Home Index Site Search E-Mail Yellowsheet

<-- 1984 1985 Aircraft Photo Gallery. Last updated 02 March, 2008 1986 -->
• January -- the VX-5 Detachment at Whidbey Island, which oversaw developments relating to the EA-6B weapon system, was relocated to China Lake, CA.
•January 24 -- VA-83 became the first fleet operational squadron to fire successfully an AGM-88 HARM. The missile was launched from an A-7E Corsair II piloted by LCDR John Parker who was assigned to a HARM detachment deployed to Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, CA.
• Apr 1 -- NAVWPNCEN has 25 aviation officers, 23 other officers, 485 enlisted and 33 aircraft consisting of 3 A-4M, 2 TA-4J, 3 A-6E, 1 A-7C, 3 A-7E, 2 TA-7C, 2 UH-1N, 1 T-39D, 1 UC-8A, 1 YF-4J, 6 QF-86F, 1 QT-38A, 1 T-38A, 1 A-3B, 1 QF-4B & 4 F/A-18A. VX-5 has 36 aviation officers, 8 other officers, 324 enlisted and 21 aircraft consisting of 5 A-7E, 1 AH-1J, 5 A-6E, 2 TA-4J, 2 AV-8B, 4 F/A-18A & 2 A-4M. NAVOCEANCOMDET has 1 OV-10A. The Aero Club has 2 C-150, 1 C-172XP, 2 C-172 &1 T-34.
• Oct 1 -- NAVWPNCEN has 26 aviation officers, 23 other officers, 485 enlisted and 30 aircraft consisting of 2 A-4M, 2 TA-4J, 3 A-6E, 1 A-7C, 3 A-7E, 2 TA-7C, 2 UH-1N, 1 T-39D, 1 UC-8A, 1 YF-4J, 6 QF-86F, 1 QT-38A, 1 A-3B & 4 F/A-18. VX-5 has 36 aviation officers, 8 other officers, 324 enlisted and 16 aircraft consisting of 5 A-7E, 1 AH-1J, 3 A-6E, 2 TA-4J, 4 F/A-18A & 1 A-4M. NAVOCEANCOMDET has 1 OV-10A. The Aero Club has 2 C-150, 1 C-172XP, 2 C-172 &1 T-34.

QF-86F Sabre drone, #842, BuNo 57-6351, being readied for a NOLO mission in early 1985.

Š Photo Ron Cheshire via Duncan Curtis.

QF-86F Sabre drone, #842, BuNo 57-6351, survived at least 15 unmanned missions before its demise in May 1985.

Š Photo Ron Cheshire via Duncan Curtis.

QF-86F Sabre drone, #864, possibly BuNo 56-2849, China Lake, Apr/May 1985.

Photo Š John Freeman.

USAF B-47E Stratojet s/n 52-0166, China Lake, circa 1985.

ŠPhoto Ron Cheshire via Duncan Curtis.

USAF B-47E Stratojet, s/n 52-0166, China Lake, Apr/May 1985.

Currently on display at the Castle Air Museum.

Photo Š John Freeman.

XF4D-1 Skyray BuNo 124587, Armitage Field Gate display, China Lake, circa 1985.

ŠPhoto Ron Cheshire via Duncan Curtis.

XF4D-1 Skyray BuNo 124587, Armitage Field Gate display, China Lake, circa 1985.

ŠPhoto Ron Cheshire via Duncan Curtis.

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-07, SH-10, SH-11 & SH-25, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-07 with a Sidewinder missile, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-07 returns after a sortie, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-10 ready to taxi with Mk-82 bombs, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-10 prepares to taxi from the line with Mk-82 bombs, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-11 and two others prepares to takeoff, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-11 ready to taxi with Mk-82 bombs, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-10 ready for takeoff with Mk-82 bombs, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-25 ready to taxi with practice bombs, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-25 taxis from the flight line, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

VMFAT-101 F-4J Phantom SH-25 taxis to the line after landing, China Lake, April-May 1985.

Photo by John Freeman

A-4M Skyhawk, probably BuNo160264, China Lake, Apr/May 1985.

Photo Š John Freeman.

A-4M Skyhawk, probably BuNo160264, China Lake, Apr/May 1985.

Photo Š John Freeman.

A-4A Skyhawk BuNo 142235, modex 41, and A-4A Skyhawk, BuNo 142227, modex 45, museum compound, Apr/May 1985.

Photo Š John Freeman.

USN F-111B BuNo 152715, museum compound, Apr/May 1985.

Photo Š John Freeman.

AGM-123 Skipper II low-level, laser-guided bomb, 01 May 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

Engineer Dwight Weathersbee displays an AGM-123A Skipper II low-level, laser-guided bomb, China Lake, 01 May 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

AGM-123A Skipper II low-level, laser-guided bomb, China Lake, 01 May 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

AGM-123A Skipper II low-level laser-guided bomb mounted on the wing pylon of an A-7 Corsair aircraft, China Lake, 01 May 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

VX-5 OV-10A Bronco BuNo 155465, CAPT Roger Flower, CDR Niel Nelson & plane captain J. Clark, China Lake, 1985.

Photo from C. Burin.

VX-5 OV-10A Bronco BuNo 155465, CAPT Roger Flower & CDR Niel Nelson begin their preflight, China Lake, 1985.

Photo from C. Burin.

VX-5 OV-10A Bronco BuNo 155465, unknown PO1, CAPT Roger Flower & CDR Niel Nelson, China Lake, 1985.

Photo from C. Burin.

VX-5 OV-10A Bronco BuNo 155465, CAPT Roger Flower & CDR Niel Nelson climb aboard, China Lake, 1985.

Photo from C. Burin.

VX-5 OV-10A Bronco BuNo 155465, CAPT Roger Flower, CDR Niel Nelson are ready to go as plane captain J. Clark mans the fire bottle, China Lake, 1985.

Photo from C. Burin. Note /1.

QF-86H Sabre drone s/n 53-1351, China Lake, May 1985.

Photographer unknown.

VX-5 A-7E Corsair II BuNo 160616, XE-04, 18 May 1985

Photo by D. Remington, Mike Wilson collection.

VX-5 A-7E Corsair II BuNo 160616, XE-04, June 1985.

Photo by C. T. Robbins, G. Verver collection.

B-29A Superfortress s/n 42-65281, "Miss America '62", China Lake, 12 June 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

B-29A Superfortress s/n 42-65281, "Miss America '62", China Lake, 12 June 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

B-29A Superfortress s/n 44-69729, "T Square 54", China Lake, 12 June 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

B-29A Superfortress s/n 44-70049, China Lake, 12 June 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo

B-29A Superfortress s/n 44-70049, China Lake, 12 June 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

B-29A Superfortress s/n 44-87779, "Legal Eagle II", China Lake, 12 June 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

UC-8A Buffalo BuNo 161546, Boeing Field, Seattle, WA, 22 June 1985.

G. Verver photo collection.

VX-4 F-4J Phantom II BuNo 155539, XF-1, and Top Gun F-5E Tiger II #042, circa 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo.

VF-51 & VF-111 F-14A Tomcats, F-5E Tiger II's and an F-5F Tiger II after a training session, China Lake Electronic Warfare Range, 01 August 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo by CDR DAVID BARANAK

PMTC QF-86F Sabre drone, BuNo 55-3872, #35, October 1985.

Photo by C. Stewart, G. Verver collection

VAQ-34 ERA-3B Skywarrior BuNo 142668, GD-211, at Pt. Mugu, October 1985.

Photo by Bob Niedermeier.

VX-5 OV-10A Bronco BuNo 1554xx, NAS North Island, 11 October 1985.

Photo by B. Trombecky, G. Verver collection.

China Lake aircraft display in the parking lot in front of the main entrance to Mike Lab. for the Navy's 210th birthday celebration, 19 October 1985.

Official U.S. Navy photo. Note /2.

B-29A Superfortress s/n 44-69972, "Doc", China Lake, 09 Dec 1985.

ŠPhoto Ron Cheshire via Duncan Curtis.

B-29A Superfortress s/n 44-70102, "Here's Hopin'", China Lake, 09 Dec 1985.

ŠPhoto Ron Cheshire via Duncan Curtis.

PMTC QF-86F Sabre drone s/n 56-2830, PMTC-38, circa 1985.

Naval Aviation News photo.

A-4A Skyhawk BuNo 137825, SNORT aircraft compound, circa 1985.

Photo from Duncan Curtis.

T-2V Seastar BuNo 138004, SNORT aircraft compound, circa 1985.

Photo from Duncan Curtis.

DF-8F Crusader BuNo 143791, SNORT aircraft compound, circa 1985.

Photo from Duncan Curtis.

A-4B Skyhawk BuNo 144976, SNORT aircraft compound, circa 1985.

Photo from Duncan Curtis.
/1 CDR Nelson was an A-6 pilot who was flying a "Skipper" OPEVAL flight when the missile came off inadvertently. Flower & Nelson were on their way out to look for it in the OV-10 - it was found it on a ranch near Owens Lake.

/2 Top to bottom: VX-5 OV-10A Bronco, QF-86F Sabre s/n 55-5099 #871, A-4M Skyhawk, A-7 Corsair II, A-6 Intruder #604 & F/A-18 Hornet. Hawk launcher to the left of the displays that was modified to carry the tail control Sparrow missile.