Delivered to Alitalia as I-DIWK in 1969 then to Braniff International as N801BN in 1979 and International Air Leases in 1984. To NASA, converted to a DC-8-72 and reregistered as N717NA in 1986. Used as a research aircraft for various projects. Reregistered as N817NA in 1998, N436NA in 2006 and back to N817NA in 2007. Donated to Idaho State University Aircraft Maintenance Technology Program, Pocatello, ID for use as a ground trainer in 2024.

Used test reg N801X before delivery to the USAF as U-2A 56-6681. Converted to a U-2G in 1964 then converted to a U-2C and to NASA Ames Research Center, NAS Moffett Field, CA, as NASA 708 in 1971. Retired in 1976 and preserved there.

Delivered to the US Army as 69-18010. Used in Vietnam from 1970 to 1972. Sold as N37778 then to NASA Ames Research Center, NAS Moffett Field, CA as N718NA in 1977 and used as a research aircraft. To NASA Dryden Flight Research Center as N818NA, Edwards, CA in 1997. Sold in 2015 and remained on the register.

Delivered to the USAF as C-130B 58-0712 in 1959. Converted to a C-130C then to NC-130B. Assigned to NASA Ames Research Center, NAS Moffett Field from 1961. Used for boundary layer control, STOL and V/STOL research. Used boundary-layer control over the flaps, drooped ailerons, elevator, and rudder to augment lift. Registered as N929NA in 1969 then N707NA in 1973. Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in 2000. In ARM scrapyard nearby in 2021.

First flew with British military serial XW654 in 1971, Delivered to the USMC as 158394 in 1972. Modified by McDonnell Douglas as a YAV-8B-2. Assigned to NASA Ames Research Center, NAS Moffett Field, CA as NASA 704 from 1984 to 1995. Used for boundary layer control, STOL and V/STOL research. Modified into the V/STOL Systems Research Aircraft (VSRA) with the installation of digital fly-by-wire controls for pitch, roll, yaw, thrust magnitude and thrust deflection, and programmable electronic head-up displays. Preserved at Aviation Challenge Museum, Huntsville, AL from 1998.

NASA logos have been removed. Registered as N436LJ then N365EJ in 1966. To NASA as N705NA in 1974. Reregistered as N805NA in 1998. Damaged beyond repair in a hard landing while doing a touch and go at Victorville, CA in 2001. Still there in poor condition in 2019.

This is a mockup used for wind tunnel testing. It was still there in 2022 in a remote area in the NW of the base.

Bicycle landing gear study? The Harrier had just arrived at NASA Ames where it was used as a V/STOL research aircraft. Photo from: NASA Ames

Tested with full-span manoeuvring flaps called zap flaps, spoiler-type ailerons, and horizontal tailplane with variable camber. Photo from: NASA Ames

Following its last flight, the H.126 jet flap research aircraft was airlifted to California in Short Belfast XR366 for wind tunnel testing at Moffett Field. Photo from: NASA Ames

The Sikorsky S-72 Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA) was funded by NASA and the US Army to test advanced helicopter rotors in flight and featured detachable wings. Two S-72s were built and first flown in Stratford, CT on Oct 12, 1976. The first aircraft was delivered in July 1977 to NASA Wallops Island Flight Test Facility, VA and made its first full compound flighton April 10, 1978. The second S-72 was delivered to the NASA Ames Research Center in Fall 1978 and late joined by aircraft No. 1 in Sep 1979. Later used for RSRA/X-wing program 1986-1987. Msn 72-002 was NASA 546, 741 and N741NA.

I found some small album photos and thought they might be of interest. These were taken at NAS Sunnyvale (which later became NAS Moffett Field) in June 1932 and show a day when the public was allowed in to see the dirigible. For those of us that know Moffett Field it will be a shock to see nothing but a field of dry grass and weeds.

Photographer unknown

Ex 56-6682

On the Fire Dump - W/O 29 Apr 1973 at Moffett Field

Ex 152881