View allAll Photos Tagged Testbed
Inbound from Anchorage, Alaska, FedEx MD-11F N578FE taxis onto the company ramp at Memphis in February 2023.
It was the third MD11 built and was testbed aircraft N311MD for McDonnell Douglas.
The tri-jet was first delivered to GATX Leasing in March 1991 as N489GX and later flew for China Airlines, Garuda Indonesia and World Airways before coming to FedEx in April 2001.
It was removed from service and stored at VCV in May 2023.
UTJ 595M is seen on display at a South Yorkshire PTE garage open day. It is a Leyland National 1151/1R/2801 which was retained by Leyland and fitted out as the 'Super National Business Commuter', with 22 seats including 8 work stations.
Following on from Miro Dudas' benchmark work on his 90° crossover, I was inspired to attempt a brick-built 45° crossover, by way of an experiment. It worked out a little better than I feared it might, though I offer absolutely NO guarantee as to its smooth operation! (Subtext - it probably won't work too well.) As such, the LXF file is linked below for others to edit or improve if wished. Not for re-sale or profit please. Kindly post any improvements, I'd be most grateful.
LXF: www.dropbox.com/s/yvgm8ibk9b0e14j/Crossover_45-deg_v01-03...
PLEASE NOTE: This file may well be deleted after 1 Feb 2017. If you wish to use it, please download before that date. Many thanks.
The unique 47901 (class 58 testbed) reflected in an oily puddle stabled at Westbury on a murky day in 1990.
N757HW - Boeing B-757-225 - Honeywell International Inc.
"Connected Aircraft"-titles and various other stickers
at Hamilton International Airport (YHM)
c/n 22.194 - built in 1982 for Eastern Airlines -
operated by Honeywell since 2005 as a flying testbed
LBG 10.1984 - on display at the museum at Le Bourget. Used as a testbed by the Centre d'Essais en Vol (CEV) for Turbomeca/Snecma Larzac 01 jet engine (scan from my collection - not my shot).
History
1945: PA474 was built by Vickers-Armstrongs in Broughton, Cheshire, and was completed just after the end of World War II in Europe. It was intended for the "Tiger Force" for strategic bombing in the Far East but was not needed after the war with Japan ended.
Post-war service: The bomber was converted for photographic reconnaissance duties and served with 82 Squadron in Africa for three years. It was later used for trials by the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield. During its time at Cranfield, it was used as a testbed for laminar flow wings, with test wings mounted vertically above the fuselage.
1964–1973: After being marked for static display, the bomber was rescued by the Air Historical Branch and later restored to flying condition by 44 Squadron personnel at RAF Waddington. During its restoration, PA474 appeared in the films Operation Crossbow and The Guns of Navarone.
1973–present: PA474 was officially transferred to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in 1973 and moved to RAF Coningsby in 1976. It continues to be a main attraction at airshows and commemorative events, serving as a flying tribute to all members of RAF Bomber Command.
Significant events and details
Mid-upper turret: An original mid-upper gun turret was recovered from Argentina and fitted to PA474 in 1975.
Major overhauls: The aircraft has undergone extensive maintenance to remain airworthy. A new main spar was fitted in 1995 to extend its flying life, with expectations for it to fly until at least 2065.
Engine fire: On May 7, 2015, the aircraft suffered an engine fire but landed safely at RAF Coningsby. It was repaired and flying again by October of that same year.
Repainting: PA474 wears different liveries on its port and starboard sides, which are changed during major overhauls.
Port side: For its 80th anniversary in 2025, the port side was painted to represent Lancaster B.I LM220 of No. IX Squadron, which flew with 12,000lb "Tallboy" bombs.
Starboard side: Previously, the starboard side represented Lancaster LL922 of No. 50 Squadron.
Photo taken at the Imperial War Museum Duxford Cambridgeshire 6th Sept 2025 Battle Of Britain Air Show
And yes, when I’m not staring at the clouds, I’m surviving Orville’s rants over on YouTube 😂 [www.youtube.com/@AngryOrville]
C-FETB : Pratt & Whitney B-720 flying testbed for engines returning to it's home base at St-Hubert Airport (CYHU) in the vicinity of Montréal, Canada
Word on the street is that BNSF's GE LNG testbed isn't long for this world and is going to be converted back to a standard, diesel engine again soon. For the time being, it's sitting unobstructed on the west side of the Topeka, KS shops.
So, in the interest of covering the interesting parts of the BNSF roster, get your shots now!
Boeing 720-025
cn: 18158 / ln: 234
ff: 05-09-1961 at Renton
19-09-1961 N8704E Eastern Air Lines, config F22Y107, fleet no 704, (leased from Prudential until 10-1966)
25-09-1969 N8704E Boeing (returned)
01-06-1970 LN-TUW Trans Polar, "Richard Evelyn Byrd", (leased from Boeing)
18-06-1971 Impounded at Kastrup (EKCH / CPH) due to an NOK 15 million debt to Boeing
23-06-1971 Boeing (returned)
01-09-1971 N3183B Boeing rr, testbed; Boeing Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) flight test aircraft
16-08-1975 N40102 Boeing testbed, fleet no 8504, Boeing flight test aircraft
08-1977 WFU and stored at Kimgman (KIGM / IGM)
07-1988 broken up there
I recall seeing this one together with my father at FBU in June 1970, My first view of Trens Polar, and I was very impressed.
Wonderful photo shot by Lars Söderström on final apporach to Arlanda in June 1970.
LN-TUW was the only on of three B720s whith grey underside
(Part of my collection)
BOE57A Returning from a test flight. This is the first 757 Prototype now used as a testbed by Boeing with an F-22 Nosecone and avionics. Nicknamed the "Catfish." This is the first time it has come to PMD in the recently repainted retro scheme.
RFA Proteus, berthed at Gibraltar's HM Naval Base, is a ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary within His Majesty's Naval Service of the United Kingdom. Its role is surveillance, acting as a platform for Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles and as a testbed for new specialist capabilities, required for monitoring waters important to UK interests.
One of a kind, B747/YAL-1A Airborne Laser Testbed at AMARG before being scrapped a couple years later.
N757HW - Boeing B-757-225 - Honeywell International Inc.
"Connected Aircraft"-titles
at Hamilton International Airport (YHM)
c/n 22.194 - built in 1982 for Eastern Airlines -
operated by Honeywell since 2005 as a flying testbed
Industrial automation is always interesting, because nothing ever stays the same. On the right is an Opto 22 R1 Programmable Automation Controller, (PAC); the original version was released over 20 years ago, but due to an increasing shortage of its aging processor, a complete redesign using a modern processor was required. The important thing for us is to try to make the new version a drop-in replacement for the original so the customers can continue to use all of their existing programming without any modifications. I've been privileged to work with a talented team of co-workers who have worked for at least a year to make this happen. We're finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
This is the trainset I encountered while it was conducting a test run during my trip to Kyoto in May 2007. Photographed at Kyoto Station.
**Description of the Z0 Trainset**
Completed in 2005, this trainset was used to conduct various technical developments and running tests in preparation for the launch of commercial operations for the N700 series. Following the debut of the J0 trainset—a verification test vehicle for the next-generation "N700S" model—the Z0 trainset was retired on February 25, 2019, concluding its approximately 14-year role as a test vehicle.
While prototype trainsets for the earlier 300 series (J0 → J1) and 700 series (C0 → C1) underwent modifications for mass production and were eventually put into revenue service carrying passengers, the Z0 trainset was never used for commercial operations. This was due to significant differences in equipment compared to mass-production models, such as the limited number of power outlets in the passenger cabin, the absence of a dedicated smoking room, and the specifications of the multi-purpose room in Car 11.
**Differences in Specifications from Mass-Production Models**
Headlights: The lens housing was made slightly smaller than that of mass-production models.
Smoking Room: While mass-production models featured windows in the smoking room area from the start, the Z0 trainset lacked windows in this area, as the room had been retrofitted.
Interior Equipment: There were differences in details, such as shallower overhead luggage racks and an analog audio service in the Green Car (whereas mass-production models used a digital system).
**History**
In May 2014, the trainset underwent performance-enhancing modifications to bring it up to the standards of the N700A (1000 series), and its designation was changed to "X0" (though the car numbers remained in the 9000 series). Even after these modifications, it continued to serve as a testbed for developing next-generation technologies, primarily through late-night test runs.
Photo taken by Klaus Mohr, slide kindly provided by Klaus Held for scanning and inclusion on this page.
München-Riem
1984-04-14 (14 April 1984)
HP-IPE Basel-Land
Airbus A310-221
162
Swissair
HP-IPE is lined up for take-off on Riem’s runway 07. Brand new at the time, the A310 had only been delivered to Swissair less than a month previously on 21 March 1984.
Information from airhistory.net - thanks to Richard Vandervord (slightly adapted):
The first A310 prototype (first flight 3 April 1982). Used as a testbed by Airbus as F-WZLH from 1982 (Lufthansa colours on port side, Swissair colours on starboard side), delivered to Swissair in March 1984, to Air Liberté as F-GPDJ in June 1995, converted to freighter at Bremen-XLW in 1997 for FedEx as N450FE, stored at Victorville from May 2015, broken up in 2023.
Registration details for this airframe:
rzjets.net/aircraft/?reg=26720
This airframe as F-WZLH with Airbus on demo tour at DUS in April 1982 (Lufthansa c/s on port side, Swissair c/s on starboard side):
www.airhistory.net/photo/562140/F-WZLH
F-WZLH with Airbus at TLS in April 1982 (port side in Lufthansa colours):
image.stern.de/31746002/t/x2/v4/w1440/r1.7778/-/lh-a310.jpg
This airframe as F-GPDJ with Air Liberté at ORY in March 1996:
www.flickr.com/photos/jordi757/5390265239
This airframe as N450FE with FedEx at MEM in February 2007:
www.flickr.com/photos/mjscanlonphotography/39404779385
N450FE stored at VCV in January 2018:
www.flickr.com/photos/aero_icarus/43029426091
Scan from Kodachrome slide.
TPE331-14 Turboprop mounted on Honeywell's 757 testbed in preparation for data gathering test flight.
These twin briefcase-sized nanosatellites will manoeuvre around each other, before performing an automated docking in orbit.
The RACE, Rendezvous Autonomous CubeSats Experiment, is ESA’s latest in-orbit demonstration CubeSat mission, presented at this week’s CubeSat Industry Days, taking place at ESA’s technical heart.
CubeSats are low-cost satellites built up from standardised 10-cm boxes, increasingly used to demonstrate promising new technologies and approaches in space, as well as for educational, scientific and commercial applications.
The RACE mission concept involves two ‘6-unit’ CubeSats that will fly together in close formation, proving the capability of nanosatellites to perform close-proximity operations. These will include rendezvous and docking on a cooperative basis, and the ability to perform a close flyby around uncooperative targets, such as derelict satellites.
RACE is being developed by a European consortium led by the GomSpace company, with GMV working on guidance, navigation and control systems, Almatech contributing the docking mechanism and Micos the CubeSats’ visual navigation camera. The mission is being funded through ESA’s Fly element of the General Support Technology Programme, readying new concepts for space and the market.
“RACE will act as an in-orbit testbed for advanced guidance, navigation and control software and autonomous system behaviour,” explains Roger Walker, overseeing ESA’s technology CubeSats programme. “And by making it possible to assemble larger structures in space in this way, these ambitious CubeSats could open up many novel types of missions in future.”
ESA’s fourth CubeSat Industry Days take place this week at ESA’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, with more than 260 participants from 25 European countries, representing some 152 companies.
“This event is focused on the current European state-of-the-art in this fast-expanding space sector and discussing key issues for future missions,” adds Roger. By popular demand these Industry Days have been expanded with an extra final day exploring CubeSat propulsion systems.
Credits: GomSpace
Excerpt from Wikipedia:
The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas.
Continuously produced from 1937 to November 1969 (over 32 years, a world record at the time), over 9,000 were built, making it one of the world's most widely used light aircraft. Sold worldwide as a civilian executive, utility, cargo aircraft, and passenger airliner on tailwheels, nosewheels, skis, or floats, it was also used as a military aircraft.
During and after World War II, over 4,500 Beech 18s were used in military service—as light transport, light bomber (for China), aircrew trainer (for bombing, navigation, and gunnery), photo-reconnaissance, and "mother ship" for target drones—including United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 Kansan; and United States Navy (USN) UC-45J Navigator, SNB-1 Kansan, and others. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators trained in these aircraft.
In the early postwar era, the Beech 18 was the pre-eminent "business aircraft" and "feeder airliner". Besides carrying passengers, its civilian uses have included aerial spraying, sterile insect release, fish seeding, dry-ice cloud seeding, aerial firefighting, air-mail delivery, ambulance service, numerous movie productions, skydiving, freight, weapon- and drug-smuggling, engine testbed, skywriting, banner towing, and stunt aircraft. Many are now privately owned, around the world, with 240 in the U.S. still on the FAA Aircraft Registry in August 2017.
In 1957, the U.S. Army identified a new requirement for a lighter but more rugged frontline observation aircraft that could operate from rough airstrips and also have short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. Grumman's proposal was granted, and the development of the YAO-1A soon began. The aircraft's maiden flight was on April 14th, 1959. It was a mid-wing monoplane powered by a pair of turboprop engines, with a tail featuring three vertical stabilizers, much like the previous Lockheed Constellation. The pilot and observer sat side by side in a cockpit with bulged side windows, providing excellent downward visibility.
Three production variants were ordered: the AO-1A, built exclusively for either daytime or nighttime reconnaissance missions; the AO-1B, built with a Sideways Looking Radar (SLAR) pod slung under the right side of the fuselage; and finally, the AO-1C, explicitly designed for infrared reconnaissance. These designations were later changed to OV-1A, B, and C, respectively. An OV-10 “Bronco” variant was later developed, which combined the capabilities of the OV-1B and OV-1C versions. More than 375 OV-1 Mohawks were built over nearly a decade and used extensively throughout the Vietnam War. The aircraft was not designed to carry any armaments at first, but many were later modified in the field to carry rockets, mortars, rotating-barrel machine guns, and even small missiles. Depending on the mission, they would also use iron bombs or napalm canisters on some occasions.
This OV-1A, BuNo 59-2604, was only the 2nd OV-1 ever built and delivered to the U.S. Army in 1960. Details on its Army career are scarce, though it may have served as a JOV-1 testbed at Fort Rucker, AL, for a short time; it may also have served in Vietnam. It was retired in 1973, used by NASA to research wing icing, and then stored or sold to a private owner. By 1998, it was in the possession of the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas; in 2006, 59-2604 was sold to Planes of Fame (This saved the aircraft, as the Lone Star Flight Museum was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ike in September of 2008).
59-2604 carries the high-visibility markings used by the U.S. Army until about halfway through the Vietnam War, though many OV-1s carried these markings until the war's end. Even though 59-2604 is only a static display at the moment, it is currently in the process of being restored to flying condition.
WA638 Gloster Meteor T.7 (mod) Martin Baker. Last operational meteor in use as an ejection seat test-bed
RIAT 2018 RAF Fairford 16th July 2018
Northrop Grumman Bac 1-11 N164W starting its low pass over Runway 33L at BWI. Ten minutes this aircraft would make the last ever landing for the Bac 1-11.
N757HW - Boeing B-757-225 - Honeywell International Inc.
"Connected Aircraft"-titles and various other stickers
at Hamilton International Airport (YHM)
c/n 22.194 - built in 1982 for Eastern Airlines -
operated by Honeywell since 2005 as a flying testbed
N757HW - Boeing B-757-225 - Honeywell International Inc.
"Connected Aircraft"-titles and various other stickers
at Hamilton International Airport (YHM)
c/n 22.194 - built in 1982 for Eastern Airlines -
operated by Honeywell since 2005 as a flying testbed
N747GF, a Boeing 747-400 operated by General Electric as an engine testbed based at Southern California Logistics Airport, known better as Victorville. It is pictured here returning to its hangar from an engine ground run, carrying the CFM Leap 1B engine, used on the Boeing 737 Max, on its number 2 engine pylon location.
This former Japan Airlines aircraft was acquired by General Electric in late 2010. It operated alongside GE's 747-100, N747GE, until the 100 was retired at the start of 2017. The 400 is now GE's sole engine testbed.
N757HW, a Boeing 757-200 owned by Honeywell International as a flying testbed aircraft. Used for testing everything from engines to sensors, this 35 year old aircraft is currently involved in testing onboard wifi and communications systems. It is photographed here lining up on Dublin Airport's RWY10 ready to depart to Minneapolis St Paul Airport.
ESA’s Rover Autonomy Testbed rover is being run in near darkness by Spain’s GMV company to simulate the low Sun angles experienced at the Moon’s poles.
Permanently shadowed craters around the lunar north and south poles are tempting targets for future robotic missions, seeking water ice and other volatiles believed to be deep frozen in the soil.
Laboratory testing took place as part of ESA’s Lunar Scenario Concept Validation and Demonstration (Lucid) project. Now, as a next step, this and a second rover – ESA’s Heavy Duty Planetary Rover – have travelled to Tenerife in the Canary Islands for day and night testing in the volcanic, Moon-like environment of Teide National Park.
The two rovers carry navigation aids to work in both light and dark, including stereo cameras, lights, GPS, laser rangers and radar-like lidar. They can build digital 3D maps from these various sensors for both autonomous and teleoperated steering.
To follow the progress of the Lucid testing in Tenerife, follow the Twitter hashtag #DarkRover.
Credit: GMV
See more car pics on my facebook page!
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The XK120 was launched in roadster form at the 1948 London Motor Show as a testbed and show car for the new Jaguar XK engine. It caused a sensation, which persuaded Jaguar founder and design boss William Lyons to put it into production.
The "120" in its name referred to its 120 mph (193 km/h) top speed (faster with the windscreen removed), which made the XK120 the world's fastest standard production car at the time of its launch.
It was available in two open versions, first as the roadster (designated OTS, for open two-seater, in America), then also as a drophead coupé (DHC) from 1953 – and also as a closed, or "fixed-head" coupé (FHC) from 1951. The DHC was a more deluxe open model, with wind-up windows, and wood-veneer dashboard and interior door caps, as on the FHC.
The roadster was successful in racing.
(Wikipedia)
SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 serial XX765 was built in 1975 as the 62nd production Jaguar. It became a vital Active Control Technology (ACT) fly-by-wire testbed. Its flight data shaped the development of the British Aerospace EAP and the Eurofighter Typhoon. It is preserved at the RAF Museum Midlands in Cosford.
This Boeing 707-321B N404PA was an experimental aircraft communications and sensor testbed owned by the Air Force Systems Command and operated by a joint venture between the Air Force’s 350th Electronic Systems Wing and M.I.T.’s Lincoln Labs.
Geheime Kommandosache
Versuchsträger der Maschinenpistole Verdeckte Operationen, für die Wehrmacht, basierend auf der Maschinenpistole 40. Die MP-4009 wird in Kleinserie hergestellt, es muss unter allen Umständen gewährleistet werden das dieser Versuchsträger und die finalen Modelle, keinen allierten Kräften in die Hände fällt.
Autorisiert durch das Heereswaffenamt, Forschung und Entwicklung, Oberstleutnant Karl von Krevenfelde, am 26. Januar 1941, Berlin.
_______________________________________________
Top Secret
Testbed of the Covert Operation Submachine Gun, for the Wehrmacht, based on the Maschinenpistole (SMG) 40. The MP-4009 is manufactured in small series, it must be ensured under all circumstances that this testbed and the final models, do not fall in the hands of the allied forces.
Authorized by the Army Ordnance Office, Research and Development, Lieutenant Colonel Karl von Krevenfelde, on 26 January 1941, Berlin.
2/2023 - NS 1000 SD45 testbed unit hasn't seen much use lately but it's still here if needed. This dinosaur was built for the Erie Lackawanna.