Notes: Shown carrying the X-43A Hypersonic Research Aircraft and Pegasus rocket, which was later dropped and accelerated to Mach 9.8. This was the last of three flights in the Hyper-X program, and #008's last official mission.

Notes: Shown taking off with the X-43A on an evaluation flight... #008 was officially retired on 12/17/2004. At the time, it was the oldest B-52 flying.

Notes: Shown carrying the X-15 on a test flight, with a T-38 chase.

Notes: Brought from NAS Patuxent River, #858 spent one year at Dryden in support of the U.S. Supersonic Transport program.

Notes: This Hornet was modified for the AAW (Active Aeroelastic Wing) program, which studied the benefits of aerodynamically twisting flexible wings to improve roll maneuverability, on high-performance aircraft.

Notes: The Ames-Dryden-1 (AD-1) was built by Ames Industrial to study the concept of an oblique (pivoting) wing. The first flight at Dryden was 12/21/1979.

Notes: #801 arrived at Dryden in May 1963. One of its many missions while at the center, was the scouting of dry lakes to be used in the X-15 program.

Notes: Altair is a technology demonstrator, for the study of command and control technologies on UAVs. Pictured here with a pod-mounted infrared imaging sensor, the Altair UAS aided CA wildfire mapping efforts in 2006.

Notes: Based on the Predator, the Altus II was designed for high-altitude, long-duration, scientific sampling missions. Its first flight was 5/1/1996.

Notes: #847 has participated in the Automated Aerial Refueling program... Notice the AR buddy pod on the center position. 161520 originally flew as Blue Angel ship #2 during the first season of them using the Hornet in 1987.

Notes: #847 & 845 test the Automated Aerial Refueling system. Notice the program logos on both sets of tails.

Notes: These aircraft participated in the Autonomous Formation Flight (AFF) program, which tested the concept of utilizing GPS and other systems, to fly aircraft in formation autonomously.

Notes: Pictured here next to the XS-1... #129 served as "mother ship" on both X-1 and D-558-II flights. #129 was built as US Army Air Force #45-21787.

Notes: #150 was used in the study of; impact of aeroelasticity upon structural loads and dynamic stability.

Notes: #025 flies over Edwards AFB as it first arrives in its original paint.

Notes: #025 was to replace NB-52B #008 as Dryden's "mother ship". Unfortunately, it was returned to the AF in 2006 before it ever flew a test mission.

Notes: #008 landing at Edwards AFB.

Notes: Dryden's famous "Balls 8" mother ship, in flight over Edwards AFB.

Notes: #008 shown here in an early high-vis scheme, carrying the X-15 .

Notes: With orange paint slightly faded, #008 carries the M2-F2 Lifting Body aloft for a test mission.

Notes: Utilized during stall-spin studies, #008 carries the 3/8th scale F-15 Remotely Piloted Research Vehicle (RPRV).

Notes: #008 takes off from Edwards AFB carrying the second X-43A hypersonic research aircraft attached to a modified Pegasus rocket.

Notes: The Martin built "Canberra" was involved in many programs at Dryden, including proof-of-concept testing on the Viking Mars landers.

Notes: #822 came from JSC to Dryden 11/4/1973, and stayed until 6/21/1985. It was at one point based at Fox Field during testing of the Lunar Lander Research Vehicle.

Notes: #905 was the first of two 747s obtained for use as Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, and was purchased from American Airlines. Before being modified into an SCA, it was involved in these trailing wake vortices tests.

Notes: Seen here during testing of advanced prop-fan designs.

Notes: #810 was modified as a Landing Systems Research Aircraft, for testing of the space shuttle main and nose landing gear systems.

Notes: Douglas test pilot Gene May stands on the right, in front of the first D-558-1 'Skystreak' prototype. May took the aircraft for its first flight on 4/15/1947.

Notes: The D-558 was a joint NACA/Navy program.

Notes: On 8/21/1953, Marine Lt. Col. Marion Carl flew #144 to a new unofficial altitude record of 83,235 feet, and maximum speed of Mach 1.728.

Notes: Shown here wearing a new paint scheme... The "flying lab" was originally based at NASA Ames.

Notes: Returning from an AFWEX research deployment in the old paint scheme.

Notes: This QF-106 was part of a project called "Eclipse", which studied the concept of a reusable tow-launch vehicle. The aircraft was towed to altitude using an Edwards based C-141A.

Notes: Shown here still wearing its original NASA Ames paint scheme and number, #709 takes off from Edwards AFB.

Notes: On 11/19/1998, the ER-2 set a world altitude record for medium weight aircraft of 68,700'.

Notes: There are two ER-2s based at Dryden FRC... #806 and 809.

Notes: Still wearing its original NASA Ames paint scheme and number, #706 flies over the R2508 complex.

Notes: This Navy F-4 arrived at the center on 12/3/1965 and stayed until at least 7/67. Notice the "Naval Missile Center" on the tail. The large radome indicates it may have been upgraded to the AN/APQ-72 radar. NASA used it for bio-medical tests, supersonic sonic testing, and even flew some monkeys in the back seat.

Notes: One of two prototype F5D-1s brought to the center in 1961, which were #212 & 213. #213 eventually went to NASA Ames as #708.

Notes: #810 was used as a flying test bed for an experimental Supercritical Wing Airfoil, which reduced the effect of shockwaves near Mach 1.

Notes: #802 was the Digital Fly by Wire test bed aircraft... It paved the way for the flight systems used on the F-117, F/A-18, and many other modern aircraft.

Notes: In 1986/87, #834 participated in the Variable-Sweep Transition Flight Experiment program, which explored laminar flow on variable sweep aircraft at high subsonic speeds. #834 flew at Dryden from 1974 to 1987.

Notes: #991 was the second of two F-14s to be used at the flight center. Shown here flying with another Navy F-14, #991 participated in a joint NASA/Navy program from 1979 to 1985.

Notes: #991 is shown here after arriving to Dryden, in its early scheme.

Notes: Dryden's highly modified F-15B #837 participates in the Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS) program.

Notes: #71-0290 was originally the first F-15B model produced, and first flew on 7/7/73.

Notes: Flying in formation during an Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS) test mission.

Notes: #836 is seen here, still in its original AF scheme.

Notes: Pictured here while testing the X-33 Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials.

Notes: With a NASA Hornet as chase, #837 flies a mission for the Advanced Control Technology for Integrated Vehicles program.

Notes: Still in its early demonstrator scheme, #835 is seen flying a test mission on the 10 Degree Cone Experiment, with F-104N chase #812.

Notes: #835 eventually became the Highly Integrated Digital Electronic Control test bed, and was given a special paint scheme for the program.

Notes: Seen in a unique two tone gray camo scheme, this F-16 was the Advanced Fighter Technology Integration test bed. The aircraft tested intake mounted canards, a voice command system, and other new technology.

Notes: Shown in its last configuration with canards removed, and two nose mounted infrared sensors. The AFTI was a joint NASA-AF-Navy program.

Notes: #849 takes off for the first time with the Digital Flight Control System (DFCS).

Notes: #849's unique wing structure is seen from above.

Notes: #849 flies a mission for the Cranked-Arrow Wing Aerodynamic Project.

Notes: #849 & 844 are seen in formation during a sonic boom test.

Notes: #848 is seen on its final flight in the Supersonic Laminar Flow Control (SLFC) program.

Notes: The black area on the wing was the titanium "glove" panel that had more than 10 million holes drilled in it, and a suction system that would pull the boundary layer of air down during flight.