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Pima Air and Space Museum
The Boeing 747 began as a concept for a U.S. Air Force contract competition to design a heavy lift cargo aircraft. That contest was eventually won by the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but Boeing’s failure to win that contract led it to develop one of the most iconic aircraft ever. The first 747 made its maiden flight in February 1969 and the type made its first commercial flight less than a year later. Since then the humpbacked shape of the 747 has become familiar to millions of travelers around the world. The “Jumbo Jet” is the first twin isle airliner and in some configurations could carry more than 500 passengers. This immense size allowed a much lower operating cost per seat and helped bring long distance air travel into the price range of vastly more people. Boeing has built more than 1,560 since 1969. As of 2018, only about 20 remain to be delivered. The era of the 747 as a passenger plane is coming to an end as it is replaced by more fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft, but it will continue to be in use as a cargo plane for many years to come.
It was built by Boeing Aircraft Company at Everett, Washington and delivered to Pan American World Airways on March 21, 1970. It is the twenty-fifth 747 built. Following Pan Am’s practice of naming its aircraft, this airplane flew with the name “Clipper Star of the Union” until 1982 when it was renamed “Clipper Ocean Spray.” It remained with Pan Am until the bankruptcy of the airline in 1991. In March 1992 it was purchased by General Electric for use as an engine test bed. Since then the plane has flown more than 3,000 hours carrying various test engines for GE as they develop the engines that power many of the planes that are replacing the 747 in airline service. General Electric donated the aircraft to the Pima Air & Space Museum in November 2018.
Wingspan: 195 ft 8 in.
Length: 231 ft 4 in.
Height: 63 ft 5 in.
Weight: 735,000 lbs (loaded)
Maximum Speed: 595 MPH
Service Ceiling: 45,000 ft
Range: 6,000 miles
Engines: Four Pratt and Whitney JD9D-3 turbofans with 43,000 pounds of thrust each
Crew: 3 flight crew, 15 flight attendants, 374 to 490 passengers
Manufacturer: Boeing
Markings: General Electric Aviation, 2018
Designation: 747-121
Registration: N747GE
Serial Number: 19651
Thursday, October 18th. Dual-Polarized
Phased Array Radar
National Weather Radar Testbed Advanced Technology
Demonstrator tour, ribbon cutting and reception.
Thursday, October 18th. Dual-Polarized
Phased Array Radar
National Weather Radar Testbed Advanced Technology
Demonstrator tour, ribbon cutting and reception.
Seen here in a yard adjacent to the Brooklands site of the Spring Gathering in April 2003 are two unregistered testbeds presumably in the ownership of Dennis.
Week 1 of the Hazard Services - Probabilistic Hazard Information (HS-PHI) experiment in the NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT) at the National Weather Center in Norman, OK. The HS-PHI experiment is part of the Experimental Warning Program. This is the third year of the HS-PHI experiment in the HWT.The HS-PHI experiment advances the Forecasting A Continuum of Environmental Threats (FACETs) initiative by testing software which allows National Weather Services (NWS) forecasters to issue Probabilistic Hazard Information (PHI) at the severe weather warning time and space scales.
The In-Situ Instrument Laboratory (ISIL) is where engineers test spacecraft in a simulated Mars environment. See a model of NASA's Mars lander, InSight, and a Mars 2020 testbed.
Pima Air and Space Museum
The Boeing 747 began as a concept for a U.S. Air Force contract competition to design a heavy lift cargo aircraft. That contest was eventually won by the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but Boeing’s failure to win that contract led it to develop one of the most iconic aircraft ever. The first 747 made its maiden flight in February 1969 and the type made its first commercial flight less than a year later. Since then the humpbacked shape of the 747 has become familiar to millions of travelers around the world. The “Jumbo Jet” is the first twin isle airliner and in some configurations could carry more than 500 passengers. This immense size allowed a much lower operating cost per seat and helped bring long distance air travel into the price range of vastly more people. Boeing has built more than 1,560 since 1969. As of 2018, only about 20 remain to be delivered. The era of the 747 as a passenger plane is coming to an end as it is replaced by more fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft, but it will continue to be in use as a cargo plane for many years to come.
It was built by Boeing Aircraft Company at Everett, Washington and delivered to Pan American World Airways on March 21, 1970. It is the twenty-fifth 747 built. Following Pan Am’s practice of naming its aircraft, this airplane flew with the name “Clipper Star of the Union” until 1982 when it was renamed “Clipper Ocean Spray.” It remained with Pan Am until the bankruptcy of the airline in 1991. In March 1992 it was purchased by General Electric for use as an engine test bed. Since then the plane has flown more than 3,000 hours carrying various test engines for GE as they develop the engines that power many of the planes that are replacing the 747 in airline service. General Electric donated the aircraft to the Pima Air & Space Museum in November 2018.
Wingspan: 195 ft 8 in.
Length: 231 ft 4 in.
Height: 63 ft 5 in.
Weight: 735,000 lbs (loaded)
Maximum Speed: 595 MPH
Service Ceiling: 45,000 ft
Range: 6,000 miles
Engines: Four Pratt and Whitney JD9D-3 turbofans with 43,000 pounds of thrust each
Crew: 3 flight crew, 15 flight attendants, 374 to 490 passengers
Manufacturer: Boeing
Markings: General Electric Aviation, 2018
Designation: 747-121
Registration: N747GE
Serial Number: 19651
Thursday, October 18th. Dual-Polarized
Phased Array Radar
National Weather Radar Testbed Advanced Technology
Demonstrator tour, ribbon cutting and reception.
Just out of MEI in East St. Louis and on point of KCS train MVNKC is the #3997.This unit was one of the former EMD demos and the first in "Southern Belle" paint.Sort of a testbed for the 4000 series motors yet to come.04/12/2007
Arriving on RWY 09 from Lasham (QLA) for respray by Air Livery. Due to be the 'Excalibur' testbed aircraft for the BAE Systems Tempest fighter. Ex G-POWH.
Operator: 2Excel Aviation
Aircraft: Boeing 757-256
Registration: G-FTAI
Callsign: Broadsword 25 // BRO25
Location: Norwich (NWI / EGSH)
Michigan Balloon Recovery & Satellite Testbed (MBuRST) members move to launch position.
Photo: Ben Logan, Social Media Guru – Communications and Marketing, Michigan Engineering
Catalog #: 00054959
Manufacturer: Convair
Designation: Model 340
Official Nickname:
Notes:
Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive
Premier John Horgan toured the Clean Energy Testbeds Site at the University of Washington as part of a two-day visit to Washington State.
With a commercial handlebar bag that I'm using as a testbed for various ways that I can use to mount it to the rack
N515NA
Boeing 737-130
NASA / Museum of Flight BFI
Built 1967
C/N 19437 / 1
Think this is the first time I have seen a 100... Boeing prototype and testbed as N73700 until sold to NASA in Jul 1973. Joined the museum in Sep 2003.
Delta Air Lines 767-432ER, N825MH. Originally used by Boeing on August 26, 1999 as a testbed aircraft. MIA. 3-8-2026.
Edited NASA image of a NASA F-8A Crusader testbed aircraft.
Original caption: A Vought F-8A Crusader was selected by NASA as the testbed aircraft (designated TF-8A) to install an experimental Supercritical Wing in place of the conventional wing. The unique design of the Supercritical Wing reduces the effect of shock waves on the upper surface near Mach 1, which in turn reduces drag. In this photograph a Vought F-8A Crusader is shown being used as a flying testbed for an experimental Supercritical Wing airfoil. The smooth fairing of the fiberglass glove with the wing is illustrated in this view.
Catalog #: 00054951
Manufacturer: Convair
Designation: Model 340
Official Nickname:
Notes:
Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive
Pima Air and Space Museum
The Boeing 747 began as a concept for a U.S. Air Force contract competition to design a heavy lift cargo aircraft. That contest was eventually won by the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but Boeing’s failure to win that contract led it to develop one of the most iconic aircraft ever. The first 747 made its maiden flight in February 1969 and the type made its first commercial flight less than a year later. Since then the humpbacked shape of the 747 has become familiar to millions of travelers around the world. The “Jumbo Jet” is the first twin isle airliner and in some configurations could carry more than 500 passengers. This immense size allowed a much lower operating cost per seat and helped bring long distance air travel into the price range of vastly more people. Boeing has built more than 1,560 since 1969. As of 2018, only about 20 remain to be delivered. The era of the 747 as a passenger plane is coming to an end as it is replaced by more fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft, but it will continue to be in use as a cargo plane for many years to come.
It was built by Boeing Aircraft Company at Everett, Washington and delivered to Pan American World Airways on March 21, 1970. It is the twenty-fifth 747 built. Following Pan Am’s practice of naming its aircraft, this airplane flew with the name “Clipper Star of the Union” until 1982 when it was renamed “Clipper Ocean Spray.” It remained with Pan Am until the bankruptcy of the airline in 1991. In March 1992 it was purchased by General Electric for use as an engine test bed. Since then the plane has flown more than 3,000 hours carrying various test engines for GE as they develop the engines that power many of the planes that are replacing the 747 in airline service. General Electric donated the aircraft to the Pima Air & Space Museum in November 2018.
Wingspan: 195 ft 8 in.
Length: 231 ft 4 in.
Height: 63 ft 5 in.
Weight: 735,000 lbs (loaded)
Maximum Speed: 595 MPH
Service Ceiling: 45,000 ft
Range: 6,000 miles
Engines: Four Pratt and Whitney JD9D-3 turbofans with 43,000 pounds of thrust each
Crew: 3 flight crew, 15 flight attendants, 374 to 490 passengers
Manufacturer: Boeing
Markings: General Electric Aviation, 2018
Designation: 747-121
Registration: N747GE
Serial Number: 19651
Thursday, October 18th. Dual-Polarized
Phased Array Radar
National Weather Radar Testbed Advanced Technology
Demonstrator tour, ribbon cutting and reception.
Michigan Balloon Recovery & Satellite Testbed (MBuRST) members make final preparations before launch.
Photo: Ben Logan, Social Media Guru – Communications and Marketing, Michigan Engineering
Catalog #: 00054891
Manufacturer: Convair
Designation: Model 340
Official Nickname:
Notes:
Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive
Michigan Balloon Recovery & Satellite Testbed (MBuRST) members unload equipment at launch site.
Photo: Ben Logan, Social Media Guru – Communications and Marketing, Michigan Engineering
Thursday, October 18th. Dual-Polarized
Phased Array Radar
National Weather Radar Testbed Advanced Technology
Demonstrator tour, ribbon cutting and reception.
Michigan Balloon Recovery & Satellite Testbed (MBuRST) members move to launch position.
Photo: Ben Logan, Social Media Guru – Communications and Marketing, Michigan Engineering
Catalog #: 00054915
Manufacturer: Convair
Designation: Model 340
Official Nickname:
Notes:
Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive
Pima Air and Space Museum
The Boeing 747 began as a concept for a U.S. Air Force contract competition to design a heavy lift cargo aircraft. That contest was eventually won by the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but Boeing’s failure to win that contract led it to develop one of the most iconic aircraft ever. The first 747 made its maiden flight in February 1969 and the type made its first commercial flight less than a year later. Since then the humpbacked shape of the 747 has become familiar to millions of travelers around the world. The “Jumbo Jet” is the first twin isle airliner and in some configurations could carry more than 500 passengers. This immense size allowed a much lower operating cost per seat and helped bring long distance air travel into the price range of vastly more people. Boeing has built more than 1,560 since 1969. As of 2018, only about 20 remain to be delivered. The era of the 747 as a passenger plane is coming to an end as it is replaced by more fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft, but it will continue to be in use as a cargo plane for many years to come.
It was built by Boeing Aircraft Company at Everett, Washington and delivered to Pan American World Airways on March 21, 1970. It is the twenty-fifth 747 built. Following Pan Am’s practice of naming its aircraft, this airplane flew with the name “Clipper Star of the Union” until 1982 when it was renamed “Clipper Ocean Spray.” It remained with Pan Am until the bankruptcy of the airline in 1991. In March 1992 it was purchased by General Electric for use as an engine test bed. Since then the plane has flown more than 3,000 hours carrying various test engines for GE as they develop the engines that power many of the planes that are replacing the 747 in airline service. General Electric donated the aircraft to the Pima Air & Space Museum in November 2018.
Wingspan: 195 ft 8 in.
Length: 231 ft 4 in.
Height: 63 ft 5 in.
Weight: 735,000 lbs (loaded)
Maximum Speed: 595 MPH
Service Ceiling: 45,000 ft
Range: 6,000 miles
Engines: Four Pratt and Whitney JD9D-3 turbofans with 43,000 pounds of thrust each
Crew: 3 flight crew, 15 flight attendants, 374 to 490 passengers
Manufacturer: Boeing
Markings: General Electric Aviation, 2018
Designation: 747-121
Registration: N747GE
Serial Number: 19651
Pima Air and Space Museum
The Boeing 747 began as a concept for a U.S. Air Force contract competition to design a heavy lift cargo aircraft. That contest was eventually won by the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but Boeing’s failure to win that contract led it to develop one of the most iconic aircraft ever. The first 747 made its maiden flight in February 1969 and the type made its first commercial flight less than a year later. Since then the humpbacked shape of the 747 has become familiar to millions of travelers around the world. The “Jumbo Jet” is the first twin isle airliner and in some configurations could carry more than 500 passengers. This immense size allowed a much lower operating cost per seat and helped bring long distance air travel into the price range of vastly more people. Boeing has built more than 1,560 since 1969. As of 2018, only about 20 remain to be delivered. The era of the 747 as a passenger plane is coming to an end as it is replaced by more fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft, but it will continue to be in use as a cargo plane for many years to come.
It was built by Boeing Aircraft Company at Everett, Washington and delivered to Pan American World Airways on March 21, 1970. It is the twenty-fifth 747 built. Following Pan Am’s practice of naming its aircraft, this airplane flew with the name “Clipper Star of the Union” until 1982 when it was renamed “Clipper Ocean Spray.” It remained with Pan Am until the bankruptcy of the airline in 1991. In March 1992 it was purchased by General Electric for use as an engine test bed. Since then the plane has flown more than 3,000 hours carrying various test engines for GE as they develop the engines that power many of the planes that are replacing the 747 in airline service. General Electric donated the aircraft to the Pima Air & Space Museum in November 2018.
Wingspan: 195 ft 8 in.
Length: 231 ft 4 in.
Height: 63 ft 5 in.
Weight: 735,000 lbs (loaded)
Maximum Speed: 595 MPH
Service Ceiling: 45,000 ft
Range: 6,000 miles
Engines: Four Pratt and Whitney JD9D-3 turbofans with 43,000 pounds of thrust each
Crew: 3 flight crew, 15 flight attendants, 374 to 490 passengers
Manufacturer: Boeing
Markings: General Electric Aviation, 2018
Designation: 747-121
Registration: N747GE
Serial Number: 19651
Modified LaFerrari used as a testbed which later developed into the FXX-K programme.
Museo Ferrari, Maranello (IT)
15 April 2023
Michigan Balloon Recovery & Satellite Testbed (MBuRST) members prepare camera, GPS, and specialized equipment that the balloon will take to 100K feet.
Photo: Ben Logan, Social Media Guru – Communications and Marketing, Michigan Engineering
Lockheed began work on the L-329 in response to a USAF requirement for an executive aircraft and navigation trainer. Although the requirement was cancelled, Lockheed saw an opportunity to break into the executive jet market, and persisted with the design. Though originally intended to be powered by twin Bristol-Siddeley Orpheus turbojets, Lockheed was unable to acquire a license to produce the Orpheus; as a result, the engines were switched to four Pratt and Whitney JT12s to produce the L-1329. Slipper tanks were added to the wings to increase range in the final JetStar design, which first flew in 1961.
The JetStar achieved moderate success. It was faster and more comfortable than most executive jets (the latter due to its deep fuselage), but also heavier, louder and more expensive to operate. The USAF in particular liked the design and bought it as the C-140, which served for almost 30 years; some were deployed to Vietnam and used as "Scatback" fast couriers. Later variants included the JetStar II, which switched out the turbojets for quieter and more fuel efficient turbofans. Though 204 were built, only a comparative few remain in service today due to its weight and expense to operate.
This C-140A was delivered directly to NASA in 1960, initially as an executive transport, with the serial NASA 814. In 1963, it was transferred to the Dryden Research Center at Edwards AFB, California to act as a testbed. NASA 814 would be used in several experiments, including advanced supersonic propellers (where the propeller tip rotates at faster than Mach 1; the propeller was mounted atop the JetStar), advanced laminar flow wings, testing Space Shuttle approach and landing patterns at Edwards, and was fitted with a variable flight control system that allowed NASA 814 to simulate a wide variety of aircraft. In 2003, it was retired and donated to Joe Davies Airpark in nearby Palmdale.
This isn't the most flattering view of a JetStar, but as the airpark was closed early (due to California's coronavirus restrictions), I was forced to shoot through the fence. NASA 814 wears the old 1960s-era NASA colors, with a two shades of blue fuselage and a simple NASA banner on the tail. The odd thing sticking up in the middle is the pylon for the experimental propeller.
EDIT (June 2023): Updated with a much better shot from the side at close range, taken in the return trip to Joe Davies in 2023.