Conclusion of Boeing-Bell CV-22 Osprey Flight Tests at Edwards AFB
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The Air Force CV-22 Osprey flight test program at Edwards Air Force Base is coming to a conclusion. For seven years, CV-22s have plied the skies over the Mojave Desert, testing the Forward Looking Infra-red and Terrain Following Radar that will be used for nap of the earth flying in bad weather and at night. The final flight of the test program was flown on Wednesday, September 26.
U.S. Air Force Bell-Boeing CV-22B Osprey BuNo 165839 was ordered for the U.S. Marine Corps as an MV-22B. Its construction number is 90025.
The CV-22B will conduct long-range, special operations missions for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
CV-22B BuNo 165839 has a different finish than production CV-22Bs, which are finidshed in two-tone gray camouflage.
The Air Force CV-22B can be distinguished from the Marine Corps MV-22B by the terrain following radar radome on the left side of the nose.
CV-22B BuNo 165839 is adorned with pin-up art and the name Mojave Maude
The CV-22B is powered by a pair of 6,200-horsepower Rolls Royce-Allisaon AE1107C turboshaft engines.
The cockpit of the V-22 Osprey is equipped with several multi-function CRT displays.
The payload bay of the CV-22B can seat 14 trooops.
CV-22B Osprey BuNo 164941 was ordered for the U.S. Marine Corps as an MV-22B. Its construction number is 90009.
Northrop T-38A Talon 70-1559 of the 412th Test Wing taxis in from Rogers Dry Lake before the CV-22B flight.
CV-22B 164941 taxis out to taxiway Delta.
Right after this, the rotor wash hit us with a blast of airborne dust and gravel.
When the dust cleared, the Osprey was already climbing away.
Boeing C-135C Stratolifter, 61-2669 Speckled Trout is stored next to taxiway Delta. It was delivered to the Air Force as a C-135B and later converted to a WC-135B. Subsequently, it served as the personal transport of the Air Force Chief of Staff. It has been retired and will be placed on display near the north gate of the base with NASA's Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress.
NASA's McDonnell-Douglas F-15A-4 Eagle N835NA was delivered to the Air Force as 71-0287. It was bailed to NASA in 1976 as 835. It served as the Highly Integrated Digital Engine Controls (HIDEC) testbed. NASA registered it as N835NA in July 2001. It has been retired and is stored near the lakebed.
Lockheed C-5M Galaxy 86-0025 of the 436th Airlift Wing based at Dover Air Force Base is temporarily assigned to flight test duty at Edwards. It is the second Galaxy to be modernized with General Electric CF6-80C2 engines and a glass cockpit. It made its first flight after modification on November 17, 2006.
C-5M 86-0025 carries a large, orange air-data boom on its nose.
CV-22B 164941 taxis in at the conclusion of the last flight of the Osprey test program at the Flight Test Center.
CV-22B BuNo 165839
CV-22B BuNo 164941 was painted in two-tone gray camouflage when it appeared on static display at the 2003 Open House.
CV-22B BuNo 165839 on static display at the 2005 Open House. .
CV-22B BuNo 165839 on staic display at the 2006 Open House. This image pair is stereoscopic. To see the tiltrotor in 3-D, cross your eyes until the two images line up. It's easier to view the large imges if you sit a couple of feet back from your monitor.
Link to the Federation of American Scientists page about the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey. .
Link to the Wikipedia entry about the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey. .
Link to the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems V-22 Osprey page. .
Link to the GlobalSecurity.org V-22 Osprey page. .
Link to the AirForce-Technology.com V-22 Osprey page. .
Link to the Bell Helicopter V-22 Osprey page. .
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