Dates

Event

12 April 1956

Constructed as a YF-104A.

31 July 1956

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 55-2961.

21 August 1956

Aircraft delivered to USAF.

23 August 1956

Loaned to National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), High Speed Flight Station, Edwards AFB, CA.

August 1956

Redesignated as JF-104A.

1 October 1958

NACA became National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Photographer: NASA Dryden Flight Research Cent

1965

Photographer: NASA Dryden Flight Research Cent

1 April 1970

Taken on Strength/Charge with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration with s/n 818 and operated with these markings: 818.

8 April 1970

To National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Edwards AFB, CA with new c/r N818NA.

From 7 December 1973 to By April 1975

Assigned to Edwards AFB, CA for storage.

11 April 1975

Photographer: NASA Dryden Flight Research Cent

26 August 1975

Last Operational Flight. From 1956 to 1975 the plane made 1439 total flights with NACA/NASA. It was used as a flying test bed and a chase plane. Used as Reaction Control System (RCS) test aircraft, it was used to test the reaction controls later used on the North American X-15. Total flights with NASA, 1,439. A total of 19 NACA/NASA pilots flew this airframe; 3 became astronauts (including Neil Armstrong), 7 X-15 pilots and 6 pilots who flew the various lifting bodies.

18 November 1975

Last flight.
Arrived Andrews AFB, Washington, DC piloted by Don Mallik, for display at the National Air (and) Space Museum.

18 November 1975

To Smithsonian-National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC.
View the Location Dossier

15 October 1981

Civil registration, N818NA, cancelled.

11 June 1991

Photographer: Glenn Chatfield