flyingtestbed

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 photo caption is incorrect. This is actually a Convair 340 (CV-340), United Air Lines first CV-340 delivered and the second CV-340 off of the production line, N73102 (c/n 2). Interestingly, this aircraft still flies today, converted (by Pacific Airmotive) into a turboprop powered Convair 580 (CV-580), wearing the registration N580HW as a avionics testbed for Honeywell Aviation Services. Here's a photo of the airplane in its current guise: As stated, this aircraft was delivered to United Air Lines (UAL) as N73102, on September 2, 1952. Frontier Airlines would then be the next operator of the aircraft (same registration) in August 1966. After Frontier, the airplane would be purchased by Gem State Airlines and re-registered as N116GS in May 1979. Gem State as then renamed Golden Gate Airlines in 1980. In February 1984, Aspen Airways would buy the aircraft and re-register it as N113AP. Then in March 1991, Aspen Airways sold the aircraft to Renown Aviation, Renown then soon selling it to Allied Signal in January 1992. Allied Signal registered the aircraft as N580AS and equipped it as a flying testbed. Allied Signal and Honeywell merged in 1999, the aircraft now wears Honeywell titles and is registered as N580HW.

Pratt and Whitney's B-17 engine test-bed