant units with flying operations were the Tactical Air Warfare Center (TAWC) and the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing, both were Tactical Air Command units. TAWC fight operations were accomplished by the 53rd Fighter Weapons Wing and the 4485th Test and Evaluation Squadron. The USAF Armament Museum is also located at Eglin AFB. A-10A 73-1668, 3246TW A-10A 79-0166, 4485TES F-4C 64-0817, 3246TW F-4C 64-0875, 3246TW RF-4C 63-7742, 3246TW F-4D 65-0698, 3246TW F-4D 66-8699, 3246TW F-4E 66-0295, 4485TES F-4E 66-0308, 4485TES F-4E 67-0265, 3246TW F-15A 77-0064, 4485TES F-15B 77-0161, 3246TW F-16A 79-0328, 4485TES F-16A 80-0551, 4485TES F-111E 68-0058, 3246TW T-38A 61-0874, 3246TW T-38A 70-1571, 3246TW T-38A 70-1557, 3246TW Some Armament Museum aircraft... P-51D 44-13571 (Cavalier Mustang 68-15796) P-47N 44-89320 F-101B 56-0250 CIM-10A 55-22010 BQM-34C Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  17. No B-47. The QF-86 was in the corner of a very dark hangar.
  18. Some US Marine Corps aircraft deployed to Nellis AFB for a Marine Air Wing 3 exercise using the Nellis ranges, May 1981. AV-8A 158965, VMA-513, MODEX WF00 AV-8A 159231, VMA-513, WF02 OA-4M 153531, H&MS-13, YU5 OA-4M 154335, H&MS-13, YU7 EA-6B 160437, VMAQ-2, CY10 EA-6B 160705, VMAQ-2, CY12 EA-6B 160786, VMAQ-2, CY16 A-6E 152635, VMA-224, WK00 A-6E 155581, VMA-224, WK10 A-6E 159570, VMA-242, DT8 F-4N 153008, VMFA-323, WS02 F-4N 150651, VMFA-323, WS04 F-4N 152321, VMFA-323, WS05 F-4N 152982, VMFA-323, WS10 F-4N 152975, VMFA-531, EC02 F-4N 153006, VMFA-531, EC10 RF-4B 153091, VMFP-3, RF10 OV-10D 155483, VMO-2, UU20 OV-10D 155489, VMO-2, UU26 AH-1T 160818, HMA-169, SN17 AH-1T 160826, HMA-169, SN22 AH-1T 161015, HMA-169, SN23 UH-1N 159775, HML-267, UV06 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  19. Some of the aircraft participating in the Naval Weapons Center China Lake air show, November 1983... A-4A 137814 on display in the China Lake traffic circle. A-3B 142630, NWC T-39D 150992, NWC A-7E 160857, NWC UC-8A 161546, NWC A-6E 159569, NWC UH-1N 158270, NWC. Text on the cabin doors: "011" (small door), "NWC CHINA LAKE SEARCH & RESCUE" (main door). TA-4J 152848, NWC QF-4B 149452, NWC OV-10D 155469, VMO-2 out of Marine Corps Air Facility Camp Pendleton HH-46D 151939, NAS Point Magu rescue flight P-51D-25 44-73683 (N5551D) Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  20. During the second half of the 11-month course, the USAF Test Pilot School would bring in aircraft from other units for student sorties to qualitatively evaluate aircraft flying qualities and systems performance. The intent was to give the widest experience possible in evaluating a variety of aircraft. As part of that program, if it wasn't possible to bring the aircraft to Edwards, a student team would go to another base to conduct evaluations. Probably the most unusual of the off-base evaluations was the Goodyear blimp. Anyway, one of the more popular evaluation airframes was the F-105 - so long as they were still in the USAF inventory. Here, the visiting Thuds at Edwards from the 466th Tac Fighter Squadron, 419th Tac Fighter Wing, Air Force Reserve out of Hill AFB, providing sorties for TPS Class 83A, October 1983. F-105D 62-4387 F-105F 63-8261 F-105F 63-8287 F-105F 63-8309 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  21. Some of the aircraft participating in the George AFB Air Show, September 1983. F-4E 66-0359, 21st Tac Fighter Training Squadron, 35th Tac Fighter Wing F-4G 69-7233, 561st Tac Fighter Squadron, 35th Tac Fighter Wing F-4G 69-0274, 561st Tac Fighter Squadron, 35th Tac Fighter Wing UH-1F 66-1223, "Chopper Ops", 35th Tac Fighter Wing F-105D 62-4299, 466th Tac Fighter Squadron, 419th Tac Fighter Wing, Air Force Reserve out of Hill AFB F-106A 59-0132, 194th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 144th Fighter Interceptor Wing, California Air National Guard out of Fresno Yosemite IAP T-33A 53-5262, 194th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 144th Fighter Interceptor Wing, California Air National Guard out of Fresno Yosemite IAP EF-111A 66-0044, 390th Electronic Combat Squadron, 366th Tac Fighter Wing out of Mountain Home AFB KC-10A 79-1948, 22nd Air Refueling Wing out of March AFB RF-4C 68-0574, 12th Tac Reconnaissance Squadron, 67th Tac Reconnaissance Wing out of Bergstrom AFB C-5A 70-0450 , 60th Air Mobility Wing out of Travis AFB A-7D 70-0980, 152nd Tac Fighter Squadron, 162nd Tac Fighter Group, Arizona Air National Guard out of Tucson IAP F-15A 76-0077, 560th Tac Fighter Training Squadron, 405th Tac Training Wing out of Luke AFB A-10A 76-0552, 45th Tac Fighter Squadron, 434th TAc Fighter Wing, Air Force Reserve out of Grissom AFB L-5 Sentinel 42-14934 (N59AF) F-16A 81-0678, USAF Aerial Demonstration Squadron, 57th Fighter Weapons Wing, Tactical Fighter Weapons Center out of Nellis AFB F-16A 81-0677 F-16A 81-0676 F-16A 81-0670 F-16A 81-0667 81-0663 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  22. None from the Red Flag, but these from UK air shows... Anyone know what the writing inside the nose gear door is about? Many of these will turn up again when I get around to posting airshow collections. Sven
  23. Actually, when I was stationed at Nellis, I worked F-4 and F-15 operational test programs. It was later, at Edwards AFB, where I worked the F-16XL development test program and a second tour at Edwards on F-16 upgrades where I got most of my F-16 experience.
  24. Aircraft of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, 57th Fighter Weapons Wing, Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, Nellis AFB, April 1989. A-10A 79-0172 F-16B 82-1028 F-16B 82-1033 F-16D 86-0039 F-16D 86-0041 F-16C 87-0309 F-16C 87-0311 F-16C 87-0313 F-16C 87-0315 F-16C 87-0333 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
  25. Tornado GR.1s at Red Flag 93-1, Nellis AFB, November 1992. ZA457, 17 Squadron ZA461, 31 Squadron ZA471, 15 Squadron ZD845, 9 Squadron ZD847, 17 Squadron Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester
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