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<-- 1956 1957 Aircraft Photo Gallery. Last updated 22 January, 2008 1958 -->
• Jan  1-- NAF has 53 aircraft consisting of 1 HUP-2, 1 F9F-8, 3 F9F-8B, 4 F2H-2, 1 FJ-4, 1 F6F-5, 1 F3H-2N, 1 F3D-2, 2 F3D-1, 1 F4D-1, 1 A4D-1, 1 AD-5, 1 A3D-2 (loaner), 1 A3D-1, 2 P2V-2, 1 R4D-6, 1 R4D-5, 2 T-28BD, 1 SNB-5  & 26 F6F-5K drones. VX-5 has 19 aircraft consisting of 4 F9F-8B, 2 F3D-2, 3 A4D-1, 2 AD-7, 2 AD-5N, 2 A3D-1, 1 TV-2 & 1 SNB-5.
• Development completed of the Zuni 5.0 inch rocket.
• Dedication of the Station's new All Faith Chapel.
• June 06 -- Civil Service employee Mr. William Bowles lost his life in a Pilot Plant accident.
• July 31 U.S. Navy Lt. Charles W. Litzenberg, from Miramar, lost his life when his AD-6 Skyraider crashed on Charlie Range.
• July 1  -- NAF has 58 aircraft consisting of 1 HUP-2, 2 F9F-8, 2 F9F-8B, 4 F2H-2, 2 FJ-4, 3 F6F-5, 3 F3D-2, 1 F3D-1, 2 F4D-1, 3 F9F-6D, 1 A4D-1, 1 AD-5, 1 A3D-1, 1 P2V-3, 2 P2V-2, 1 R4D-6, 1 R4D-5, 1 JD-1D, 1 SNB-5  & 25 F6F-5K drones. VX-5 has 18 aircraft consisting of 4 F9F-8B, 2 F3D-2, 4 A4D-1, 2 AD-7, 2 AD-5N, 2 A3D-1, 1 TV-2 & 1 SNB-5.
• Oct. 28 -- Ens. David Gonzales, from Moffett, lost his life when his VA-214 FJ-4B Fury (141464) crashed short of the runway.

F9F-8 Cougar BuNo 141655, Cdr. Ashworth, sidewinder 1 missile, China Lake, 21 Jan 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

VX-5 A3D Skywarrior BuNo 135425, XE-2, China Lake, circa 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F8U Crusader, China Lake, 07 Feb 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F-8 Cougar BuNo 141655, GE sidewinder 1 missile, China Lake, 12 Feb 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F Cougar BuNo 141655, Sidewinder-1A missile, F6F Hellcat drone sequence 1 of 3, China Lake, 20 Feb. 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo, R. Summers collection.

F9F Cougar BuNo 141655, Sidewinder-1A missile, F6F Hellcat drone sequence 2 of 3, China Lake, 20 Feb. 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo, R. Summers collection.

F9F Cougar BuNo 141655, Sidewinder-1A missile, F6F Hellcat drone sequence 3 of 3, China Lake, 20 Feb. 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo, R. Summers collection.

F6F-5K Hellcat drone BuNo 079448, thermic pots, China Lake, 04 Mar 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3H-2N Demon BuNo 133550 & Sidewinder 1 missiles, 12 March 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3H-2N Demon BuNo 133550 & Sidewinder 1 missiles, 12 March 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F6F-5K Hellcat drone, thermic pots, F6F-5K drones 94334 & 94503 in the background, China Lake, 02 May 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USMC test unit & mobile RIM-2 Terrier missile launcher, China Lake, May 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USMC test unit launches a RIM-2 Terrier missile from a mobile launcher, China Lake, May 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USMC GMU-25 launches a RIM-2 Terrier missile from a mobile launcher, China Lake, May 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

Armed Forces Day visitors included the senior military officers of the 14 member nations of NATO.

Shown here are Portugese members with MAJ B.A. Rushlow of the Guided Missile Test Unit (GMTU)

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF F-100A Super Sabre s/n 53-1576, AIM-9 Sidewinder, China Lake, circa 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF F-100C Super Sabre s/n 54-1794, AIM-9 Sidewinder, China Lake, circa 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F-100A Super Sabre, s/n 53-1576, sidewinder missile, assigned to China Lake for sidewinder tests, 16 May 1957.

The F-100C next to 1576 is most likely s/n 54-1794.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

LCDR G.A. Tierney in a high altitude pressure suit next the afterburner of F4D-1 Skyray BuNo 130747.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F-8 Cougar BuNo 131072, China Lake, Armed Forces Day, 18 May 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

A3D-1 Skywarrior BuNo 130363, F4D-1 Skyray BuNo 130748, A4D-1 Skyhawk BuNo 137816 and F-86F Sabres s/n 52-5163 & 52-5143, China Lake, 18 May 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F4D-1 Skyray BuNo 130748, A4D-1 Skyhawk BuNo 137816, F-86F Sabres s/n 52-5163 & 52-5143, Cessna Ercoupes, AT Texan, F6F Hellcats & C-45/SNB.

Armed Forces Day, China Lake, 18 May 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

AJ-2 Savage BuNo 130408, P2V-3 Neptune BuNo 122966, L-19, Cessna Ercoupes, F6F Hellcats & R4D-5 Skytrain BuNo 39074 (upper left).

Armed Forces Day, China Lake, 18 May 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

Three Cessna Ercoupes/Aircoupes, AT Texan, F6F Hellcats & C-45/SNB, China Lake, 18 May 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

VX-5 A4D-1 Skyhawk BuNo 139925, XE-7, centerline T-63 nuclear shape, circa 1957,

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F-8 Cougar BuNo 141050, Zuni FFAR firing demonstration, China Lake, 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F11F-1 Tiger BuNo 138622, 4 Philco made Sidewinder missiles, 01 Jun 1958.

Official U.S. Navy photo, R. Summers collection.

AD-5N Skyraider BuNo 132654, ASROC, China Lake, 11 Jul 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3D-1 Skyknight BuNo 123744, Radiometry nose, China Lake 12 Jul 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3D-1 Skyknight BuNo 123744, Radiometry nose, China Lake 12 Jul 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F3D-1 Skyknight BuNo 123744, Radiometry tail, China Lake 12 Jul 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-2 Banshee BuNo 123332 & Sidewinder missile, China Lake, 17 July 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-2 Banshee BuNo 125677, ZUNI FFAR's, China Lake, 31 Jul 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F2H-2 Banshee BuNo 125677 and some of the men responsible for the ZUNI weapon system, China Lake, circa 1957.

l-r: Kent Catcott, shop planner; G.S. Morefield, propellant grain expert; Sid Shefler, project engineer, Jim Metcalf, grain manufacturer; and Lt. H.F. Tipton, project pilot.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F-8 Cougar BuNo 141140, sidewinder 1B missiles, 09 Apr 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

Sidewinder hit on an F6F-5K Hellcat drone, China Lake, 19 Aug 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F-8 Cougar, BuNo 141655, firing GE sidewinder 1 missile, China Lake, 19 Aug 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F Cougar chase and F2H-2 Banshee BuNo 123332 firing a Sidewinder missile, 17 July 1957

Official U.S. Navy photo.

Capt Ashworth being briefed prior to flying a sidewinder missile test, China Lake, 30 August 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F9F-8 Cougar BuNo 141655 & Capt Ashworth cockpit checkout prior to flying a sidewinder missile test, China Lake, 30 August 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F4D-1 Skyray BuNo 134762, Delmar tow target, China Lake, 09 October 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F4D-1 Skyray BuNo 134762, Delmar tow target, China Lake, 09 October 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F4D-1 Skyray BuNo 134762, Delmar tow target reel, China Lake, 09 October 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F4D-1 Skyray BuNo 134762, Delmar tow target reel, China Lake, circa 1957.

Official U.S. Navy from the 1957 AFD Rocketeer.

GMU-61 missile test team pilots Tierney, Parry & Rogers standing and McElmurry & Howard, China Lake, October 1957.

Naval Aviation News photo.

FJ-4B Fury BuNo 139308 ZUNI FFAR pods, China Lake Hot Line, 11 November 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

FJ-4B Fury BuNo 139308 ZUNI FFAR pods, China Lake Hot Line, 11 November 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

AD-4B Skyraider, LULU, China Lake, 05 Dec 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

AD-4B Skyraider BuNo 132325, ASROC, Walker Lake, 09 Dec 1957.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

F8U-2 Crusader prototype, probably BuNo 145546, & SARA, circa late 1957.

Photo Lab. date is 01 Jan. 1950, but it's in error as it precedes the Crusader rollout date by 5-6 years.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

SNORT - Supersonic Naval Ordnance Research Track - tests a seat ejection system with the world's biggest track sled, a 16,000 lb. B-58 bomber replica

China Lake circa 1957, official U.S. Navy photo.

Hawkeye CBU, later renamed Rockeye, China Lake, circa late 1950's.

Official U.S. Navy photo.