Production Flight Test Installation
Air Force Plant 42
Palmdale, CA
last updated 03/20/2011
Plot Plan
Site Summary
| Year | Site 1 | Site 2 | Site 3 | Site 4 | Site 7 | Rockwell Plant (Site 9) | Lockheed Plant 10 |
| 1949 | |||||||
| 1950 | September. Air Force
authorization to build and operate. Northrop |
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| 1951 | Lockheed: Operational in early year. Lockheed: T-33A |
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| 1952 | Northrop: Operational in late year. Northrop: F-89D |
Lockheed: T-33A | |||||
| 1953 | North American: F-100 | Northrop: F-89D | Lockheed: T-33A | ||||
| 1954 | Northrop: F-89D | Lockheed: T-33A | |||||
| 1955 | Northrop: F-89D | Construction: December.
Convair |
Lockheed: T-33A | ||||
| 1956 | Northrop: F-89H | Convair: Operational;
Convair: F-102A |
Lockheed: T-33A
Lockheed: F-104A |
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| 1957 | North American: F-100D/F | Douglas: A4D-1 (A-4A) Douglas: A4D-2 (A-4B) |
Convair: F-102A | Lockheed: T-33A
Lockheed: F-104A/B |
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| 1958 | North American: F-100D/F | Douglas: A4D-2N (A-4C) | *Convair: F-102A April Total 873. F-106A | Lockheed: T-33A
Lockheed: F-104A/B/C |
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| 1959 | North American: F-100D/F | Douglas: A4D-2N (A-4C) | Convair: F-106A | *Lockheed: T-33A final
delivery
Lockheed: F-104C/D |
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| 1960 | Douglas: A4D-2N (A-4C) | Convair: F-106A | |||||
| 1961 | Douglas: A4D-2N (A-4C) | Convair: July 20 F-106A final delivery. | Northrop: T-38 | ||||
| 1962 | Douglas: A4D-2N (A-4C) | Northrop: T-38 | |||||
| 1963 | Lockheed: A-12 | Douglas: A-4E | Northrop: T-38 | ||||
| 1964 | Lockheed: SR-71A/B | Douglas: A-4E North American: XB-70A |
Northrop: T-38 and F-5A/B | ||||
| 1965 | Lockheed: SR-71A/B | Douglas: A-4E North American: XB-70A |
Northrop: T-38 and F-5A/B | ||||
| 1966 | Lockheed: SR-71A/B | Douglas: A-4F | Northrop: T-38 and F-5A/B | ||||
| 1967 | Lockheed: SR-71A/B Total 31 | McDonnell Douglas: A-4F | Northrop: T-38 and F-5A/B | ||||
| 1968 | McDonnell Douglas: A-4F | Northrop: T-38 and F-5A/B | Lockheed: L-1011 | ||||
| 1969 | Lockheed: SR-71C Total 1 | McDonnell Douglas: A-4F | Northrop: T-38 and F-5A/B. NORAIL | Lockheed: L-1011 | |||
| 1970 | Lockheed: SR-71 Maintenance | McDonnell Douglas: A-4F | Northrop: T-38 and F-5A/B | Lockheed: L-1011 September 15 Rollout | |||
| 1971 | McDonnell Douglas: A-4M | Northrop: T-38 and F-5A/B | Lockheed: L-1011 | ||||
| 1972 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle | McDonnell Douglas: A-4M | Northrop: January 31. T-38 final delivery. T-38 Total 1189. June. F-5A/B final delivery | Lockheed: L-1011 | |||
| 1973 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle | McDonnell Douglas: A-4M Rockwell: B-1A |
Northrop: F-5E. 15 per month. | Lockheed: L-1011 | |||
| 1974 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle | McDonnell Douglas: A-4M Rockwell: B-1A October 26 Rollout |
Northrop: F-5E. | Lockheed: L-1011 | |||
| 1975 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle | *Lockheed: SR-71 Maintenance | McDonnell Douglas: A-4M Rockwell: B-1A |
Northrop: F-5E. 18 per month. | Lockheed: L-1011 | ||
| 1976 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle Enterprise September 17 Rollout | McDonnell Douglas: A-4M Rockwell: B-1A Jan 16 Rollout May 11 Rollout |
Northrop: F-5E. | Lockheed: L-1011 | |||
| 1977 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle | McDonnell Douglas: A-4M | Northrop: F-5E. | Lockheed: L-1011 | |||
| 1978 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle | McDonnell Douglas: A-4M | Northrop: F-5E. | Lockheed: L-1011 | |||
| 1979 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle Columbia March 8 Rollout | McDonnell Douglas: A-4M | Northrop: F-5E.
*Lockheed: TR-1A |
Lockheed: L-1011 | |||
| 1980 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle | Northrop: F-5E.
Lockheed: TR-1A |
Lockheed: L-1011 | ||||
| 1981 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle | Northrop: F-5E.
Lockheed: TR-1A |
Lockheed: L-1011 | ||||
| 1982 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle Challenger June 30 Rollout | Northrop: F-5E.
Lockheed: TR-1A |
Lockheed: L-1011 | ||||
| 1983 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle Discovery October 16 Rollout | Northrop: F-5E.
Lockheed: TR-1A |
Rockwell: Operational in November | Lockheed: L-1011 Total 250 | |||
| 1984 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle | Rockwell: B-1B forward fuselage assembly | Northrop: F-5E.
Lockheed: TR-1A |
Rockwell: B-1B. September 4. The first production B-1B rollout. | |||
| 1985 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle Atlantis March 6 Rollout | Lockheed: SR-71 Maintenance | Rockwell: B-1B forward fuselage assembly | Northrop: F-5E.
Lockheed: TR-1A |
Rockwell: B-1B | Lockheed: P-3C | |
| 1986 | Rockwell: B-1B forward fuselage assembly | Northrop: F-5E.
Lockheed: TR-1A |
Rockwell: B-1B. 4 per month. | ||||
| 1987 | Rockwell: B-1B forward fuselage assembly | Northrop: B-2A | Northrop: F-5E.
Lockheed: TR-1A |
Rockwell: B-1B | |||
| 1988 | Rockwell: B-1B forward fuselage assembly | Northrop: November 22. First rollout B-2A | Northrop: F-5E.
Lockheed: TR-1A |
Rockwell: B-1B Total 100. January 20. The 100th and final B-1B bomber rollout | |||
| 1989 | Lockheed: SR-71, TR-1, U-2 Maintenance | Rockwell B-1B flight control modifications McDonnell Douglas T-45A |
Northrop: B-2A | Northrop: February 16. Final F-5E delivery. Total
F-5/T-38 3806. Lockheed: October 3. Final delivery TR-1A/B |
Rockwell: B-1B Maintenance | ||
| 1990 | *Rockwell: X-31 Rollout March 1 | McDonnell Douglas T-45A Total 2 | Northrop: B-2A | Rockwell: B-1B Maintenance | |||
| 1991 | Rockwell: Space Shuttle Endeavour April Rollout | Northrop: B-2A | Rockwell: B-1B Maintenance | ||||
| 1992 | Northrop: B-2A | Lockheed: F-117A Maintenance | Rockwell: B-1B Maintenance | ||||
| 1993 | Northrop: B-2A | Rockwell: B-1B Maintenance | |||||
| 1994 | Rockwell: AC-130U | Northrop: B-2A Total 21 | Lockheed: F-117A Maintenance | Rockwell: B-1B Maintenance | |||
| 1995 | Rockwell: AC-130U | Lockheed: SR-71 Maintenance | Rockwell: B-1B Maintenance | ||||
| 1996 | Rockwell: AC-130U Total 13 | Rockwell: B-1B Maintenance | |||||
| 1997 | Rockwell/ Boeing: B-1B Maintenance
Lockheed: X-33 |
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| 1998 | Boeing: X-32 | Boeing: B-1B Maintenance.
Final B-1B Maintenance departure Oct 1998
Lockheed: X-33 |
Lockheed: X-35A/B/C | ||||
| 1999 | Boeing: X-32 | Lockheed: X-33 | Lockheed: X-35A/B/C | ||||
| 2000 | Boeing: X-32 | Lockheed: X-33 | Lockheed: X-35A/B/C | ||||
| 2001 | Boeing: X-32 Total 2 | Lockheed: F-117A Maintenance | Lockheed: X-35A/B/C Total 3 | ||||
| 2002 | Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4 (block 0)
RQ-4A (block 10) Northrop: B-2A Maintenance |
Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4 (block 0)
Northrop: B-2A Maintenance |
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| 2003 | Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4 (block 0) Total 7 (Feb
2003)
RQ-4A (block 10) Northrop: B-2A Maintenance |
Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4 (block 0)
Northrop: B-2A Maintenance |
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| 2004 | Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4A (block 10) | ||||||
| 2005 | Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4A (block 10)
RQ-4B (block 20) |
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| 2006 | Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4A (block 10) Total
6
RQ-4B (block 20) |
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| 2007 | Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4B (block 20) RQ-4B (block 30) RQ-4B (block 40) | Bldg #703 : NASA Dryden Aircraft Operation Facility (DAOF) | |||||
| 2008 | Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4B (block 30) RQ-4B (block 40) | Northrop: F-35 center fuselage elements | Lockheed: F-117A Maintenance. Final F-117A Maintenance departure | Bldg #703 : NASA Dryden Aircraft Operation Facility (DAOF) | |||
| 2009 | Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4B (block 40) | Northrop: F-35 center fuselage elements | Bldg #703 : NASA Dryden Aircraft Operation Facility (DAOF) | ||||
| 2010 | Northrop: Global Hawk RQ-4B (block 40) | Northrop: F-35 center
fuselage elements
Northrop: B-2A Maintenance |
Bldg #703 : NASA Dryden Aircraft Operation Facility (DAOF) |
First Flights
North American XB-70A September 21, 1964
Pilot: Alvin S.
White, USAF Col. Joseph F. Cotton
Lockheed SR-71A December 22, 1964
Pilot: Robert J.
Gilliland
Lockheed L-1011: November 16, 1970
Pilot: Hank Dees; Co-pilot
Ralph Cokely; Flight Engineer Glenn Fisher; Flight Test Engineer Rod Bray
Lockheed S-3A: January 21, 1972
Pilot: John Christiansen,
Lyle Schaefer
Rockwell B-1A: December 23, 1974; land at Edwards AFB
Pilot:
Charlie C. Bock, Jr; USAF Col. Emil Sturmthal, Richard Abrams
Rockwell B-1B: October 18, 1984; land at Edwards AFB
Pilot:
M.L. Evenson, USAF Lt. Col. L.B. Schroeder
Northrop B-2A: July 17, 1989 takeoff 6:37 a.m. Runway 4;
land at Edwards AFB
Pilot: Bruce J. Hinds, USAF Col. Richard S. Couch
Lockheed YF-22: September 29, 1990; land at Edwards
AFB
Pilot: Dave Ferguson
Rockwell X-31: October 11, 1990 takeoff Runway 7
Pilot: Ken
Dyson
Boeing X-32A: September 18, 2000; land at Edwards AFB
Pilot:
Fred Knox
Lockheed Martin X-35A: October 24, 2000 takeoff 9:06 a.m.;
land at Edwards AFB
Pilot: Tom Morgenfeld
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