Page 18 - Aerospace Valley Hybrid Air Show Program - October 5-10, 2020.....

Mojave Air and Space Port has long, varied history MOJAVE, from 18 as general manager. He worked for, and that specifies end-to-end delivery of the
The Marines returned to Mojave in
1951 to provide aviation facilities sup- accomplished, passage of Mojave Spe- payloads, as well as their integration with
by Cathy Hansen ley Post, Roscoe Turner, Howard Hughes building still stand today. porting regular operations of Fleet Marine cific Plan and Updated Airport Land Use the company’s XL-1 lander. They’re also
special to Aerotech News and Jimmy Doolittle energized the spirit The Mojave Elementary School, on Force aircraft performing rocket, gun- Compatibility Plan in 2002-2003; com- required to land on the moon and oper-
of aviation. ‘O’ Street, was used by the Marines as ad- nery, bombing and field carrier-landing pleted detailed noise, environmental and
Mojave Airport was built in 1935 by Gen. William J. Fox (William J. Fox ministrative offices until permanent office practice. They stayed until 1959 and then archeological studies to support the mas- ate for at least 12 days post-landing. The
Kern County as part of the county’s air- Airfield in Lancaster named in his honor) space was built. Mojave Marine Corps transferred to Yuma, Ariz. ter plan project in the same years, and up- specific instruments that XL-1 will carry
port system to support the gold and silver chose the Mojave airstrip as one of five Air Station was formally commissioned From 1963 to 1965, the U.S. Army and dated and presented the Mojave Airport include tools for measuring and mapping
mining industry south of town. auxiliary air stations for the U.S. Marine on Jan. 1, 1943, and the first squadron to the U.S. Air Force had a joint military ex- Master Plan to Kern County Planning the lunar surface temperature, as well as
What is known today as Mojave Air Corps in May 1942. The site included a arrive was Marine Scout Bombing Squad- ercise at Marine Corps field and in the Department and Department of Airports. radiation, and the detect the presence of
and Space Port began as a small dirt land- little over 1,546 acres and construction ron (VMSB) 236, flying the Douglas SBD surrounding desert called “Desert Strike.” In 2016, Karina Drees was hired as hydrogen and other gases that could in-
ing strip and grew into a major aerospace began on July 1. The five auxiliary air sta- Dauntless Dive Bomber. Unlimited Air Races in Mojave thrilled the CEO/general manager. She started dicate the presence of water. The XL-1
flight test facility, playing an important tions included Santa Barbara, El Centro, VMSB-236 moved to Hawaii in April spectators from the late 1960s until the as the business development director in lander developed by Masten is an evolu-
role in America’s aviation history. El Toro, Miramar and Mojave. 1943 for follow-on training and joined the 1970s. Famous air racers Darryl Green- July 2012 and was named deputy general tion of lander designs that took part in,
The 1930s were an exciting time The Marines increased the number of war, landing at Guadalcanal in September amyer, Clay Lacy, O.A. Hayden-Baillie, manager the following year. and won the NASA Centennial Northrop
in aviation and the era was filled with runways, added taxiways, constructed 1943. They were the first squadron to take Howie Keefe, Sherm Cooper, Chuck Hall, Space companies abound at the space Grumman Lunar Lander X-Prize Chal-
many record breaking flights. Names like large wooden hangars and the tower. part in bombing strikes against Bougain- Tony Lavier, “Fish” Salmon, Gene Akers, port and include Masten Space Systems, lenge in 2009. Masten has also developed
Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Wi- Two of the original hangars and the tower ville in preparation for the Allied landing Wally McDonald and John Lear compet- Courtesy photograph who recently was selected by NASA to and flown a number of vertical takeoff,
in November 1943. ed with high powered warbirds, includ- Aircraft sit on the flightline at MCAS Mojave during World War II. deliver cargo to the moon in 2022. Mas- vertical landing rockets on behalf of
As a training base, the clear skies and ing: P-51 Mustangs, F8F Bearcats, F4U ten’s contract is a $75.9 million award NASA, including the Xaero test vehicle.
desert visibility at MCAS Mojave made Corsairs, Sea Fury’s and, in the California The National Test Pilot School and Binnie, winning the Ansari $10-million X-
more training flights possible, and far ex- 1000, there was a DC-7 and a Lockheed Flight Research, Inc. were established in Prize on Oct. 4, 2004, with Paul Allen’s
ceeded flights accomplished at El Toro or Constellation! 1975 and are anchor tenants that began SpaceShipOne.
Santa Barbara, in spite of the wind condi- Early in 1972, Congressman Barry their successful tenure when Sabovich Richard Branson entered into the com-
tions that persisted! Goldwater, Jr. suggested that Dan Sabo- was general manager. mercial space business when he helped
Other aircraft to fly at Mojave MCAS vich visit Santa Maria Airport and learn Rutan Aircraft Factory began business fund the last X-Prize flight in 2004 and
include the Chance-Vought F4U Cor- Courtesy photograph how to form an airport district. A cam- at Mojave Airport in 1974, developing began planning the next steps into the
sair fighter, the Grumman TBM torpedo A Marine Corps aircraft flies a bombing run in the skies above Marine Corps paign was started to create the East Kern the VariEze aircraft. Later, Burt Rutan commercial space industry.
bomber, various light trainers and the Air Station Mojave during World War II. Airport District. The voters approved the designs made first flights from Mojave Branson formed Virgin Galactic and
Douglas R4D (Navy and Marine desig- “airport district” designation by a land- Airport, including the Quickie, Defiant The Spaceship Company and created
nation of the DC-3). came to Mojave and singer Frances Lang- disestablished and, on the same day, in its slide and a five member board was elected and Long-EZ prototypes. The one and SpaceShipTwo and a new mother ship,
In the spring of 1944, the runways ford entertained the troops. Charles Lind- place a U.S. Naval Air Station was estab- in 1972. only Voyager aircraft, piloted by Dick Ru- White Knight Two. The Spaceship
were upgraded, widened from 50 feet to bergh visited the Marine base on April 15, lished. Sabovich had a vision for Mojave Air- tan and Jeana Yeager, made an epic flight Company employs 400 people and is
150 feet, and the east-west runway was 1944. “The Wartime Journals of Charles Some of the first pilotless aircraft, port and served as general manager from around the world in 9 days, 3 minutes, 44 presently building another White Knight
extended from 5,000 feet to 5,900 feet. A. Lindbergh” documents he landed at called UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) 1972 until his retirement in 2002, with an seconds, beginning on Dec. 14, 1986 and and SpaceShip in their Mojave facility.
A total of 1,056 enlisted personnel and 12:40 p.m. had a conference with Marine easy going “can-do” spirit that allowed ending on Dec. 23, 1986. Their commercial flight operations have
115 officers reported for training at MCAS officers regarding their Corsair operations today, were flown by the U.S. Navy at fledgling businesses to expand. He was Burt Rutan established Scaled Com- moved to New Mexico, but the produc-
Courtesy photograph Mojave in the fall of 1944. Female Marine and then took off at 16:11 (4:11 p.m.) for Mojave. Guided missiles were also test able to grow a former military installation posites in 1982 and is now best known tion line is still located at Mojave Air and Courtesy photograph
Two Women Marines stand outside the Post Exchange at Marine Corps Air Reservists operated the control tower. MCAS Santa Barbara. flown here from 1946 until 1951. into an airport that was successful and for the first privately funded manned Space Port. Scaled Composites’ SpaceShipOne comes in for a landing at the Mojave Air
Station Mojave during World War II. and Space Port.
On Sept. 11, 1944, the Bob Hope Show On Feb. 7, 1946, MCAS Mojave was See MOJAVE, Page 19 well-known around the world. space flight, with Mike Melvill and Brian In April 2002, Stuart Witt was hired

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