The United States Air Force (USAF) produced the promotional film “Toward the Unexplored” in 1967. The film features the history of Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) from its beginnings as Muroc Dry Lake and World War II target range to the testing being performed at Edwards at the time the film was produced. Thanks to YouTuber Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture for uploading this history lesson and time capsule of Air Force research and development at Edwards. Watch for an appearance by then-Colonel Chuck Yeager himself. Ad Inexplorata!
The film features America’s first jet fighter aircraft, the Bell XP-59. It then moves through programs such as the early X-planes, the Northrop YB-49 Flying Wing, the zero-launch North American F-100 Super Sabre, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Bell X-3 Stiletto, Convair’s B-58 Hustler, the General Dynamics F-111, Lockheed’s SR-71 Blackbird, the Ling Temco Vought XC-142 tilt-wing testbed, the North American X-15, and lots more. Rocket engine testing, range telemetry, and test administration is all included in this comprehensive look at Edwards AFB circa 1967.
