Century Circle at Edwards AFB

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Updated October 24, 2008

Century Circle, a display of Century-series fighters has been installed just outside the Rosamond Boulevard gate into Edwards Air Force Base. It is open to the public. Just pull into the parking lot before you reach the guard house. The Century series jet fighters displayed include North American YF-100 Super Sabre 52-5755, McDonnell F-101B Voodoo 58-0288, Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger 54-1353, Lockheed F-104A Starfighter 56-0860, Republic F0195D Thunderchief 61-0146, and convair F-106B Delta Dart 59-0158. They were joined in July 2008 by McDonnell Douglas YC-15 AMST prototype N15YC.

McDonnell Douglas YC-15 Advanced Medium STOL Transport prototype N15YC.

The YC-15A competed with the Boeing YC-14A in the mid-1970s. Neither airplane was put into production.

YC-15A N15YC was displayed ofr several years at the Pima Air Museum near Tucson, Arizona.

YC-15A N15YC was flown to Palmdale for additinoal tests a few years ago, but it was not utilized.



North American YF-100A Super Sabre 52-5755

North American YF-100A Super Sabre 52-5755

This text appears on a plaque mounted in front of the Super Sabre.


McDonnell F-101B-105 Voodoo 58-0288

McDonnell F-101B-105 Voodoo 58-0288

This text appears on a plaque mounted in front of the Voodoo.

F-101B 58-0288 was displayed at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum for many years.

Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger 54-1353

Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger 54-1353

Air Research and Development Command badge on the fuselage of Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger 54-1353

This text appears on a plaque mounted in front of the Delta Dagger.

Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger 54-1353 was displayed at Fox Field near Lancaster for three decades. It is seen here on June 30, 1995.
Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger 54-1353 on June 5, 1996.
Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger 54-1353 on the morning of August 15, 2001.
YF-100 52-5755 and TF-102A 54-1353 were parked on the flightline at South Base for a few years.

Lockheed F-104A Starfighter 56-0790 was delivered to the U.S. Air Force as an F-104A-20. In 1966 it was converted to an NF-104A to serve as NASA chase plane #720. It was later converted to F-104G configuration for nuclear weapons shape trials.

Lockheed F-104A Starfighter 56-0790

This text appears on a plaque mounted in front of the Starfighter.

F-104A 56-0790 was displayed at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum for many years in NASA livery as NF-104A N820NA.
Freshly repainted F-104A 56-790 was displayed at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 27, 2006. This is a stereo pair. To see the Sttarfighter in 3-D, cross your eyes until the two images line up.

Republic F-105D-20 Thunderchief 61-0146

Republic F-105D-20 Thunderchief 61-0146

This text appears on a plaque mounted in front of the Thunderchief.

F-105D 61-0146 had been recently restored when it was displayed at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 29, 1989.
F-105D 61-0146 was displayed at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum for many years.

Convair F-106B Delta Dart 59-0158 was retired to to MASDC as FN0019 on Oct 21, 1983. It was later converted to a QF-106 target drone, but fortunately it escaped destruction. It was retired to AMARC again as FN0205 on Feb 23, 1998.

This text appears on a plaque mounted in front of the Delta Dart.

The recently restored F-106B 59-0158 was displayed at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 21, 2005.



Links

Link to the Edwards Air Force Base press release about the dedication of the Century Circle.

The Air Force Flight Test Center Museum boasts a collection of airplanes and helicopters that have contributed to the vast history of flight testing that has occurred at Edwards Air Force Base.

Find out how to tour the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum.

Following the airshow at Edwards AFB on October 25, 2003, I photographed part of the collection of the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum that is stored on the old South Base flightline.

The Antelope Valley has a rich aviation heritage. Air Force Plant 42 has been the site of the first flights of many important and novel aircraft. Aircraft flying out of Edwards Air Force Base are often seen in the skies overhead. There are several places where you can see vintage airplanes displayed in the Antelope Valley.




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