McDonnell Douglas F-15 STOL/MTD

< McDonnell Douglas F-15 STOL

F-15 STOL/MTD /
NASA NF-15B Research Aircraft
F-15 ACTIVE in 1997
General information
TypeTechnology Demonstrator and Research Aircraft
National originUnited States
ManufacturerMcDonnell Douglas
StatusRetired from both NASA and military service
Primary usersUnited States Air Force
Number built1
RegistrationNASA 837
SerialUSAF S/N 71-0290
History
First flight7 September 1988 (STOL/MTD)
Retired15 August 1991 (STOL/MTD)
30 January 2009
Developed fromMcDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 STOL/MTD (Short Takeoff and Landing/Maneuver Technology Demonstrator) is a modified F-15 Eagle. Developed as a technology demonstrator, the F-15 STOL/MTD carried out research for studying the effects of thrust vectoring and enhanced maneuverability. The aircraft used for the project was pre-production TF-15A (F-15B) No. 1 (USAF S/N 71-0290), the first two-seat F-15 Eagle built by McDonnell Douglas (out of 2 prototypes), the sixth F-15 off the assembly line, and was the oldest F-15 flying up to its retirement. It was also used as the avionics testbed for the F-15E Strike Eagle program. The plane was on loan to NASA from the United States Air Force.

This same aircraft would later be used in the F-15 ACTIVE ("Advanced Control Technology for Integrated Vehicles") from 1993 to 1999, and later in the Intelligent Flight Control System programs from 1999 to 2008.

While with NASA, the aircraft's tail number was 837. The aircraft is now on display at Edwards AFB.