Home Index Site Search E-Mail Yellowsheet

<-- 1952 1953 Aircraft Photo Gallery. Last updated 13 May, 2008 1954 -->
• Jan -- NAF has 26 aircraft consisting of 1 F9F-2, 1 F9F-5, 2 F2H-2, 1 F2H-2B, 1 F2H-2N, 3 F3D-1, 1 AU-1, 2 AD-4, 1 AD-4B, 2 AJ-1, 1 AF-2W, 2 P4Y-2, 1 P2V-3, 1 R4D-6, 1 R4D-5, 1 JD-1, 1 TV-2, 1 JRB-4, 1 SNB-1 & 1 SNB-5.
• Opening of Supersonic Naval Ordnance Research Track (SNORT) for captive testing of ordnance items.
• Jul -- NAF has 27 aircraft consisting of 1 F9F-2, 1 F9F-5, 2 F2H-2, 1 F2H-2B, 1 F2H-2N, 2 F2H-3, 3 F3D-1, 1 AU-1, 3 AD-4, 1 AD-4B, 2 AJ-1, 1 AF-2W, 2 P4Y-2, 1 P2V-3, 1 R4D-8, 1 R4D-5, 1 JD-1, 1 TV-2 & 2 SNB-5.
• Sept 09 -- Three Navy pilots from San Diego died when their AD-4 crashed at Owens Lake, CA.
• Sept 11--In its first successful interception, a Sidewinder air-to-air missile, test fired at NOTS, Inyokern, sent an F6F drone down in flames.

AD-4B Skyraider BuNo 132233, Big Richard, China Lake, 11 Feb 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F-2 Panther BuNo 127199, Mighty Mouse rockets, China Lake, 07 Apr 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-2 Banshee BuNo 123206, tow target, China Lake, 07 May 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

Armitage Field runway extension project, China Lake, 15 March 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

Graphics drawing, Sidewinder EX-1-2 cutaway view of missile, China Lake, 06 May 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-2B Banshee BuNo 125054, six barrel gun, China Lake, 13 May 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF QB-17G Flying Fortress drone s/n 44-83649, China Lake, 15 May 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF QB-17G Flying Fortress drone s/n 44-83649, China Lake, 15 May 1953.

AD Skyraiders in the background carry Johnsville tail code.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3D-1 Skyknight BuNo 123757 with Sidewinder EX-0 missiles, 18 May 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

XF4D-1 Skyray BuNo 124586, 19 May 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F-2 Panther BuNo 127199, Mighty Mouse rocket salvo, China Lake, 28 May 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF QB-17 Flying Fortress drones, multiple target discrimination test, China Lake, 04 Jun 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF QB-17 Flying Fortress drones, multiple target discrimination test, China Lake, 04 Jun 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-2 Banshee BuNo 123303, hooking a DART tow target, China Lake, 21 Jul 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-2 Banshee BuNo 123303, hooking a DART tow target, China Lake, circa 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

DART tow target in flight, China Lake, circa 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3D-1 Skyknight BuNo 123757 & F3D-1 Skyknight BuNo 123767 with Sidewinder 1 missiles, China Lake, 01 Aug 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3D-1 Skyknight BuNo 123757 with Sidewinder 1 missile, 01 Aug 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3D-1 Skyknight BuNo 123767 with Sidewinder 1 missile, China Lake, 01 Aug 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3D-2 Skyknight BuNo 124595 with a Mk-12 nuke (blue store) which had a 12 Kiloton yield and weighed 1200 lbs, China Lake, 01 August 1953.

Official U.S. Navy Photo.

AD-4B Skyraider BuNo 132233, BOAR, China Lake, 10 Sep 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF B-29 Superfortress (s/n unknown), Randsburg Wash, China Lake, 02 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF B-29 Superfortress (s/n unknown), Randsburg Wash, China Lake, 02 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF B-29 Superfortress (s/n unknown), Randsburg Wash, China Lake, 02 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF B-29 Superfortress (s/n unknown), Randsburg Wash, China Lake, 02 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF B-29 Superfortress (s/n unknown), Randsburg Wash, China Lake, 02 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF B-29 Superfortress (s/n unknown), Randsburg Wash, China Lake, 02 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF B-29 Superfortress (s/n unknown), Randsburg Wash, China Lake, 02 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF B-29 Superfortress (s/n unknown), Randsburg Wash, China Lake, 02 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

VX-3 F7U-3 Cutlass BuNo 128463, XC-01, Pad LB, China Lake, 15 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

VX-5 F7U-3 Cutlass BuNo 128465, XE-1, over Moffett Field, 18 October 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-3 Banshee BuNo 126424, BOAR, China Lake, 04 Nov 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF F-84E Thunderjet s/n 49-2114, BOAR, China Lake, 05 Nov 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

The first rocket sled, TIM Go-Devil, sped down the rails at the brand new Supersonic Naval Ordnance Research Track (SNORT), 18 November 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-2 Banshee BuNo 123206, transportable, stackable, 5" ZUNI FFAR rocket pods, China Lake, 01 December 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-2 Banshee BuNo 123206, transportable, stackable, 5" ZUNI FFAR rocket pods, China Lake, about Dec 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

AD-4B Skyraider BuNo 132233, transportable, stackable, 5" ZUNI FFAR rocket pods, China Lake, 02 December 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

AD Skyraider BuNo 132233, transportable, stackable, 5" ZUNI FFAR rocket pods, China Lake, 02 December 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

AD-4B Skyraider BuNo 132233, transportable, stackable, 5" ZUNI FFAR rocket pods, China Lake, about 1953.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

AD-4 Skyraider BuNo 123905 in-flight with 11.75" Tiny Tim's and 5.0" FFAR's, 01 January 1954.

Official U.S. Navy photo.