NTPS Patuxent River

Naval Test Pilot School,
Patuxent River, MD

Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO).
See FAQ/Research/Contact link under [SA] in the menu.

NTPS Patuxent River
NTPS Patuxent River, MD
NTPS Patuxent River
NTPS Patuxent River, MD

Heritage-Patches

The US Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) provides instruction to experienced pilots, flight officers, and engineers in the processes and techniques of aircraft and systems test and evaluation. The school investigates and develops new flight test techniques, publishes manuals for use of the aviation test community for standardization of flight test techniques and project reporting, and conducts special projects. USNTPS maintains its staff as a focal point of expertise providing the aviation test community with engineering and training consultation.
Quoted from the United States Navy Test Pilot School Website

Naval Test Pilot School - present.

Sources

David Weber

Bud Southworth

Gary Verver

Commanding Officers

1945 - - - - - - - Commander Syd Sherby

2000 - - - - - - - Commander Robert B. Stoney

Awards

No info yet.

Base Tail ID

No info yet.

Hosted Units

NTPS

Aircraft

Date received - - - - - Aircraft type

1945- - - - - - - - North American SNJ Texan (Secret Navy Jet).

1945- - - - - - - - - Beechcraft SNB or JRB Expeditor - Navigator - (Secret Navy Bomber - Bamboo Bomber).

1945- - - - - - - - - Grumman (General Motors) FM-2 (F4F-8) Wildcat.

1945- - - - - - - - - Grumman F6F Hellcat (Whistling Outhouse).

1945- - - - - - - - - Grumman TBM Avenger (Turkey).

1945- - - - - - - - - Douglas SBD Dauntless (Slow But Deadly).

1948- - - - - - - - - Consolidated PB4Y Privateer.

1948- - - - - - - - - Grumman F7F Tigercat.

1948- - - - - - - - - Grumman F8F Bearcat (Blue Scooter).

1949- - - - - - - - - Chance Vought F4U Corsair.

1949- - - - - - - - - Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina.

1949- - - - - - - - - Chance Vought XF6U Pirate.

1949- - - - - - - - - Lockheed xp2v-1 Neptune.

1950- - - - - - - - - Grumman F9F-2 Panther.

1951- - - - - - - - - Douglas AD Skyraider.

1953- - - - - - - - - Grumman F9F Cougar.

1958- - - - - - - - - Chance Vought F8U Crusader.

1958- - - - - - - - - Grumman S2F-1 Tracker (STOOF).

13 March 1965 - - - - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk *

21 April 1971 - - - - Douglas A4D-5 (A-4E) Skyhawk *

19 March 1965 - - - - Douglas NTA-4F Skyhawk

22 June 1970- - - - - Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk

25 June 1975- - - - - Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk

1959- - - - - - - - - Lockheed TV2 Sea Star.

1960- - - - - - - - - North American B-26 Invader

1961- - - - - - - - - Temco TT-1A Pinto.

1961- - - - - - - - - North American T-2 Buckeye.

1961- - - - - - - - - Sikorsky HSS-1 Seahorse

1963- - - - - - - - - Bell UH-1 Huey

1965- - - - - - - - - Chance Vought TF-8A Crusader

1966- - - - - - - - - Douglas C-54Q Skymaster

1966- - - - - - - - - Grumman OV-1 Mohawk.

1966- - - - - - - - - de Havilland NU-1 Otter

1967- - - - - - - - - H-46 Seaknight

1967- - - - - - - - - OH-13

1969- - - - - - - - - U-26B powered glider

1971- - - - - - - - - Grumman OV-10 Bronco.

1974- - - - - - - - - AH-1G Cobra

1975- - - - - - - - - Lockheed NT-33A Shooting Star

1981- - - - - - - - - AH-1S Cobra

1984- - - - - - - - - UH-60A Blackhawk

1988- - - - - - - - - HH-65 Dauphin

Unknown - - - - - - - Boeing F/A-18 Hornet.

Unknown - - - - - - - Lockheed NP-3D Orion

Unknown - - - - - - - Northrup T-38 Talon

Unknown - - - - - - - OH-58 Kiowa

Unknown - - - - - - - TH-6B Loach

Unknown - - - - - - - C-12 Huron

Unknown - - - - - - - U-6 Beaver

Unknown - - - - - - - X-26 (Glider)

* November 30, 1962

A4D-2 designation was changed to A-4B

A4D-5 designation was changed to A-4E

For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page:

Events

May 8, 1970: Flight Lt. R.S. Burrows (British training pilot) parachuted safely from his A-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 142085) today and escaped without injury although his plane exploded and crashed into the Nanticoke River area. The pilot radioed he had trouble and was going to eject from his plane at 8:08 a.m. It is believed the plane went down between Bivalve and Elliot's island. The pilot called the air station from a farm house in White Haven and was picked up helicopter and returned to NAS Patuxent. The Daily Times, (continued) Salisbury, MD, Friday May 8, 1970.

February 18, 1983: Lt. Carlton B. Jewett and Richard M. Prevatt ejected safely before their TA-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 155119) plunged into the water near Bloodsworth Island in Chesapeake Bay, MD, Friday. The two were rescued by a helicopter assigned to a unit in Norfolk, VA. The Capital, Saturday, February 19, 1983. NATC Sys Eng Tst Dir TA-4J BuNo 155119 was destroyed at Patuxent River when aircraft departed controlled flight during aerobatic maneuver, 18 February 1983. Crew ejected. Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester.

 

Photos

24SEP76: Naval Test Pilot School TA-4J Skyhawk BuNo 152102, NTPS-09, in the hangar, NAS Patuxent River, 24 September 1976. Mike Wilson.

AUG76: BuNo 155119, getting ready to fly. Gary Verver Collection.

1977 - 1988: BuNo 152868, Pax River 06, on the ramp preparing to taxi.

APR80: TA-4J Skyhawk BuNo 152878, #07, parked on the flight line. Photographer unknown, G. Verver collection.

BuNo 152978: 07 at rest on the ramp. Gary Verver Collection.

BuNo 154619, 09 with cockpit open. Gary Verver Collection.

December 1980: TA-4J Skyhawk BuNo 152878, #07, parked on the flight line. Photo by B. Roop, Mike Wilson collection.

01 June 1983: air-to-air photo series of TA-4F Skyhawk BuNo 152868, top left, TA-7C Corsair II BuNo 154544, top right, T-38A Talon BuNo 158200, bottom left, and T-2C Buckeye BuNo 157032 in flight near NATC Pax River, MD.
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Official U.S. Navy photos, JOCS Kirby Harrison

20 August 1983 : TA-4F Skyhawk BuNo 152868, #06, parked on the flight line.
TA-4F Skyhawk BuNo 152868, #06, parked on the flight line with a TER and iron bombs on the outboard pylon. Photos by J.R. Handelman, Mike Wilson collection.

1985: BuNo 158126 pre-flight. Gay Verver Collection.

July 1987 : TA-4J Skyhawk BuNo 152878, #07, parked on the flight line. G. Verver collection.


Off-Duty Photos

No info yet.

A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to NTPS:

  • Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk
    • 142120 c/n 11374
      • 20 May 1969 - Nav Test Pilot Sch - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 25 Oct 1971 - NAF RDT&E - NAF China lake, CA
    • 142821 c/n 11883
      • 30 Nov 1965 - NATC TST PIL SCH - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 18 Sep 1968 - NATC TST PIL SCH - Convert to TA-4B
      • 08 Jul 1969 - NAS - NAS New York, NY
    • 142892 c/n 11954
      • 01 Dec 1967 - NATC Test Pilot Sch - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 18 Sep 1968 - NATC Test Pilot Sch - Convert to TA-4B
      • 23 Jun 1971 - RDT&E - NAF China Lake, CA
    • 144961 C/N 12207
      • 17 Aug 1965 - NATC TST PLT SCH - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 10 Jun 1968 – NAS - NAS New Orleans, LA
    • 145047 C/N 12293
      • 13 Mar 1965 - NATC TST PLT SCH - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 21 Aug 1967 - NAVAIRSYSCOM RE - NAS Patuxent River, MD
  •  
  • Douglas A4D-5 (A-4E) Skyhawk
    • 150023 c/n 13076
      • 21 Apr 1971 - NAVTESTPILOTSCH - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 06 Mar 1974 - NAVFITWEPSCH - NAS Miramar, CA
    • 151990 c/n 13378
      • 22 Apr 1971 - Nav Tst Plt Sch - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 22 Jun 1974 - VMA-223 - MCAS Yuma, AZ
  •  
  • Douglas NTA-4F Skyhawk
    • 152102 C/N 13490
      • 19 Mar 1975 - NavTstPilSchol - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 22 Nov 1976 - NATC RDT&E - NAS Patuxent River, MD
  •  
  • Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk
    • 152868 C/N 13514
      • 22 Jun 1970 - Nav Tst Plt Sch - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 02 Mar 1971 - Nav Tst Plt Sch - Convert to TA-4J
      • 26 Sep 1989 – TPS NATC - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 01 Jan 1992 – TPS NAWCAD - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 14 Jul 1994 – NASC FSO, MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
  • Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk (Continued)
    • 152878 C/N 13524
      • 22 Jun 1970 - Nav Tst Plt Sch - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 07 Jun 1971 - Nav Tst Plt Sch - Convert to TA-4J
      • 20 Sep 1978 - NATC RDT&E - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      •  
      • 01 Jan 1979 – Nav Tst Plt Sch - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 10 Oct 1989 – TPS NATC - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 01 Jan 1992 – TPS NAWCAD - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 13 Jun 1994 – NASC FSO, MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 153524 c/n 13590
      • 26 Jun 1972 - VF-126 - Convert to TA-4J
      •  
      • 12 Jul 1983 - NATC Test Pil Sch - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 17 Sep 1989 – TPS NATC - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 01 Jan 1992 – TPS NAWCAD - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 05 Aug 1994 – NASC FSO, MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 154619 c/n 13737
      • 03 Nov 1970 - NATC Wpn Sys Tst Patuxent River - Convert to TA-4J
      •  
      • 22 Jun 1976 - NavTstPilSchol - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 16 Sep 1977 - NATC RDT&E - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      •  
      • 06 Jun 1986 - NATC TstPilSchol - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 04 Mar 1987 - VT-7 - NAS Meridian, MS
  •  
  • Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk
    • 155119 c/n 13935
      • 25 Jun 1975 - NavTetPilSch - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 18 Feb 1983 – Stricken - 1SO
    • 158106 c/n 14192
      • 06 May 1996 – NAVTSTPILSCH – NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • Stricken - After 30 Jun 1996 and before 30 Sep 1996
    • 158126 c/n 14212
      • 15 Mar 1976 - NAVTSTPILSCH - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 31 Jul 1988 - NATC TST PLT SCH - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 01 Jan 1992 – TPS NAWCAD - NAS Patuxent River, MD
      • 07 Apr 1994 – NASC FSO, MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ

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