1947 China Lake Photo Gallery

1947 Photo Gallery. Last updated 01 May, 2016

• Opening of B-4 range for air-to-ground firings against moving targets.
• April 29 -- NAF is placed as a separate command under the military command and coordination of the CO of NOTS and under the management control of BuOrd.
• May 05 -- Armitage Field was commissioned under the official title of U.S. Naval Air Facility, U.S. Naval Ordnance Test Station, Inyokern, CA.

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B-29 Superfortress	USAAF B-29 Superfortress s/n 45-21847, cosmic ray research, April 1947. Naval Aviation News photo.
Cosmic ray camera	Scientists prepare cosmic ray camera for USAF B-29 Superfortress s/n 45-21847, April 1947. Naval Aviation News photo.
PBJ-1J Mitchell	PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849, Harvey 5.0" rocket launcher test firing, 07 Mar 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.
PBJ-1J Mitchell	PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849, Spinner rocket firing circa 1947. Naval Aviation News photo (Mar 1949).
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F7F Tigercat	F7F Tigercat #20 over Armitage Field, China Lake, 07 Apr 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.
PBJ-1J Mitchell	PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849, Harvey 5.0" rocket launcher detail, 02 Jun 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.
PBJ-1J Mitchell	PBJ-1J Mitchell, BuNo 35849, Harvey 5.0" rocket launcher test firing, 02 Jun 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.
PBJ-1J Mitchell	PBJ-1J Mitchell, BuNo 35849, PMTC Spinner rocket firing, 03 Jun 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.
F6F-5 Hellcat	F6F-5 Hellcat BuNo 78980, wheels up crash landing, China Lake, 24 Jul 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.
F6F-5 Hellcat	F6F-5 Hellcat BuNo 78980, wheels up crash landing, China Lake, 24 Jul 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.
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NAF China Lake aircraft	NAF China Lake aircraft on display. Clockwise from the southwest are PV-2 Harpoon BuNo 37457, AM-1 Mauler BuNo 22261, XBT2D-1 Dauntless II BuNo 9094, PB4Y-2 Privateer BuNo 59649, F6F-5 Hellcat BuNo 79674, F8F-1 Bearcat BuNo 94839, USAAF EB-29A Superfortress s/n 45-21587, F7F-3 Tigercat BuNo 80487, F8F-1B Bearcat BuNo 94972, unknown P2V Neptune, two unknown F4U Corsairs, F7F-3N Tigercat BuNo 80508, PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849, JD-1D Invader BuNo 77192 and PB4Y-1 Liberator BuNo 90228 (former USAAF B-24M 44-42048). R4D-5 Skytrain BuNo 17110, ex USAAF C-47A s/n 42-108812 is next to the hangar. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
PB4Y-1 BuNo 90228 bomb bay	Visitors inspect the bomb bay of NAF China Lake PB4Y-1 BuNo 90228 (former USAAF B-24M 44-42048) on the west side of hangar 1, Armitage Field Open House, circa October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
R5D-5F Skymaster	NAF China Lake R4D-5 Skytrain BuNo 17110 (former USAAF C-47A s/n 42-108812) on the south side of hangar 1, Armitage Field Open House, circa October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
NAF China Lake aircraft	NAF China Lake aircraft on display. L-r XBT2D-1 Destroyer BuNo 9094, PB4Y-2 Privateer BuNo 59649, F8F-1B Bearcat BuNo 94972 and F7F-3 Tigercat BuNo 80487, USAAF EB-29A Superfortress s/n 45-21587, on the ramp west of hangar 1, Armitage Field Open House, circa October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
China Lake aircraft in formation	NAF China Lake aircraft in formation. In the first group are are USAAF EB-29A Superfortress s/n 45-21587, unknown F6F Hellcat, unknown F8F Bearcat and PB4Y-2 Privateer BuNo 59649. In the second group are PB4Y-1 Liberator BuNo 90228 (former USAAF B-24M 44-42048,) JD-1D Invader BuNo 77192, unknown P2V Neptune, unknown F4U Corsair and unknown F7F Tigercat, circa October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
Aerial view of Armitage Field	Aerial view of Armitage Field, NAF China Lake, circa 1947. USAAF EB-29A Superfortress s/n 45-21587 at lower left. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
Take-off from runway 31	NAF China Lake aircraft prepare to take-off from runway 31. From lower left they are USAAF EB-29A Superfortress s/n 45-21587, PB4Y-2 Privateer BuNo 59649, PB4Y-1 Liberator BuNo 90228 (former USAAF B-24M 44-42048), JD-1D Invader BuNo 77192 and unknown P2V Neptune, China Lake, circa October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
F8F-1B Bearcat and F7F-3 Tigercat	NAF China Lake F8F-1B Bearcat BuNo 94972 and F7F-3 Tigercat BuNo 80487 on the ramp west of hangar 1, Armitage Field Open House, circa October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
Machine gun display	Visitors inspect a machine gun display on the side of hangar 1, Armitage Field Open House, circa October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
F8F-1B Bearcat and F6F-5 Hellcat	NAF China Lake F8F Bearcat (probably BuNo 94972) and F6F-5 Hellcat BuNo 78980 with two 11.75" Tiny Tim rockets, Armitage Field Open House, circa October 1947. At left is JD-1D Invader BuNo 77192. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
Tower L	Range area with what looks to be Tower L at left, China Lake, 15 October 1947. Maturango Museum collection.
HVAR (Holy Moses) rockets	Sailors show visitors CALTECH developed, NOTS tested, 5" HVAR (Holy Moses) rockets under the port wing of an unknown F6F Hellcat, Armitage Field Open House, circa October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
F8F-1B Bearcat and F6F-5 Hellcat	NAF China Lake F8F Bearcat (probably BuNo 94972) and F6F-5 Hellcat BuNo 78980 with two 11.75" Tiny Tim rockets, Armitage Field Open House, circa October 1947. At left is JD-1D Invader BuNo 77192. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.
R5D-5F Skymaster	R5D-5F Skymaster BuNo 50850 VIP departure (Adm. Nimitz in center), China Lake, 28 October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.
JRB-4 Expeditor BuNo 44661	NAF China Lake JRB-4 Expeditor BuNo 44661 after LCdr. Eugene A. Valencia and co-pilot Lt. Caddie G. McGee made an emergency landing at Olancha, CA following loss of power in the right engine combined with smoke and fumes in the cockpit, 31 October 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo, courtesy of the Maturango Museum.