Page 14 - Aerospace Valley Heritage - Aerotech News and Review, October 15, 2021

AIRPARK, from 13 AIRPARK, from 14
one of the largest postwar programs produced more than 2,600 of the agile, duplicate flight characteristics of a The City of Palmdale and Air At a 2021 ceremony dedicating a from Highland and Knight high VIDA Program; AV Chambers of Organizations interested in
with a total 5,195 aircraft constructed highly maneuverable and reliable variety of advanced aircraft. In 1977 Force officials broke ground on memorial plaque for Joe Davies at schools; SOAR High School; Commerce; the Air Force Assn. of adopting an available aircraft
— 5,057 built by the McDonnell supersonic fighters, combining the C-140 did approach and landing the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at the Heritage Airpark, dignitaries and Lancaster High School Eagle Antelope Valley; Little Miss Antelope may contact Palmdale Parks and
Corporation and 138 under license, advanced aerodynamic design, engine tests at Dryden in support of the Space Palmdale Plant 42 on Oct. 20, 1998. family members recalled his memory Robotics; the Palmdale Aerospace Valley; The Cochran Family and AV Recreation Coordinator Gabriel
by Mitsubishi Aircraft in Japan. It performance and low operating costs. Shuttle Orbiter development. Also in The man whose memory is of the time he served at Plant 42: “It Academy; Lancaster School District Riders. Garcia at 661-267-5345.
was the first fighter aircraft to fly The concept of “life cycle cost” used the ‘70s, the C-140 was part of an honored in the Heritage Park’s name, was the best job I ever had in the Air
simultaneously with the U.S. Navy to extend the F-5’s service life while industry-government research project retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Joe Force.”
Blue Angels as well as the USAF lower costs set the stage for other on reducing community jet noise Davies, was selected for the honor Col. Davies died on Sept. 7, 2016,
Thunderbirds and was the first U.S. programs, and application of advanced levels. In 1985, the JetStar’s wings in gratitude for his years of service six weeks after the passing of his
Navy fighter to be adopted by the Air technology for maximum force were modified with suction and spray to aeronautics, Air Force Plant 42, wife, Audie.
Force. By January 1962, it was flying effectiveness at minimum cost became devices in a laminar (smooth) air flow the city of Palmdale, and the entire
with three branches of the military— the Northrop mantra in developing the program to study ways of improving Aerospace Valley, united by the Adopt-A-Plane
the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and T-38 and F-5 lightweight trainer and the flow of air over the wings of presence of its vibrant aerospace Of particular interest to Joe
U.S. Marine Corps. fighter aircraft. From the F-5’s first airliners. The program also studied economy. Davies was support of the Palmdale
delivery in 1964 to its final one in ways of reducing the collection of ice In 1962 the Davies family moved Airpark’s Adopt-A-Plane program,
T-38 Talon BuNo. 63-8182 — 1989, Northrop Grumman developed and insects on airliner wings. to Palmdale, and from 1963 to 1967, involving two all-volunteer groups
Built by Northrop Aircraft Corp., the more than 35 individualized he served as commander of the Air dedicated to maintaining the aircraft
T-38 Talon was the world’s first two- Photograph by Evelyn Kristo versions of the essential airframe to F-86 Sabre BuNo. N91FS — Force-owned manufacturing center in different ways.
seat, twin-jet trainer with supersonic Hank Myers of Juniper Hills, right, photographs a F-86 Sabre aircraft on display perform a variety of missions and Although the North American for aeronautics defense contractors. When a plane is donated,
capability. In service with U.S. Air at the Joe Davies Heritage Air Park located at 2001 E. Avenue P in Palmdale, roles. Approximately two-thirds Aviation-built XP-86 prototype for He deployed to Vietnam in 1967 volunteers disassemble and transport
Force, NASA, the U.S. Navy and Calif. Hours for the aircraft museum are Friday-Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. of the original production F-5s are F-86 Sabre jets that dominated MiG and served one year as commander it to the Airpark, and then restore
air forces of NATO member nations, operational in 26 countries. The U.S. Alley in the Korean War was born in of an Airlift Control organization at it piece by piece before reassembly
the T-38 is also the most widely used produced most of the 2,900 A-4 from flight status in 1980 at age 60. Navy flies the F-5 in its adversary the USA and first flew at Muroc Dry Phù Cát Air Base. Returning to the and display. Most restoration work
supersonic trainer, still in service for carrier-capable attack jets delivered squadrons to simulate enemy aircraft Lake in 1947, the model on display States, Joe was stationed at Lowry is done in a 3,500-square-foot shop
more than 50 years with the Air Force. to the Navy and Marine Corps. The F-5 Tiger Freedom Fighter BuNo. in aerial combat training, and the Air here is a Canadian immigrant. The AFB, Colo., retiring in 1973 after 32 provided onsite by Lockheed Martin
The Air Force has plans to phase-out single-engine, delta-wing jets filled 74-1529 — More than half a century Force used the F-5 in a similar role. Canadair F-86F Sabre Mk. 5, formerly years of service. Aeronautics Co. Volunteers for the
the T-38 beginning in 2023, replacing the Aerospace Valley’s skies in final ago, on July 31, 1963, a Northrop-built Northrop Grumman produced F-5s at operated by BAE Flight Systems at Happily returning to Palmdale, maintenance and restoration team are
it with the Boeing T-7 Red Hawk. The post-production test flights prior to tactical fighter jet made its first flight its plants in Palmdale and Hawthorne, Mojave Air & Spaceport from 1982 Joe devoted his time, talents and primarily retired from aerospace and
Heritage Airpark T-38 is on loan from delivery. The name of one of those test at Edwards AFB, launching a new Calif. to ‘98), is a veteran of the Royal energies to community service and military careers, who each typically
U.S. Air Force. pilots, James Stegman, USMC (ret.) is paradigm in the business of designing, Canadian Air Force 421 Squadron, leadership. He won election to three spend two days a week at airpark.
painted just below the cockpit canopy building, marketing and sustaining C-140 Jetstar BuNo. N814NA having served in Europe from 1954 four-year terms on the Palmdale City The second group, drawn
A-4 Skyhawk BuNo. 14-5067 — on the fuselage of the A-4D built at aerospace industry products. The — Built by Lockheed Aircraft to 1960.) About 6,200 Sabres were Council between 1988 and 1996, predominantly from area schools,
Among aircraft at the Joe Davies Palmdale and delivered to the Navy in aircraft was firstborn in what evolved Corporation is the C-140 JetStar built by North American plants in and also served as a director on the aerospace and civic organizations,
Heritage Airpark, one with a decades- 1959. Stegman made 3,700 flights in to become multiple generations of flown by NASA’s Dryden Flight Ohio and California before production Antelope Valley Board of Trade, AV cleans adopted airplanes about
long and numerically dominant the several versions of A-4s, logging tactical fighters sharing the family Research Center from 1964 to 1989 to ended in December 1956. But 25 other Transportation Authority, Palmdale once a month, or as needed. The
presence at Plant 42 is the Douglas 3,526 hours of his 8,500 total career name F-5. Northrop Grumman Corp. research projects applicable to civilian countries built 3,660 of their own Kiwanis Club, Boy Scouts, Little city provides the tools and cleaning Photograph by Evelyn Kristo
A-4C Skyhawk. From 1958 to 1979, flying hours. Stegman was honored for remains the proud parent of one aircraft. In the 1960s, the aircraft was F-86s under license from NAA. League, Salvation Army, United Way, materials. A Boeing 747 used as a shuttle vehicle transport carrier is on display at the Joe Davies Heritage Air Park located at
hundreds of people at Douglas his contributions at the 2008 Airpark of most enduring military aircraft equipped with an electronic variable and Edwards Flight Test Historical Groups volunteering include: 2001 E. Avenue P in Palmdale, Calif. Hours for the aircraft museum are Friday-Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Aircraft Company’s Palmdale factory installation of the A-4D-2N. He retired designs ever. Northrop Grumman stability flight control system to See AIRPARK, Page 15 Foundation. Junior Air Force ROTC squadrons

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