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Test Support YA-7D - 69-6191


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YA-7D, s/n 69-6191, was a support jet with the 6512th Test Squadron, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB. It was primarily used as a trainer for the USAF Test Pilot School (TPS) and as a support aircraft for other aircraft test flights, usually F-15s or F-16s.

 

March 1981. Most of the YA-7Ds retained the US Navy probe and drogue refueling probe and were never fitted with the flying boom receptacle. 

69-6191 6512ts KEDW 19810300 21cr

 

July 1984. The "ED" tail codes were added to most 6510th Test Wing Aircraft in 1983

69-6191 6512ts ED KEDW 19840719 14cr

 

May 1985 with SUU-20 practice bomb suspension units. When the A-7s were used as target/threat aircraft for F-15 or F-16 radar testing, ALQ-131 or ALQ-188 ECM pods would be carried on the mid-wing stations.

69-6191 6512ts ED KEDW 19840719 01cr

 

The trapezoid markings on top of the wing are for optical tracking during TPS spin training/evaluation missions, making it easier to determine the aircraft attitude with ground-based optical trackers and cameras. TPS would spin the A-7 both upright and inverted.

69-6191 6512ts ED KEDW 19850518 06cr

 

January 1989. I had left Edwards for a posting in London in 1985. When I returned to Edwards in 1988, all of the F-4s and A-7s were in white with red visibility markings.

69-6191 6512ts ED KEDW 19890100 16cr

 

Just as well that all the flight test A-10s left Edwards in the Summer of 1985. White and red Warthogs would be just plain wrong.

 

Thanks for looking,

Sven

Edited by Old Viper Tester
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30 minutes ago, Old Viper Tester said:

White and red Warthogs would be just plain wrong.

Amen to that, Sven :D

 

Ciao

 

 

 

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