On This Day in Test History

April 15, 2021
April 15, 2000: 95th Security Forces Supports Air Force One at Bakersfield

Two 95 SFS personnel were deployed to Bakersfield to provide support for Air Force One.Every sitting president in the past 30 years has stopped in Kern County for at least one short visit — either to campaign or dedicate a national monument near here. We've had our share of Presidents
April 14, 2021
April 14, 2006: An F-22 Raptor Flew for the First Time with an AIM-120D Missile Aboard

An F-22 Raptor flew for the first time with an AIM-120D missile aboard. The test was to determine the effects of noise and vibration on the latest version of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile missile, still under development. The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile,
April 13, 2021
April 13, 1992: Cuddeback Dry Lake Test Annex was Removed from the Base’s Real Property Records

Cuddeback Dry Lake Test Annex was removed from the base’s real property records. Cuddeback had been used as an emergency landing strip and was the site of three asphalt camera targets used to support of the X-15 program. The land reverted to the Bureau of Land Management.Cuddeback Lake is a dry
April 12, 2021
April 12, 1955: Teams Began Aerial Surveys of Remote Landing Sites to be Used for Flight Testing the U-2 Dragonlady

A team of Air Force, Lockheed and Central Intelligence Agency personnel (Col Osmond Ritland, Tony LeVier, Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson and Richard M. Bissell, Jr.) began an aerial survey of remote landing sites to be used for flight testing the highly classified U-2 reconnaissance plane. The site
April 11, 2021
April 11, 1955: Warner Brothers Team Visited Edwards Flight Line and Shot Several Action Scenes for “24 Hour Alert"

A Warner Brothers production team visited the Edwards flight line and shot several action scenes for a motion picture, “Twenty-Four Hour Alert.” Actor Jack Webb starred in the movie, which included footage of several Air Force Flight Test Center Century Series fighters and a B-52.24 Hour Alert is a
April 10, 2021
April 10, 1962: Air Force Flight Test Center Supported the Dusty Beard II Project

The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) personnel supported Dusty Beard II, a short-suspense project initiated by Strategic Air Command (SAC) to test the feasibility of dispersing bomber and tanker aircraft on Western dry lakes. Tests were conducted on Mud Lake, Nevada, and Hidden Hills and Silver
April 9, 2021
April 9, 2004: 416th Flight Test Squadron Test Fires AIM-9X for the First Time From an F-16

With 416th Flight Test Squadron test pilot Major Ray Toth at the controls, the newest version of the Sidewinder missile, the AIM-9X, was fired for the first time from an F-16. The test mission, conducted over the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Center, was part of the M4+ avionics upgrade underway at
April 8, 2021
April 8, 2015: 412th Flight Test Squadron inactivated. The unit, known as Speckled Trout, Provided Executive, Distinguished Visitor Airlift

The 412th Flight Test Squadron inactivated. The unit, known as Speckled Trout, had provided executive, distinguished visitor airlift and developmental test and evaluation of relevant distinguished visitor technology suites at Edwards Air Force Base since 1994.Speckled Trout was the official name of
April 7, 2021
April 7, 2006: White Knight Mothership Air-Dropped the X-37 at 37,000 Feet

The Scaled Composites, Incorporated. White Knight mothership air-dropped the X-37 at about 37,000 feet, and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle made an autonomous flight to Runway 22 where it landed safely but ran off the end of the runway. The X-37 originated as a National Aeronautics and Space
April 6, 2021
April 6, 1945: Muroc Army Airfield was Opened to the General Public For Army Day

Muroc Army Airfield was opened to the general public for Army Day, during which 5,000 civilians viewed an air show, displays erected by various units, and an aircraft exhibit. Some 1,500 purchased tickets to stand in line for a typical Army meal.Army Day can be traced back to a little-known Defense

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