E95-43116-7
Walter C. Williams, (behind airplane model) Head of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) High-Speed Flight Research Station at Edwards, CA is examining a Northrop X-4 research airplane with Brig. Gen. Albert Boyd, Commander of Edwards Air Force Base.
At Edwards, the Air Force Air Materiel Command ran a brief program on the X-4 during the summer of 1950 before delivering it to the NACA. Data was collected on these 14 flights, so they were logged as NACA test flights. General Boyd made flight number 13. Air Force and NACA pilots completed a total of 82 flights on X-4 #2 (46-677) between Aug. 1950 and Sept. 1953.
There are three things that made the Mojave Desert, where Edwards Air Force Base is located, so well suited for flight research. The first was the area’s flying conditions – clear skies with great visibility almost every day of the year. The second was the 44-square-mile Rogers Dry Lake, a natural landing site that General Boyd referred to as “God’s gift to the Air Force.” The third was the unpopulated area surrounding the lakebed, which led to fewer complaints about aircraft noise (including sonic booms) than would have occurred in more populated areas. There was also less chance of injury to the surrounding population if there were an aircraft accident.
1950NASA Photo / › Directors Description