Taken during an early evening visit to the museum. The F-107A was designed for a USAF tactical fighter bomber competion in the 1950's that was won by the F-105. This is the first of three built and from 1957 spent time on loan to NACA as #207 on high speed flight research. First flight was on 10 Sept 1956. WFU and stored 21 Aug 1958. During the 60's the aircraft was fitted with the rear fuselage and tail of 55-5120 hence 55120 showing on the tail plane in this photo. Later transferred to the museum at Pima where it still is in 2023.

Manufactured by North American Aviation, Inglewood, California, and delivered to the U.S. Air Force on October 3, 1956 (the first F-107 built). September 1956: First flight conducted by North American Aviation test pilot Robert Baker at Edwards AFB, California. October 1956: Beginning of Air Force testing, Edwards AFB, California. November 1957:Transferred to NACA, Edwards AFB, California. June 1958: Returned to North American and placed in storage. 1960s: Placed in storage at Norton AFB, California. June 1974: Loaned to Pima Air & Space Museum by the National Museum of the United States

Photographer: Jim Morrow.

Photographer: Jim Morrow.

Photographer: Richard Sullivan. Ex NACA 207. Incorrect tail number displayed.

The first flight of the F-107 was on September 10, 1956. The F-107's competitor for the Air Force contract was the Republic F-105. While both aircraft performed very well the decision eventually came down on the side of the F-105 primarily because it had a full internal bomb bay while the F-107 did not. After Air Force testing ended two of the F-107 prototypes were turned over to NASA for experimental testing of the control system for the X-15 and high speed research flights.

The F-107 was North American's entry into the 1950s USAF tactical fighter-bomber design competition and was based on the F-100 but with the over-fuselage engine air-intakes as the main innovation. The competition was eventually won by the F-105 Thunderchief and in the end only three test F-107s were produced. This was the first example built and is now on display at the superb Pima Air & Space Museum.

The F-107 was intended to be a Mach 2.2 all-weather interceptor based on the F-100. Nine were ordered but only three were completed of which this is the first example 55-5118 and is shown stored in a yard at the now closed Tallmantz Collection at Orange County. It had been fitted with a rudder marked 55120 which was damaged beyond repair on take-off on 01.09.59 when with NASA.