OV-101 (ALT)_v_c_o_TPMBK (1977, unnumbered poss. NASA photo)
A unique view of Space Shuttle Enterprise (OV-101), accompanied by three T-38 chase aircraft, on approach to touchdown on the Dryden Flight Research Center dry lake bed, Edwards Air Force Base during the Shuttle Program’s Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) in 1977.
OV-101 conducted three free flights with its tail-cone on: ALT-12/Free-Flight no. 1 (FF-1) on 12 August 1977, ALT-13/FF-2 on 13 September 1977 & ALT-14/FF-3, 23 September 1977.
Unable to find anything even remotely similar to this photograph, but based on it having survived, the two pinholes, what looks to be two of the chase aircraft to the orbiter's right flank and the types of clouds present, I’m going with it being ALT-12, the first free-flight. Sounds good to me.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V60ImP4as4
Credit: lunarmodule5/YouTube
Finally, thanks to Ed Hengeveld's identification confirmation below & AW&ST's archival holdings, I believe the magazine's caption of the image to be:
“Orbiter Enterprise, trailed by three Northrop T-38 chase aircraft, starts final approach to landing on Runway 17 at Edwards AFB. Shuttle test officials at Dryden Flight Research Center said the initial free flight proved the orbiter’s atmospheric flying qualities.”
OV-101 (ALT)_v_c_o_TPMBK (1977, unnumbered poss. NASA photo)
A unique view of Space Shuttle Enterprise (OV-101), accompanied by three T-38 chase aircraft, on approach to touchdown on the Dryden Flight Research Center dry lake bed, Edwards Air Force Base during the Shuttle Program’s Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) in 1977.
OV-101 conducted three free flights with its tail-cone on: ALT-12/Free-Flight no. 1 (FF-1) on 12 August 1977, ALT-13/FF-2 on 13 September 1977 & ALT-14/FF-3, 23 September 1977.
Unable to find anything even remotely similar to this photograph, but based on it having survived, the two pinholes, what looks to be two of the chase aircraft to the orbiter's right flank and the types of clouds present, I’m going with it being ALT-12, the first free-flight. Sounds good to me.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V60ImP4as4
Credit: lunarmodule5/YouTube
Finally, thanks to Ed Hengeveld's identification confirmation below & AW&ST's archival holdings, I believe the magazine's caption of the image to be:
“Orbiter Enterprise, trailed by three Northrop T-38 chase aircraft, starts final approach to landing on Runway 17 at Edwards AFB. Shuttle test officials at Dryden Flight Research Center said the initial free flight proved the orbiter’s atmospheric flying qualities.”