The Sikorsky S-72 Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA) was funded by NASA and the US Army to test advanced helicopter rotors in flight and featured detachable wings. Two S-72s were built and first flown in Stratford, CT on Oct 12, 1976. The first aircraft was delivered in July 1977 to NASA Wallops Island Flight Test Facility, VA and made its first full compound flighton April 10, 1978. The second S-72 was delivered to the NASA Ames Research Center in Fall 1978 and late joined by aircraft No. 1 in Sep 1979. Later used for RSRA/X-wing program 1986-1987. Msn 72-002 was NASA 546, 741 and N741NA.

I found some small album photos and thought they might be of interest. These were taken at NAS Sunnyvale (which later became NAS Moffett Field) in June 1932 and show a day when the public was allowed in to see the dirigible. For those of us that know Moffett Field it will be a shock to see nothing but a field of dry grass and weeds.

Photographer unknown

Ex 56-6682

On the Fire Dump - W/O 29 Apr 1973 at Moffett Field

Ex 152881

US Army serial 66-19138. Later converted to CH-47D 89-00176. Photo from: NASA

'Navy squadrons VF-6, VB-2, VS-2 and VT-2 in hangar at NAS Sunnyvale.' VB-2 has Curtiss BFC-2 Goshawks and a single Grumman SF-1, in the middle row, coded 2-B-19. The airship hangar had cost $2.5 million to build, but stood empty following the loss of USS Macon in February 1935. The US Army took over Moffett Field in September 1935 'and immediately became disenchanted with it, mainly due to the high cost of Hangar 1's maintenance.' Photo from: NASA

This AV-8A conducted an aerial performance each day of the airshow. It was later converted to an AV-8C, and was retired on 3 April 1986.

Delivered new to RAN in March 1952 and retired in September 1963. Exported to U.S. in 1972 and registered as N588. This Sea Fury participated in the Reno Air Races from 1972 through 1996 except for 1976, 1977, and 1995, using race number 16. It was exported to the U.K. in 1997 and registered as G-EEMV. On 11 May 2001 the a/c was heavily damaged and the pilot perished in a landing accident at Sywell. The remains of the a/c have been exported to Sweden.

Departing Moffett Federal Airfield

Art Scholl taxiing in after performing at the 1977 NAS Moffett Field Airshow.. Mr Scholl lost his life during the filming of the original "Top Gun" movie. This aircraft is now on display at the Udvar-Hazy Annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

This was the first C-8A Buffalo built, with US Army s/n 63-13686. It was converted into the C-8A/AWJSRA (Augmentor Wing Jet STOL Research Aircraft) for NASA, who operated it from 1969 through 1981 (FAA registration). It was the world's first jet STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) transport demonstrator. In 1981 it was exported to Canada and registered C-CFIU, and was scrapped in the late 1980s.The nickname Bisontennial was a spoof on the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial.

This RF-8G was assigned to VFP-63 Detachment 4 aboard USS Forrestall (CV-59). CV-59 was an Atlantic Fleet aircraft carrier. VFP-63 provided detachments to the east coast as necessary to augment the RA-5C Vigilante.

The S-72 was an experimental high speed compound helicopter developed by Sikorsky for the US Army and NASA. Two were built and the program ran through the mid 1980s. This S-72, at last report, is located at the Moffett Field Museum.

Converted to a drone and shot down on June 7, 1993. Photo from: National Archives at College Park, Maryland

This a/c was originally built as USAF F-5E s/n 74-1480, then redesignated with USN Bureau Number 159881. On 8 February 1996 this a/c was lost 60 miles northeast of NAS Fallon, Nevada. The pilot ejected, but did not survive.