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Boeing 747-400 "General Electric Testbed" N747GE
Fitted with the GE9X turbofan engine under the port wing.
History:
Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN): 26355
Line Number: 1024
Aircraft Type: Boeing 747-400
Age: 25.0 Years
Production Site: Everett (PAE)
Airframe Status: Active
1994: March, - To Japan Airlines as JA8910
2010: December, - To AerSale Inc. as N356AS
2010: December, - To General Electric, testbed. N356AS
2011: December, - To General Electric, testbed. N747GE
Airbus A340-642
MSN 0360 [Prototype/Testbed]
F-WWCA '001'
Airbus S.A.S
Copyright © 2011 A380spotter. All rights reserved.
Juanjo, as FI-WARE chief architect, is providing details&roadmap of FI-WARE testbed and an introduction to FI-WARE architecture.
Karen Dunn Kelley, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Visits the NWC including stops at the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, the Norman National Weather Service Forecast Office, and the NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed.
A Sabreliner aircraft used by Northrop Grumman as a testbed for electronics was moved from BWI Marshall Airport to the National Electronics Museum on November 10, 2019. #avgeek #aviation #MDOTscenes
Photos by Shawn Byers
Navy Tomcat 158623
Systems testbed aircraft
dsc00096, 2009:05:16 14:40:15, 3D, L, Oxnard, NAWS, Point Mugu, Naval Air Station, Missle Park, Navy Tomcat 158623
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The MBR-07 Spartan was born as a humanoid-type weapon from the United Nations Military ambulatory weapons program. The MBR-07 Spartan was the second-place participant, the winning design became the Main Battle Robot-Series 04 family of Destroids that included the Tomahawk and specialized variants like the Defender and the Phalanx. However, soon after the 04 family’s introduction field experience suggested that a higher hand-to-hand combat capability was required to protect the MBRs which rather carried medium- and long-range weapons. This tactical gap led to the MBR-07 Spartan and its unique chassis, which had been specifically designed for unarmed close combat, but its development encompassed a series of prototypes that honed the technical aspects of this task.
Joint development of the MBR-07 by Centinental and the Kransmann followed one year and two months after the first MBR-04 series Destroids began design in 2003 at Viggers Chrauler. One of the experimental designs that supported its optimization as a close combat Battle Robot was the XMBR-04-Mk. VII, unofficially nicknamed “Pollux” (after the mythical Greek siblings (Castor being Pollux’ brother); during the expedition of the Argonauts, Pollux took part in a boxing contest and defeated King Amycus of the Bebryces, a savage mythical people in Bithynia).
As straightforward proof-of-concept vehicles for the required powerful and highly articulated arms as well as the corresponding reinforced internal structures that would support them when deployed as contact weapons, two MBR-04-Mk. VI “Tomahawk” Destroid chassis’ were set aside by Viggers Chrauler as testbeds.
One of them (“Pollux I”) was used to develop and test new rigid arms and their mounts, provided by Centinental, plus highly articulated claw hands made by Norman Banks with 5-finger manipulators, while the second one (“Pollux II”) received a new upper body to improve the swivel capability of the waist and test a new balancing system designed by Kransmann. This system would allow much more dynamic movements of the massive Destroid, including kicks, punches, and even complex martial arts stunts. Both elements would later be combined into the new MBR-07 chassis and the Spartan family of Destroids based on it.
The two Pollux prototypes went through quick but thorough testing in late 2003 and in early 2004 the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces ordered a small pre-production series of the experimental type to test the systems under field conditions. Outwardly the serial MBR-04-Mk. VII looked like the 1st prototype, but it already used the new balance system for the MBR-07 as well as improved servos to deliver much more effective close combat attacks than any other humanoid weapon in the U.N. Spacy's inventory, coming close to the VF-1's agility but adding considerably more force to the punch. These tests lasted until early 2005 and a total of twenty MBR-04-Mk. VIIs, which retained the unofficial "Pollux" moniker in service, were built.
By the same time the Spartan Mk. I entered trial production in February 2005, too, and by January 2008 Mk I units were beginning first rollout but were quickly superseded by the redesigned Mk. II variant after it had become clear that a pure close-combat robot was too vulnerable, esp. against air attacks. All Mk I units were later upgraded into Mk II units, and the small Pollux force retired from frontline service and rather relegated to pioneer/marines units where its power and manual agility became welcome asset.
General characteristics:
Equipment Type: main battle robot, Series 04, optimized for close/hand-to-hand combat
Government: U.N. Spacy
Manufacturer: Viggers Chrauler (chassis)
Centinental/Kransmann (arms and corresponding ambulatrory system)
Introduction: Prototypes 01 & 02 in September 2003
Pre-production models in March 2004
Accommodation: 1 pilot only
Dimensions:
Height: 11.27 meters (to shoulder), 12.7 meters (overall)
Length: 5.1 meters
Width: 7.9 meters
Mass: 27.8 metric tons
Power Plant:
Kranss-Maffai MT808 thermonuclear reactor developing 2800 bhp;
auxiliary generator GE EM9G fuel generator rated at 450 kW
Propulsion:
Multiple low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles
Armament:
2x Norman Banks CH2-TYPED claw hand with 5-finger manipulators
Provisions for 2x Bifors close-in self-guided rocket launchers, 12 rockets each (not mounted)
1x optional metallic club (for hand-to-hand combat)
The kit and its assembly:
This kitbashing project was inspired by a sketch I recently came across while doing internet research. I assume that it is not an official Macross design, rather a fan-art/dojinshi design, because I could not find reference to it in official sources, any other media with or, or even come up with a name. However, what triggered me was the fact that it looks like a prototype/test rig for the close-combat Spartan, just based on a Tomahawk chassis? Overall, this made it a plausible missing link, and since I have already built/scratched/converted a Spartan Mk. II into its earlier Mk. I variant, adding another (probably fictional, bu6t who knows?” ancestor to the collection of 1:100 Destroid models was a logical step.
Another selling point was that I had an Imai Tomahawk kit stashed away with no concrete plan yet, and at first glance only a Spartan's arms would be necessary as donorparts to bring the illustration into hardware form. Finding a suitable donor kit turned out to be almost impossible: Arii Spartan kits in 1:100 have become rare and mind-boggingly expensive, and things became so desperate that I eventually procured one of those ugly chrome-plated "Metal" kits as donor source. This had two drawbacks: despite being quite cheap the kit’s postage from the USA more than doubled its price, and the plating had to go before could use the parts for my plans.
Stripping the sprues’ plating off took several weeks and the help of sodium hydroxide, foamed oven cleaner, and patience. This procedure revealed, to my surprise, that the "Metal Spartan"'s polystyrene color of the individual sprues was different, ranging from mint green to a greenish ochre!
Technically the model is a kitbashing, but in order to improve the kit(s) and/or make life a little easier I made some visible and invisible mods. Most obvious difference are the shoulder mounts that attach the Spartan arms to the Tomahawk torso. Taken OOB they are mechanically not compatible, and to make life easier I decided to transplant the Spartan’s complete arms, including the upper arms/shoulder sections, what was easier than trying to adapt the Tomahawk shoulders to the Spartan's lower arms AND to improve the shoulder joints so far that they would be movable at all when the body would be completed. This is just one of the Tomahawk kit’s many issues, in this case because the Tomahawk kit is a very early mecha model, a very simple construction and without any vinyl caps for the joints (which the 1:100 Spartan kit already has!). Another selling point of the Spartan's shoulders is that their diameter is slightly bigger than the openings in the Tomahawk's torso flanks, so that they would cover them well.
To center and align the “foreign objects” properly I had to build an internal carrier structure with the Spartan's vinyl-cap-bearing sockets for the arms, scratched from styrene profiles, and mounted into the right position. Similar material was used to create a new vertical pelvic joint that would allow to keep upper and lower body separate for painting, and I scratched a two-dimensional hip joint from steel wire and styrene tubes that would allow a much more dynamic, "open" leg position (and even slight movement). Another small measure that improves the model's looks is to fill the hollow heels of the legs. All hardly visible efforts which are nevertheless IMHO worthwhile to make this old 1:100 Destroid model look much more convincing.
Other small mods are additional surface details created with styrene bits, and I added shoulder hardpoints that carry a searchlight (left over from a 1:72 ESCI M48 tank) and something that I’d interpret as a camera, inspired by the mecha’s drawing. The Tomahawk’s prominent gun clusters on the lower torso as well as the machine guns at the cockpit flanks were deleted and faired over. On the torso they were replaced with 3D shapes made from 2C putty, which extend the shoulder missile launchers' covers downwards.
Painting and markings:
While I am not a fan of pop colors like violet (esp. on “real robots”!) I decided to stay true to the mecha drawing and adopt the shown purple/white paint scheme. I (still) had a tin of ancient Humbrol Authentic "IJN Purple" (then called HJ04 "Mauve") at hand which turned out to be an almost perfect match as basic overall color, with the benefit that it IS a purplish tone, but very dull and with lots of grey. The light contrast areas were painted with RAL 9002 (Grauweiß). Once thoroughly dry the parts received a black ink washing and some post-shading as well as dry-brushing with ModelMaster's "Napoleonic Violet" and medium grey (Revell 47) around the edges to emphasize details and add a worn look.
The black-and-yellow warning stripes on arms and feet are generic decals from TL-Modellbau, and I decided to add some tactical markings and stencils from the Tomahawk's OOB sheet and the scrap box, to give the model a more realistic look. After a coat with matt acrylic varnish, I added mud and dust stains esp. around the feet with watercolors and mineral pigments, as a result of thorough "field tests".
Navy Tomcat 158623
Systems testbed aircraft
dsc00099, 2009:05:16 14:40:31, 3D, R, Oxnard, NAWS, Point Mugu,Naval Air Station, Missle Park, Navy Tomcat 158623
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.
ZH763 after 11 years with BA she went to Marconi Avionics/Defense Research Agency and then to QinetiQ. She retired to Newquay in April 2013
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 stocking, 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 privately owned, around the world, with 240 in the U.S. still on the FAA Aircraft Registry in August 2017.
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Model_18
Photo from a preview of "Architecture Now: New York New Publics" at MoMA (Feb. 19 – Jul. 29, 2023)
11 - TestBeds, New Affiliates, 2022
McDonnell Douglas MD-81 UHB N980DC testbed for the General Electric Unducted Fan engine on the port side. At times during the demonstration flight it flew on the Unducted Fan alone.
The project was discontinued in 1989.
Photo: Dick Gilbert, Farnborough Air Show, 4 Sept 1988.
Navy Tomcat 158623
Systems testbed aircraft
dsc00101, 2009:05:16 14:40:55, 3D, R, Oxnard, NAWS, Point Mugu, Naval Air Station, Missle Park, Navy Tomcat 158623
Premier John Horgan toured the Clean Energy Testbeds Site at the University of Washington as part of a two-day visit to Washington State.
Robot assassin sent to kill the Wanderer
Burton-Hell testbed for military technology.
Jim (hunterkiller drone)
Cambridge (EGSC)
22/10/08
This is the ex-weather research Hercules "snoopy", now in use as the TP400-D6 turbo-prop engine testbed for the A-400M military transport aircraft by Marshalls of Cambridge.
N779XZ
Boeing 777-9
Boeing Co
Built 2020
C/N 65800 / 1587
Prototype and testbed due to be allocated to Lufthansa
A National Historic Landmark, this bridge served as a testbed for the Brooklyn Bridge (also constructed by John A. Roebling) and was completed in 1866.
Built in 1963, this Comet 4 served as a testbed with the Royal Aircraft Establishment until its retirement in 1997 at which time it was the last airworthy Comet. It is seen here in 2012 at Bruntingthorpe airfield where at the time was part of a collection of classic Jets kept in ground running order and used for fast taxi runs at various enthusiast events which took place there each year.
Raytheon Boeing 727 N289MT military testbed Los Angeles LAX Airport, 19th November 2015. Capture via airportwebcams.net
The A310 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is a military derivative of the Airbus A310 airliner. It is designed as a dual-role air refueling tanker and cargo transport aircraft.
fotografia.clerigo.net/2017/08/31/airbus-a310-mrtt-ec-hla...
..climb out after a 32L departure for the first of three test flights that day. This one lasted precisely 12 minutes from take-off to touch-down.
Copyright © 2009 A380spotter. All rights reserved.
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N757HW Honeywell Aerospace Boeing 757-225 Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport United States 11/04/12