Edwards Air Force Base Open House
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I attended the Edwards Air Force Base Open House with my father, Richard Lockett, on May 19, 1970. The displays featured the Martin Marietta X-24A lifting body, the Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress that had launched the X-15s, a Lockheed YF-12A Blckbird, a General Dynamics F-111A, a Bell AH-1G Cobra, and a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy. Flying demonstratinos included a Lockheed C-130E Hercules cargo drop, a Boeing B-52C Stratofortress, a Lockheed YF-12A Blckbird, a Lockheed U-2 and a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy.
Lockheed C-130E 61-2358 dropping cargo. This was the last C-130E on active duty. It is now at Edwards Air Force Base for eventual display in the Flight Test Center Museum. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Boeing B-52C 53-0399 was the fisrt B-52C. It is the onnly B-52C to be painted overall silver. It had been intended to launch X-20 Dyna-Soar test flights, but that program was cancelled. It was delivered to MASDC on July 28, 1975 as BC212. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed YF-12A 60-6936 experenced an in-flight fuel line failure and engine fire and was lost on June 24, 1971. Lieutenant Colonel Jack Layton and Major William Curtis ejected safely. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed U-2 has a photo resolution pattern on its underside. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed C-5A 67-0167 with a Cessna T-37 flying in formation to emphasize the size of the Galaxy. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed C-5A 67-0167 was delivered to the Air Force on September 30, 1969. It was delivered to AMARC on January 6, 2005 as CM0010. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed C-5A 67-0167. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Bell AH-1G attack helicopter. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
NASA Lockheed YF-12A 60-6935 made its last NASA flight on October 31, 1979. It is now displayed at the National Museum of the USAF. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
General Dynamics F-111A. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Martin Marietta X-24A lifting body and the Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress that launched the X-15s. The X-24A had made its thirteenth flight five days earlier. John Manke was launched by Captain Larson and Major Fornell from the NB-52B on its fourth rocket powered flight. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
The first glide flight of the X-24A had occurred on April 17, 1969. It was piloted by Jerauld Gentry who was launched from the NB-52B by Lt Colonel Sturmthal and Captain Stroup. Lt Colonel Sturmthal and Captain Stroup then climbed into the NB-52A to launch John Manke in the HL-10 on its fifteenth flight on that same day.
The X-24A's engine was the same four-chambered XLR-11 design that had powered the X-1 on its first supersonic flight twenty three years earlier. The HL-10 and M2-F3 were also powered by the eight thousand pound thrust XLR-11 rocket engine.
The maximum speed attained during the X-24A program was mach 1.60 (1036 miles per hour) on the twenty-fifth flight on March 29, 1971 with John Manke at the controls. He had been launched from the NB-52B by Major Stroup and Captain Fritz.
The maximum altitude of the program was 71,400 feet, achieved during the nineteenth flight of the program, on October 27, 1970, also with John Manke as the pilot. The pilots of the NB-52B were Lt. Colonel Reschke and Squadron Leader Fisher.
The X-24A's last flight in its original configuration was its twenty-eighth flight on June 4, 1971. Manke was launched on that flight by Majors McDowell and Ranz. It was subsequently reconfigured as the X-24B.
Lockheed C-5A 67-0168 was delivered to AMARC on November 3, 2004 as CM0009. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed C-5A 67-0168. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed C-5A 67-0168. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Edwards AFB displays.
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