[Leica] IMG: From the Cigar Box- AEDC Open House 1986

[jhnichols at bellsouth.net (Jim Nichols)]

LUGGERS, Especially Hoppy,

Almost all of my working years were spent on military installations where 
personal cameras were not allowed, for security reasons.  In 1986, the 
Arnold Engineering Development Center held an Open House for employees, 
families and neighbors to tour certain areas where displays of interest were 
set up.  On this occasion, cameras were allowed.

I made a number of photos of interest to myself, and a few that might 
interest others.  I particularly thought of Hoppy, the old armorer, when I 
came across the ones shown here.

For many years, two of the most prevalent test types involved investigating 
military aircraft's ability to perform while carrying external stores of all 
types, and their ability to make satisfactory releases of these stores.  The 
models depicted here are of the type used in the first type of 
investigation, and were designed for testing in the AEDC 16T Transonic Wind 
Tunnel, which has a 16 x 16 x 40-foot test section.

I have no direct knowledge of what store combinations were actually tested, 
or of those that actually went into service.  These photos just depict all 
of the possible combinations provided by the models actually used for the 
tests.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Cigar+Box/F-16+with+Stores+1986.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Cigar+Box/FB-111+with+Stores+1986.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Cigar+Box/A-10+with+Stores+1986.jpg.html

Comments and critiques are welcomed.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA