I'd last seen this unique Savage in 1973 when it was being used as a fanjet testbed by Avco-Lycoming registered N68667 (my photo here). Such a pity the paintwork has faded so much since restoration over 20 years ago

Used for micro-gravity tests. The photo is over Lake Erie which was where these tests took place from the aircraft's base at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The obsolete aircraft was not returned to desert storage in Arizona after the tests were finished but left in open storage at Cleveland until turned over the fire service. Photo from: National Archives at College Park, Maryland

Location possibly Norfolk.

Seen at an air show at Wright Patterson AFB in May, 1955. This aircraft reportedly crashed near Sanford, FL in August, 1956 during an emergency landing attempt due to a failed engine.

Extremely rare example of this aircraft sitting on the museum's restoration area ramp.

AJ-2 Savage of VC-7 Composite Squadron US Navy arriving at Blackbushe during the 1955 Farnborough Show week. This aircraft was DBR in 03.56.

Scrapped in 1969. Photo from: Civil Aviation Historical Society, Melbourne, Australia

The US Navy's AJ Savage was a carrier-capable nuclear bomber. It was powered by two R-2800 radials plus an auxiliary jet engine with a retractable dorsal intake. NASA used three Savages for weightlessness (zero gravity) simulation, including this one, Navy serial 134069. Photo from: NASA

The Savage was a 1950s carrier bomber, later converted for refuelling/recon. The AJ-2 version had two P&W R-2800s and a J33 turbojet in the tail, good for over 40,000ft if piston engine stalling around 35k could be overcome. After service with the USN 1954-59 as 130418 and as firebomber N101Z, this one was used by AVCO Lycoming for jet testing in 1971/72. The only survivor of 143 built, flown to USN museum at Pensacola on 9.5.84 and restored to USN marks. When I recently sent the pic round my friends, no-one could name it!

AJ-2 Savage of VC-7 Squadron USN based at Port Lyautey (later Kenitra) Morocco