f104starfighter

The gentleman on the right is legendary aviator, air racer, Lockheed Test Pilot, and regarded by many as "The Father of Area 51," Anthony W. "Tony" LeVier. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_LeVier The aircraft in the background is a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. I am currently unable to identify the pilot in the pressure suit.

Next to Tony is Bob Mattey not sure of the spelling. He was also a test pilot and was killed in a plane crash not long after this photo

Since these people have been identified, you need to change the title and remove this from the "need identification" album.

Correction on the identity of the test pilot in the pressure suit. Tony LeVier (right) is shaking hands with fellow test pilot Joe B. Jordan (left), on the day that Gordon set the (then) world altitude record of 103,395 ft in a US Air Force Lockheed F-104C Starfighter (56-0885), December 14, 1959. See: www.i-f-s.nl/f-104-records/ blog.seattlepi.com/americanaerospace/2010/12/13/f-104c-wo... www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/joe-bailey-jordan/ Here is a film documenting the record-breaking flight: YouTube - The Joint Forces Channel: "Historic Footage Of F-104 Breaking Altitude Record"

As per the Aviation Safety Network, this aircraft would be converted into a JQF-104A target drone and shot down during US Navy tests of the AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile on June 17, 1965. See: aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=87042

This is Lockheed XF-104-LO Starfighter 53-7786 "FG-786" of USAF w/ a Wright J65 under test ca. '54.