In The Wild - 1999

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These pictures were taken on a camping trip to the Saline Valley in October 1999.

This Boeing 747 was on a maximum endurance flight. It made several passes over the valley trailing a broad pair of contrails that broke into a series of smoke-ring like clouds. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

U .S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornet of VFA-125 Rough Raiders, based at Lemoore NAS is seen with the Inyo Mountains in the background. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

U .S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornet of VFA-125 follows the terrain up the Eureka-Saline corridor. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

U .S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18D Hornet of VMFAT-101 Sharpshooters, based at Miramar MCAS. Its crew is taking a gander at the occupants of the clothing optional use area. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

As I was filling up my gas tank at the junction of Highway 58 and Highway 395 in August 1999, General Electric's Boeing 747 N747GE with a GE90 engine in the number two position cruised past at low altitude.

General Electric's 747-121 Engine Testbed carries construction number 19651 and was the 25th 747 off the production line. It first flew on March 3, 1970. It was delivered to Pan Am as N744PA Clipper Star of the Union on March 21, 1970. It was later rechristened Clipper Ocean Spray. Pan Am retired it on December 4, 1991.

General Electric leased it and registered it as N747GE on March 9, 1992. A variety of engines have been tested on its number-2 pylon, including the GE90-115 and the CF34. It was based at the Mojave Airport for several years before its operations were transferred to the Southern California Air Logistics Center at Victorville in 2002. It is the oldest 747 that is still flown.

These pictures were taken on a camping trip to the Saline Valley in March 1999.

. U .S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet from Lemoore Naval Air Station. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

U .S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet of the VFA-113 Stingers cruises up the Eureka-Saline Corridor. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

Visit the VFA-113 Stingers web site.

. Tail code XE indicates that this U. S. Marine Corps McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet is from VX-9. The upside down bat with lightning bolts is the insignia of the Vampires, who are based at the China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center. This example carries more colorful markings than most. It is likely the squadron leaders aircraft. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

Visit the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division web site.

. Rockwell B-1B Lancer from the 7th Bomb Wing based at Dyess Air Force Base. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

. Rockwell B-1B Lancer from the 7th Bomb Wing descends into the Saline Valley at high speed and low altitude. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

Visit the Dyess Air Force Base web site.

Visit the Air Force B-1B Lancer fact sheet.

. Grumman EA-6B Prowlers are based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington. The Navy jocks have to let the Air Force pukes ride along now that the EF-111A Ravens have all been retired. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

Visit the NAS Whidbey Island web site.

. U .S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18B Hornet makes a very close pass to the campsite. Tailcode NJ is associated with VFA-125 Rough Raiders based at Lemoore Naval Air Station. They deploy on the CVN-70 USS Carl Vinson. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

Visit the VFA-125 Rough Raiders web site.

. Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk is a relatively uncommon visitor to the Saline Valley. This example may be one of the Full Scale Development vehicles that are based at Edwards Air Force Base. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

Visit the Air Force F-117A Nighthawk fact sheet.

Visit the Yugoslavian government's pictures of the F-117A Nighthawk that they shot down.

. U .S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet of the Stingers. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

. U .S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet. Tailcode NK designates the Stingers. The Stingers deploy on the CVN-72 USS Abraham Lincoln. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

. U .S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet of the Stingers. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

. A Royal Air Force British Aerospace Harrier GR7 makes a low altitude transit through the Saline Valley. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

. Lockheed-Martin F-16B Falcon of the 412th Test Wing of the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base seen in profile against the Inyo Mountains. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

Visit the Air Force Flight Test Center web site.

. NASA McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A Hornet N851NA from the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base. Photographer: Brian Lockett.

Visit the Dryden Flight Research Center web site.

. Royal Air Force British Aerospace Harrier GR7 descends into the valley. The GR7 mark of the Harrier has full night attack capability. Photographer: Brian Lockett.