flyingtestbed

The XFD-1 was a prototype aircraft for the McDonnell FH Phantom. If you read the picture tag it not even a XF4D it is a F4D Douglas.

This actually is one of two Douglas XF4D-1 Skyray prototypes, BuNo 124587. This particular aircraft set a world speed record of 725.9 mph over a 3 km closed-course on 3 October 1953. 3 October 1953: Lieutenant Commander James B. Verdin, United States Navy, flew the second prototype of the Douglas Aircraft Company’s XF4D-1 Skyray, Bu. No. 124587, over a three kilometer course at the Salton Sea, California. Commander Verdin made four passes, two in each direction. He set a new Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Record for Speed over a 3-kilometer course, averaging 1,211.75 kilometers per hour (752.95 miles per hour). This aircraft would go on to serve as a flying testbed for the General Electric J79 jet engine (and its civil CJ805 derivative). See: www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/douglas-xf4d-1-skyray/ This aircraft is still extant, albeit in the need of at least a new coat of paint. Here is a more recent photo of BuNo 124587 at the China Lake Museum of Armament and Technology, China Lake, CA, by Flickr user G. Verver:

This is one of three Keystone K-78 Patrician (NC98N) aircraft built. Here owned by Curtiss-Wright, and used as both an executive transport and engine testbed. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystone_Patrician

This is Pan Am Boeing 747-121 "Clipper Star of the Union", N744PA (c/n 19651/25). The 25th 747 built, its name was later changed to "Clipper Ocean Spray", and served with Pan Am until the airline ended operations in December 1991. General Electric acquired the aircraft in September 1992 for its GE Aircraft Engines business. GE Aircraft Engines converted the aircraft for use as a flying testbed for new jet engines, and changed its registration to N747GE. N747GE is one of only a small number of 747-100 aircraft in operation still flying today. Its use has been essential in developing GE's newest large jet engine, the GEnX, for both the 787 and 747-8 programs. In addition, the aircraft still flies with much of its Pan Am interior still intact with seats remaining in the upper deck area and Pan Am blue rugs and accents (including on the overhead luggage bins) still in place.

TVL 1970, Thanks for this very detailed and interesting information! Jerry (U.S. National Archives)

The JFK VOR seems to still be there, beyond the "P" in Pan Am; gas tank at right was at 40.61333N 73.75434W.

All good things must come to an end. This 747 made its last flight on November 15, 2018. The aircraft flew from Victorville, California, to its new home at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. General Electric has donated the aircraft to the museum. See: GE Reports: Time Flies: GE’s Original Flying Testbed Jets Off Into History - by Brendan Coffey - November 28, 2018 Aerospace Testing International: GE’s 747 testbed lands for the last time - by Ben Sampson - November 20, 2018 Also, see video of the last flight of N747GE, as it departed for its journey to the Pima Air & Space Museum, as well an earlier video about the aircraft and its "retirement" from test bed use. YouTube - GE Aviation - Homeward Bound: GE Aviation’s original Boeing 747-100 Flying Test Bed flies into retirement YouTube - GE Aviation - Farewell to the Queen of the Skies: The pilots of GE's 747-100 flying test bed Here is a photo of the aircraft, taken by Flickr user cactusbillaz, being towed to its new home, after landing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base: