Claim of fame: Eldon (Ed) W. Brown, Jr. an experimental test pilot with Lockheed flew his 1000 hour on F-104s. Photo taken at Edwards AFB on May 29, 1962 with DA+102. -- After leaving the Navy in 1957, Ed Brown was an experimental test pilot with Lockheed. He flew the F-104 from 1957 until 1971 and was also the ZELL program test pilot. He later worked for the Federal Aviation Administration. -- F-104G DA+102 during "Joint Test Force" (JTF) operation at Edwards AFB in 1961 with Eldon (Ed) W. Brown, Jr. an experimental test pilot for Lockheed F-104G, construction number 683-2002, model 683-10-19, built by Lockheed manufactured by Lockheed (ARGE-USA); first flight around November 15, 1960 with register number "102" acceptance date in 1960 by BABwLockheed in Silver-finish colors coded DA+102 for Joint Test Force operation at Palmdale testing basic systems (structure and aerodynamics) in 1961 modified for ZELL (Zero-Length Launch) program at Edwards AFB in 1962; 8 ZELL take-offs at Edwards in 1963 stored at Palmdale with 202 flight hours; shipped to VFW-Lemwerder, Germany on July 28, 1965 for re-assembly and modifications camouflage scheme "Norm 62" according tech order "TA-196" in 1966; coded DB+127 accepted on September 14, 1965 by BABwVFW JaboG 32 at Lechfeld AB delivery date on February 24, 1966 for ZELL trials; total of 7 ZELL-trials at Lechfeld AB from May 4, until July 12, 1966 program canceled due to changed NATO strategy 20+02 re-modified by Messerschmitt; with ErpSt 61 on April 25, 1968; JaboG 32 on January 4, 1971 stored at LwSchleuse 11 on August 6, 1981 with 2.245 flight hours; struck off charge order (AVA) October 2, 1984 on pole LwUGrpKdo Süd Karlsruhe on April 2, 1985 with training aid code "C032" LwWerft 13 Erding on March 8, 1995 for restoration and modification as ZELL aircraft preserved coded "DB+127" at Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr Berlin-Gatow in ZELL launch configuration on September 12, 1996 February 2009 noted; May 2015 last noted.
