Beale Air Force Base Open House
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I attended the Beale Air Force Base Open House with my father, Richard Lockett, on May 31, 1980. The static displays featured the Lockheed SR-71A Blckbird, Lockheed U-2R, Boeing B-52D Stratofortress, Lockheed F-104G Starfighter, Repulic F-105G Thunderchief, Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II, McDonnell-Douglas F-15B Eagle, and General Dynamics F-16A Faighting Falcon. Vintage aircraft included a Douglas B-23 Dragon, Lockheed P-38M Lightning, North American P-51H Mustang, Grumman TBM Avenger, Hawker Sea Fury, Vought F4U Corsair, Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat, and Douglas C-47 Skytrain. Flying demonstrations included a Lockheed SR-71A Blckbird and Lockheed U-2R.
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird 61-7971 was assigned to NASA fro 1991 to 1994. It is now on display at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird 61-7971. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird 61-7971. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird 61-7971. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird 61-7971. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Lockheed U-2R 68-10337 was damaged while operating with the 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron in U-Tapao RTNAF, Thailand May 16, 1975. It crashed on May 24, 1988 at Patrick AFB, Florida. Its pilot, Alan E. Crawford, survived. It was taken to Palmdale and rebuilt. It accumulated 20,000 flying hours on September 20, 2000 when flying out of Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed U-2R 68-10337. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
McDonnell Douglas F-15B Eagle 71-0290. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Other photos of 71-0290
71-0290 was designated as a TF-15A Eagle when it performed at the November 13, 1977 Open House. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
McDonnell-Douglas F-15B Eagle 71-0290 appeared on static display at the March Air Force Base Airshow on September 16, 1978. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
McDonnell-Douglas F-15B Eagle, 71-0290 appeared at the NAWS Pt. Mugu Airshow on October 20, 1984. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
The modified McDonnell-Douglas NF-15B Short Take-Off and Landing/Manueverability Technology Demonstrator (STOL/MTD) Eagle NASA 837 at the Edwards Air Force Base on October 21, 1989. It made its last flight on January 30, 2009. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Grumman E-2B Hawkeye BuNo 151712 Modex 323 of RVAW-110. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II 75-0279 was retired to AMARC as AC0127 on October 2, 1992. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II 75-0279. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Republic F-105G Thunderchief 63-8300 was retired to MASDC as FK0019 on July 22, 1980. It is now preserved at Le Bourget, France. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Fire Truck. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
NASA Lockheed TF-104G Starfighter N824NA previously served with the Luftwaffe. It is currently displayed at the Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles, California. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Hawker Sea Fury. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Grumman TBM Avenger NL93818 restored in the markings of VT-17 was delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy as 53818. It flew as tanker #E89 registered as N9187Z for the Columbia Flying Service of Hollister, California in 1963 and 1964. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Vought F4U-7 Corsair NX33693 restored as Blue Max of VMF312 was delivered to the U.S. Navy as BuNo 133693. It crashed and was destroyed near Brown Field, San Diego, California on May 10, 1987. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon 78-0046 crashed at the Utah Test and Training Range on August 5, 1981. Its pilot was killed.. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Douglas B-23 Dragon N747M was delivered to the US Army Air Corps as 39-0033.. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
The tail gunner of Boeing B-52D Stratofortress 56-0676, SSgt Samuel O. Turner, is credited with shooting down a MiG-21 over North Vietnam on December 18, 1972 during Linebacker II. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat NX7195C served the US Navy as BuNo 80532. Sis-Q Flying Service operated it as tanker E40 from 1963 to 1974. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat NX7195C. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat NX7195C. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Lockheed P-38M Lightning N3JB was converted to a two-place night-fighter when it served the Army Air Corps as 44-53097. Its construction number is 8352. R. A. Wardell and R. W. Martin of Jacksboro, Oregon bought it in 1946 and registered it as NX67861. It spent some time in the Cuban Air Force. It served FA Hondurena as FAH503 from 1954 to 1960. Bob Bean Aircraft of Blythe bought it on February 2, 1960, registered it as N9011R, and stored it at Blythe until 1968. Carl Kidd and Aviation Service Company of Atlanta, Georgia acquired it in 1968 and sold it to Herbert L. Sander of Atlanta in 1970. It passed through the hands of Al Hicks of Carlsbad-Palomar, California before Tom Friedkin of Carlsbad, California bought it in 1971 and registered it as N7TF. It made its first flight after restoration at Van Nuys on September 18, 1972. John P. Bolton of Orlando, Florida acquired it in 1974 and registered it as NL3JB. John J. Stokes of San Marcos, Texas bought it in 1976 and sold it to Cecil Harp and Robert Ennis of Modesto, California in 1978. It entered the collection of the Champlin Fighter Museum at Mesa, Arizona in July 1983. It was converted to a single-place P-38L and later transferred to the Museum Of Flight in Seattle, Washington with the Champlin Fighter collection in November 2000. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed P-38M Lightning N3JB. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed P-38M Lightning N3JB. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Lockheed P-38M Lightning N3JB. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
USDA Douglas DC-3 N7252N was delivered to the US Army Air Corps as 42-23668 on May 12, 1943. The USDA used it to distribute flies that had been sterilized by radiation. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
North American P-51H Mustang N551H flew for the US Army Air Corps as 44-64314, but it is restored as post-war Air Force 44-64551. Its North American Construction number is 126-37740. It crashed in Utah in 1962. William Hogan registered it as N1108H in 1963. Michael Coutches began its restoration in 1966 and gave it its current registration in 1968. It is currently registered to Steve Coutches of Alamo, California. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Northrop T-38A Talons and Boeing KC-135Q stratotankers of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird made its last flight from RAF Mildenhall in England to Beale AFB on March 20, 1990. It is now displayed at the Strategic Air Command Museum in Ashland, Nebraska. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird . Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed U-2R 68-10329. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed U-2R 68-10329. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed U-2R 68-10329. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed U-2R 68-10329. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed U-2R 68-10329. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Fire Truck demonstration. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed U-2R 68-10337. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed U-2R 68-10337. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird high speed afterburner pass. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird. Photogapher: Richard Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird low speed dirty pass. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird low speed dirty pass. Each main landing gear bogey is equipped with three wheels that are pressurized with nitrogen. The angle of attack is much greater at low airspeed. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Lockheed SR-71A 61-7964 Blackbird deploys its drag chute as it lands at the end of its performance. Photogapher: Brian Lockett
Beale Air Force Base airshows.
You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Lockheed SR-71s.
A dozen photos of Lockheed SR-71s in flight or taxiing, taken between 1980 and 1999.
Lockheed SR-71s pictured include:
SR-71A 61-7964, Beale Air Force Base, May 31, 1980;
SR-71A 61-7965, March Air Force Base, November 3, 1980;
SR-71A 61-7964, Beale Air Force Base, October 31, 1981;
SR-71A 61-7968, March Air Force Base, November 3, 1988;
SR-71A 61-7976, Beale Air Force Base, October 14, 1989;
SR-71A 61-7972, Edwards Air Force Base, October 29, 1989;
SR-71A 61-7971, Nellis Air Force Base, March 26, 1997;
NASA SR-71B N831NA, Edwards Air Force Base, October 18, 1997;
NASA SR-71A N844NA, Edwards Air Force Base, October 9, 1999
Put a copy of the Lockheed SR-71: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.
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