A North American P-51H Mustang, the type the author flew to test the hammock seat. (National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution)
Boeing XF8B, an experimental fighter-bomber tested at Eglin in 1946. Note the counter-rotating propellers and bomb bay doors. (National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution)
"Look, no hands!" The author flying a P-47N over central Florida.
(National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution)
A Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star undergoing cold-weather testing at Ladd Field, Alaska, in January 1947. (Donald S. Lopez)
One of the Air Force Test Pilot School's North American T-6 Texans flown by the author in the flight performance course. (Donald S. Lopez)
The flight test school's P-80A at Wright-Patterson. This was the first jet used in the school's program. (Donald S. Lopez)
The cockpit of a flight test school P-80A. The three primary flight performance instruments — the engine tachometer, altimeter, and sensitive airspeed indicator — prominently located at the center of the panel. (Donald S. Lopez)
Captain Lopez in a P-38 Lightning pulling up from a bombing run during a firepower demonstration. (U.S. Air Force)
Napalm tanks dropped by Lopez from a P-80 are about to hit the target.
Flames obliterate the target as he pulls up. (Donald S. Lopez)
Eglin fighter test squadron pilots on the ramp.
Left to right:
Capt. Joe Young, Capt. Don Dessert, Lt. Bill Moore, Capt. Don "Lope" Lopez, Capt. Fred Belue, Capt. Ervine Pratt, Lt. Col. Emmett "Cyclone" Davis, Maj. Tom Hergert, Capt. Ray Evans, Capt. Tom "Hoot" Gibson, unknown, Capt. Joe Baglio.
Despite the odd mix of uniforms, they were all in the same air force. This photograph was taken during the transition period from AAF to USAF uniforms and from winter to summer uniforms. (Donald S. Lopez)
Republic F-84 Thunderjet test team.
Left to right:
Captains Don Dessert, Fred Belue, Don Lopez, and Artie Lynch; Republic technical representative Artie Brown; nine members of the incomparable maintenance team; Capt. Hank Pashco. (Donald S. Lopez)
Technical Sergeant Campbell and Captain Lopez in the fighter test squadron supply office. (U.S. Air Force)
Sequential frames from 35mm motion-picture film showing Maj. Si Johnson's P-84B disintegrating in flight following a low-altitude pass at a flight of B-29s during a firepower demonstration. (National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution)
The cockpit of an F-84 with special camera installed to film through the gunsight. (National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution)
Plot of the F-84B radius of turn versus airspeed at various altitudes. (U.S. Air Force)
Drawing depicting a typical test combat mission for the F-84B. (U.S. Air Force)
Four Eglin mechanics with a North American F-86A Sabre. Note the three gun-port retractable covers used on the early models. (U.S. Air Force)
Maj. Joseph Tyler and Lt. Col. Dewey Slocumb, deputy squadron commander and squadron commander, respectively, of the 3200th Fighter Test Squadron. (U.S. Air Force)
An F-86A Sabre on ramp at Eglin. Note that the upper and lower gun-port covers have been removed. (U.S. Air Force)
An F-84E Thunderjet loaded for a ground support test mission. (U.S. Air Force)
Capt. Ray Evans in full regalia before a test flight in the F-86A Sabre. (U.S. Air Force)
A sight to make a World War II airplane buff cry: Northrop P-61s, Boeing B-17s, Consolidated B-24s, Boeing B-29s, and a Consolidated B-32 stored at Eglin Field 8, awaiting use as targets for armament tests. (U.S. Air Force)
A Republic F-84C with APS-19 radar installed for night-fighter tests. (U.S. Air Force)
Three F-80s pulling up after a napalm drop during a firepower demonstration. (U.S. Air Force)
An F-80, having just dropped two napalm tanks on a row of simulated truck targets, flies over a burning P-61. (U.S. Air Force)
A flight of three F-80s passing in review over a burning P-61. (U.S. Air Force)
A Consolidated B-36 Peacemaker flying low in front of the stands at the close of a demonstration. (U.S. Air Force)
A typical scene in the midst of a firepower demonstration, with napalm fires raging and several target aircraft on fire. (U.S. Air Force)
A mixed flight of aircraft — a B-36, B-29, B-17, B-26, and P-51 — passing in review. (U.S. Air Force)
A flight of two F-80s, led by Lt. Wes Posvar, laying a smoke screen at the finish of a firepower demonstration. (U.S. Air Force)
Glyn in the Lopezes' first house in Cinco Bayou, Floridaa great cook, then and now. (Donald S. Lopez)