Though the days Chuck Yeager flew his Bell X-1 over Edwards AFB seem to be of times way back, Edwards AFB has still held some of its mysticism. Frank Visser visited the base in the Mojave desert several times and also got a change to photograph the stored aircraft.
The AFFT Museum’s collection has more than 80 aircraft in it's inventory of which some 40 aircraft are on display. Open for public is the Century Circle, or West Gate Exhibit. It features the ‘Century Series’ fighters.
Aircraft displayed at West Gate:
1. North American YF-100A Super Sabre, serial 52-5755
2. McDonnell F-101B Voodoo, serial 58-288
3. Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger, serial 54-1353
4. Lockheed NF-104A Starfighter, serial 56-790
5. Republic F-105D Thunderchief, serial 61-146
6. Convair F-106B Delta Dart, serial 59-0158
7. Boeing YC-15, serial 72-1875
A prototype of the YC-15 is also displayed here.
At North Gate an NB-52B is standing guard. This NASA aircraft was used many years to test aircraft like the X-15, HL-10 and the X-43.
Aircraft inventory North Gate:
1. Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress, serial 52-0008
On the base and also open for public is the Air Force Flight Test Museum Exhibits
Aircraft inventory Museum Air Park:
1. Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird, serial 61-7955
2. Beech UC-45J Expeditor, serial 67161
3. Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, serial 51-9350
4. Republic YA-10B Thunderbolt II, serial 73-1664
5. Piper PA-48 Enforcer, serial 48-8301002
6. North American T-28B Trojan, serial 137702
7. North American CT-39A Sabreliner, serial 60-3505
8. McDonnell NF-4C Phantom II, serial 63-7407
9. McDonnell Douglas YF-4E Phantom II, serial 65-0713
10. Douglas PGM-17 THOR, no serial
11. General Dynamics F-16XL, serial 75-0747
12. Gloster TT.20 Meteor, serial WD592
13. Cessna NA-37B Dragonfly, serial 73-1090
14. General Dynamics F-111A Aardvark, serial 63-9766
15. Sikorsky CH-34G Seabat, serial 53-4477
16. Sikorsky H-3C, serial 62-12581
17. Vought YA-7D Corsair II, serial 67-14583
Aircraft Inventory Main Museum:
1. LoFLYTE
2. Northrop T-38A Talon, serial 61-0849
3. Northrop X-4 Bantam, serial 46-676
4. Ryan AQM-34J Firebee, no serial
5. McDonnell Douglas/Boeing X-36, no serial
6. Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star, serial 58-0669
7. Lockheed YF-22 Lightning II, serial 87-0700
8. Bell X-1 (Mock up), serial 6062
9. Bensen X-25B Gyrocopter, serial 68-10771
10. Boeing X-48C “Blended Wing”
Aircraft Inventory Museum Restoration Storage:
1. General Dynamics F-16B, serial 75-0751
2. Gulfstream G2/G3, serial N944NA
3. Lockheed EF-80A Shooting Star, serial 44-85123
4. McDonnell Douglas YF-15A Eagle, serial 71-0287
5. North American X-15 (Mock up), no serial
6. Lockheed YF-117A Nighthawk, serial 79-10783
7. Lockheed YF-94A Starfire, serial 48-356
8. Boeing “Phantom Eye” Test Vehicle, serial 001
9. Boeing XB-47 Stratojet, serial 46-0066
10. Douglas A3D-1 Skywarrior, serial 135434
11. Douglas F-10B Skyknight, serial 125850
12. Douglas TB-26B Invader, serial 44-34165
Aircraft inventory Museum Storage:
1. Northrop F-89D Scorpion, serial 52-1959
2. Northrop YA-9A, serial 71-1367
3. Piasecki H-21B Work Horse, serial 52-8623
4. Vought YA-7F Strikefighter, serial 71-0344
5. Scale Composites ATTT (Model 133)
6. Scale Composites (Model 226), “Raptor D-2”,
7. Rockwell B-1B Lancer, serial 84-0049
8. Rutan Vari-eze, serial N309V
9. Martin B-57B Canberra, serial 52-1576
10. Martin Marietta MMC-845, serial 01454
11. Lockheed NC-141A Starlifter, serial 61-2779
12. Boeing C-135A Stratolifter, serial 60-0377
13. Boeing C-135C Stratolifter, serial 61-2669, “Speckled Trout”
14. Lockheed C-130E Hercules, serial 61-2358
15. Lockheed C-140A JetStar, serial 59-5962
16. Douglas C-53D Skytrooper, serial 41-20093
17. General Dynamics F-16XL, serial 75–0749
18. General Dynamics NF-111A Aardvark, serial 63-9778
19. DeHavilland C-7B Caribou, serial 63-9765
20. Fairchild T-46A Eaglet, serial 84-0492
Aircraft Inventory on display at Edwards AFB:
1. General Dynamics F-16B Fighting Falcon, serial 80-0634
2. Northrop T-38A Talon, serial 61-0810
3. North American F-86F Sabre, serial 52-5241
4. McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II, serial 64-1004
5. Bell P-59A Airacomet, serial 44-22633
6. Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star, serial 52-9846
7. Lockheed F-104A Starfighter, serial 56-801
8. Lockheed NF-104A Starfighter, serial 56-756 (real serial 56-760)
9. McDonnell Douglas F-15B Eagle, serial 73-0114
Aircraft inventory Museum Desert Storage:
1. Convair YB-58A Hustler, serial 55-665
2. Northrop X-21, serial 55-408
3. Northrop X-21, serial 55-410
Aircraft inventory Blackbird Air Park, Palmdale:
1. Lockheed A-12 Oxcart, serial 60-6924
2. Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird, serial 61-7973
3. Lockheed U-2D, serial 56-6721
4. Lockheed D-21B, serial 525
Aircraft inventory Mojave Airport, Mojave:
McDonnell F-4C Phantom II, serial 64-0741