NASA 28 departing on a grey day - taken at some distance. This was deployed to Mildenhall on only a few occasions. [Close inspection only reveals 28 on the fuselage and some sources give the identity as NASA 928 or even 63-13298. The registration N928NA was issued about ten years after this image in June 2015.]

Spin-test airplane. 18 spin tests (13 with parachute) markings below cockpit. At NASA Langley Research Center, VA (colocated with Langley AFB).

Photographer: David Ostrowski. Spin-test airplane. At Langley Research Center, VA (co-located with Langley AFB)

At NASA Langley Research Center, VA (colocated with Langley AFB). Spin-test airplane.

At Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA (adjacent Langley AFB).

This Super Guppy had just departed Davis Monthan and I wish I knew what it was transporting. It had been in the area several days. It was an amazing sight.

Four-engined experimental tilt-wing aircraft used in a joint NASA/USAF research program.

The first of the three X-15's - also referred to as the X-15-1. Launched from the B-52 carriers, this rocket-powered research aircraft reached over Mach 5 and 50 miles altitude. The pilots of those particular flights being classified by the Americans as astronauts.

NASA acquired this Lancair in 2001 for the Small Aircraft Transportation System project based at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

The sole survivor of five XC-142A tilt-wing test aircraft built in the mid 1960's. Allocated USAF serial 62-5924.

NASA/KST QF-106A sitting in the static line-up at the 1997 Edwards AFB show. This QF-106 was used by Kelly Space & Technology to demonstrate a reusable tow launch vehicle in a project known as Eclipse for the Air Force. A couple months after this photo was taken they made the first towed flight behind a C-141. You can read about the details here; https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-049-DFRC.html

NASA's NB-52B 'Balls 8' lifts off from runway 22 with the Hyper-X attached to a Pegasus booster under it's right wing. On the nose it carries the Air Force Systems Command badge.

Originally USAF 55-2961 and designated YF-104A.

Piloted rocket-powered "lifting body" test vehicle. Flew from 06.70 to 12.72 reaching supersonic speeds and over 70,000 feet altitude.

NASA Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, with test shuttle 'Enterprise' during Paris le Bourget Air show 1983. .

The sole SR-71B for NASA is seen here at the platform of NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB (CA). Unfortunately, the full back light did not create the very best picture... The trainer was prepared for a familiarisation flight, its first official research flight for Dryden DFRC took place some two years later, on 9 March 1993. NASA 831 is former USAF 64-17956 and was delivered to the NASA on 25 July 1991 after a long USAF service that started in November 1965. After its NASA career the aircraft was dismantled and delivered to the Kalamazoo (MI) Air Zoo in March 2003 for perservation.

After a USAF career with the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing this Blackbird made its last flight on 19 Mar'90. It was transferred to the NASA on that same day. The aircraft was intented for use with NASA Dryden (CA) as N832NA as a test aircraft. On the picture it is seen on temporary storage at Dryden, but it lacked its NASA registration. The SR-71A was overhauled at Palmdale in early '95 and redelivered to the USAF in Jun'95 as a gap filler. It flew again from homebase Beale AFB (CA) up to Oct'99, returned to the NASA but went into storage and was eventually dismanteled late 2002.