• Jan -- NAF has 23 aircraft
consisting of 3 JRB-4, 1 SNB-3, 1 SNJ-5, 1 F8F-1, 1 F8F-1B, 1 F7F-3N,
2 F6F-5, 3 F6F-5N, 1 AD-2, 1 PB4Y-1, 1 PB4Y-2, 1 PV-2, 1 R4D-6, 1 R4D-5,
1 JD-1, 1 SNB-2 & 1 XBT2D-1.
• Feb. 03
-- U.S. Navy Cmdr. A. Minvielle (pilot), U.S. Navy Reserve
LTjg Charles Matus (co-pilot), Civil Service Dr.
J. K. L. McDonald, Civil Service Dr. John McKinley,
Civil Service employee Mr. Myron G. Kellogg, Civil Service
employee Mr. Rodney Morrin & Civil Service employee Mr.
Joseph Vargus lost their lives when their JRB-4 Expeditor
crashed in the Sierras.
• Feb. 16 -- U.S.
Air Force Capt. Robert M. Madison, a B-29 Superfortress
pilot, lost his life when returning from travel.
• Jul -- NAF
has 25 aircraft consisting of 1 JRB-4, 1 SNB-3, 2 SNJ-5, 1 FJ-1, 1 F8F-1B,
1 F4U-4, 1 F7F-3N, 1 F6F-5, 2 F6F-5N, 1 AD-2, 1 AM-1, 1 PB4Y-1, 1 PB4Y-2,
1 PV-2, 1 R4D-6, 1 R4D-5, 1 JD-1, 2 SNB-3, 1 SNB-2, 1 HO3S-1 & 2 XBT2D-1.
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Aircraft |
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| 1Q |
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LARK missile launch rail |
LARK missile launch rail, China Lake, 1949. Official
U.S. Navy photo.
|
Aircraft fire-control simulator |
Aircraft fire-control simulator, Michelson Laboratory,
1949; development of bomb directors and fire-control
systems and technology (including IR, electro-optical,
and radar) at China Lake lead to such programs as Sidewinder,
Walleye, and FLIR systems.
|
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II GASR |
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II BuNo 09094 with spin stabilized
rockets (GASR) and stovepipe launcher, circa 1949. Official
U.S. Navy photo.
|
AM-1 Mauler |
AM-1 Mauler BuNo 22261, Armitage Field, China Lake,
07 Jan 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
PV-2 Harpoon |
PV-2 Harpoon BuNo 37452, snow, Armitage Field, China
Lake, 12 Jan 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
Meteor Missile launch |
Meteor Missile launch, China Lake, 08 February 1949.
Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
USAF YR-5A Dragonfly |
USAF YR-5A Dragonfly s/n 43-46631, PB4Y-1 Privateer
BuNo 90228, Armitage Field, China Lake, 09 Feb 1949.
Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
USCG AO-10A Catalina |
U.S. Coast Guard rescue AO-10A Catalina s/n 44-34041,
0B-041, Armitage Field, China Lake, 09 Feb 1949. Official
U.S. Navy photo.
|
USAF C-82A Packet |
USAF C-82A Packet s/n 44-22979, CQ-979, Armitage
Field, China Lake 09 Feb 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
USAF B-17G/H Flying Fortress |
USAF B-17G/H Flying Fortress s/n 44-83700, Armitage
Field, China Lake 09 Feb 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
NAF search ops |
NAF search ops (JRB 90550) ready room, Armitage Field,
China Lake, 09 Feb 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
SNB Navigator |
Pt. Mugu SNB Navigator BAT Radar, Armitage Field,
China Lake, 09 February 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
SNB Navigator |
Pt. Mugu SNB Navigator BAT Radar, Armitage Field,
China Lake, 09 February 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
SNB Navigator |
Pt. Mugu SNB Navigator BAT Radar close-up, 09 February
1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
solid propellant booster rocket |
A newly-developed solid propellant booster rocket,
believed to be the largest ever flown, fitted with a
cone-shaped dummy nose on a launching ramp at the Naval
Ordnance Test Station at China Lake, California, 12
February 1949. Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty
Images.
|
Dr. McLean |
Dr. McLean, Michelson Lab., China Lake, circa March
1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
| 2Q |
|
F6F-5 Hellcat |
F6F-5 Hellcat BuNo 79674, radar nacelle, Armitage
Field, China Lake 04 Apr 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
PB4Y-2 Privateer |
PB4Y-2 Privateer BuNo 59963, Armitage Field, China
Lake, 19 Apr 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
Crash site of NOTS JRB-4 |
Crash site of NAF-NOTS Inyokern JRB-4 Expeditor BuNo
90550, Sierras, 21 Apr 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
F7F-3N Tigercat boresight |
F7F-3N Tigercat BuNo 80605, boresight, Armitage Field,
China Lake, 26 Apr 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
F6F-5N Hellcat |
F6F-5N Hellcat BuNo 93830 with stbd wingtip radome,
Armitage Field, China Lake, 27 Apr 1949. Official U.S.
Navy photo
|
SNB-1 Navigator countermeasure |
SNB-1 Navigator BuNo 39816 captive countermeasures
guidance system vs. target area, China Lake, 09 May
1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II GASR |
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II BuNo 09094, GASR, LB-2, Armitage
Field, China Lake, 17 May 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II GASR |
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II BuNo 09094 firing spin stabilized
rockets (GASR) from stovepipe launcher, LB-2, China
Lake, 17 May 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
P2V Neptune and pilot |
P2V Neptune and unknown pilot, Armitage Field, China
Lake, 21 May 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II GASR |
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II BuNo 09094 firing spin stabilized
rockets (GASR) from stovepipe launcher, LB-2, China
Lake, 26 May 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
F6F-5 Hellcat in-flight |
F6F-5 Hellcat BuNo 80003 in flight over China Lake
and Ridgecrest, 26 May 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II GASR |
XBT2D-1 Dauntless II BuNo 09094 firing spin stabilized
rockets (GASR) from stovepipe launcher, China Lake,
26 May 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
F6F-5N Hellcat |
F6F-5N Hellcat BuNo 93662, with stbd wing radome
and .60 gun, Armitage Field, China Lake, 01 Jun 1949.
Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
Change of Command ceremony |
Change of Command ceremony, hangar 1, Armitage Field,
China Lake, 10 June 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
PB4Y-2 Privateer |
PB4Y-2 Privateer BuNo 59963, hangar 1, Armitage Field,
China Lake, 10 June 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
F6F-5 Hellcat HVAR |
F6F-5 Hellcat firing High Velocity Aircraft Rockets,
C-1, 15 June 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
MK-91 aerial torpedo |
P2V Neptune, MK-91 aerial torpedo, project Elsie,
China Lake 17 Jun 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
MK-91 aerial torpedo |
P2V Neptune, MK-91 aerial torpedo, project Elsie,
China Lake 17 Jun 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
| 3Q |
|
Artist drawing F6F Hellcat |
Artist drawing of F6F Hellcat BuNo 94409 firing a
Tiny Tim rocket and inset of resulting target destruction.
Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
Tiny Tim target destruction |
Resulting target destruction from Tiny Tim rocket.
Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
SNB-1 Navigator countermeasure |
SNB-1 Navigator BuNo 39816 countermeasures target,
China Lake, 20 Jul 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
B-29 Superfortress and tow tractor |
USAF B-29 Superfortress s/n 45-21857, tow tractor,
Armitage Field, China Lake, 25 July 1949. Official U.S.
Navy photo.
|
B-29 Superfortress and crew |
USAF B-29 Superfortress s/n 45-21857, upper air research
crew, Armitage Field, China Lake, 01 Aug 1949. Official
U.S. Navy photo.
|
B-29 Superfortress |
USAF B-29 Superfortress s/n 45-21857, signaling all
clear on #4, upper air research project, Armitage Field,
China Lake, 01 Aug 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
PBJ-1J Mitchell Harvey launcher |
PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849, Harvey launcher spinner
rocket firing, 09 Aug 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
AM-1 Mauler Tiny Tim Rocket |
AM-1 Mauler BuNo 022300, Tiny Tim rocket, Armitage
Field, China Lake, 25 Aug 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
Seeburg Wells Aerial Gunnery Range |
Seeburg Wells Aerial Gunnery Range, China Lake, September
1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
| 4Q |
|
Aerial view of Michelson Lab |
Aerial view of Michelson Lab, China Lake, 03 November
1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
USAF B-29A Superfortress fire |
USAF B-29A Superfortress s/n 45-21857, upper air
research project, fire & crash crew, Armitage Field,
China Lake, 04 Nov 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
AD-1 Skyraider, Mk-25 mine |
AD-1 Skyraider BuNo 09177, Mk-25 mine, Armitage Field,
China Lake, 08 November 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
FM-2 Wildcat HVARs |
FM-2 Wildcat BuNo 86696, HVAR, Armitage Field, China
Lake, 16 Dec 1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
AD Skyraider and BOAR |
Artists rendition of AD Skyraider and BOAR drop,
circa 1949. The 30.5-Inch Bombardment Aircraft Rocket
(BOAR), one of the earliest rockets designed to carry
a nuclear warhead, was a tactical standoff weapon in
service 1956-63; a bombing technique and release computer
(the forerunner of the CP-741) were also developed at
China Lake. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
F3D Skyknight and Oriole missile |
Pt. Mugu F3D Skyknight and Oriole missile, circa
1949. Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
USAF F-94C Starfire Mighty Mouse |
USAF F-94C Starfire, surrounding the radar unit are
24 2.75" Mighty Mouse rockets, China Lake, circa 1949.
Official U.S. Navy photo.
|
USAF F-86D Sabre |
USAF F-86D Sabre s/n 50-0494, FU-494, oblique 2.75"
Mighty Mouse rocket firing package, circa 1949. Official
U.S. Navy photo.
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