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This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

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Mottern, Michael M.

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  • Mottern, Michael M.

Michael McDowell Mottern

Preferred Name: Mike
Date of Birth: May 24, 1943
Highest Military Grade: 0-6 – Colonel
Hometown: Niceville, FL
Michael M. Mottern - before
Biography
Pilot Information
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Michael McDowell Mottern was born May 24, 1943, in Morehead City, NC.  He attended NC State University where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering on May 29, 1965.  On that same day, he was commissioned in the US Air Force as a Distinguished Military ROTC Graduate. Mike also earned a Master’s Degree in Astronautics/Space Facility Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1967 and in Management/Public Administration from Auburn University in 1975.

After graduate school (AFIT) and pilot training at Laughlin AFB, TX, Mike served eight years as a fighter pilot – including two combat tours in Southeast Asia in the F-100 Super Sabre and F-4 Phantom and four years in Europe at Upper Heyford and Lakenheath. He graduated from the USAF Test Pilot School in 1975, Class 75B.

After four years of testing munitions, electronics, and avionics systems in the F-101 Voodoo at Tyndall AFB, FL, Mike was assigned to the Pentagon for four years where he was Deputy Chief of the AF Studies and Analyses’ Fighter Division and later, Military Assistant to the Air Force Chief Scientist. Before retirement, he was a senior test manager with significant experience leading major test organizations and multiple test support contracts.

Mike was Commander of the Test Wing at Eglin AFB where he performed flight testing as an F-16 test pilot followed by an assignment as Director of Test & Evaluation at HQ Systems Command, Andrews AFB, MD. He was in charge of all US Air Force developmental T&E where he led a team of flight test, program and financial managers to consolidate Air Force developmental testing. He provided flight management and logistics support for 226 Air Force test aircraft and he modernized stealth technology, climatic test and aircraft anechoic facilities with major construction upgrades.

After 26 years and 19 family moves in the Air Force, Mike retired in 1991, relocated to Niceville, FL, and joined Vitro Services Corporation in Fort Walton Beach.  As a Senior Vice President, he managed the testing of torpedo propulsion systems for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center at Newport, RI. He directed flight test support for special Air Force classified flight testing at Holloman AFB, NM. He directly supported the Navy’s VX-9 Test & Evaluation Squadron at China Lake, CA. He also directed test support for the Army’s Electronic Proving Ground at Fort Huachuca, AZ. In addition, Mike was responsible for a Navy contract at Pearl Harbor, HI, to manage the weapons storage area and load all the ships in the Pacific Fleet with munitions.

Vitro Services later became part of BAE Systems and as a Vice President, from 1995 to 2006, Mike was General Manager of Eglin’s Air Armament Center’s Test Range and Technical Facilities contract where his 800 employees provided technical test support to operate the Guided Weapons Evaluation Facility, the J-PRIMES anechoic chamber, the Climatic Lab and all test ranges at Eglin AFB.

In 2004, he was Technical Chairman of the International Telemetry Conference. His experience included 35 years of testing aircraft, weapons, avionics, electronic combat, navigation, and communications systems. He flew 43 different types of aircraft.

Mike and his wife Rita have two children and four grandchildren.

Units Assigned

  • 6/1965-6/1967 AFIT (Residence), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
  • 8/1967-8/1968 UPT, 3646th Pilot Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, TX (T-41, T-37, T-38)
  • 10/1968-4/1969 4515th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100 C/D/F)
  • 5/1969-4/1970 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Tuy Hoa AB, RVN (F-100 D/F)
  • 6/1970-1/1971 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Upper Heyford, UK (F-100 D/F)
  • 1/1971-6/1974 492nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, UK (F-100 D/F, F-4 D)
  • 9/1972-11/1972 TDY to 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ubon AB, Thailand (F-4 D/E)
  • 7/1974-7/1975 Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 7/1975-7/1976 USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA (T-33, T-38, RF-4 C, KC-135)
  • 8/1976-7/1980 Test Pilot, Ops Officer, 475th Test Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL (F-101 D/F)
  • 8/1980-10/1983 Fighter Division, AF Studies & Analyses, Pentagon, Washington, DC
  • 10/19837/1984 Military Asst to AF Chief Scientist, Pentagon, Washington, DC
  • 8/1984-5/1985 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 6/1985-7/1986 Director, Armament & Avionics Requirements, HQ TAC, Langley AFB, VA
  • 8/1986-7/1989 DCO & Wing Commander, 3246th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, FL (F-16 A/B/C/D)
  • 8/1989-8/1991 Deputy for Test & Evaluation, HQ/AFSC, Andrews AFB, MD

Awards & Decorations

Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (3)
Air Medal
Air Medal

Flight Info

T-33
T-37
T-38
T-41
F-100 C/D/F
F-4 D/E
RF-4
KC-135
F-101 D/F
F-16 A/B/C/D

Rating: Command Pilot
43 Aircraft Types
Combat Time: 267 missions, F-100 358 hrs (Tuy Hoa), F-4 116 hrs (Ubon)

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • 1967 MS, Astronautics & Space Facility Engineering, AFIT (Residence)

Civilian Education:

  • 1965 BS, Civil Engineering, NC State
  • 1975 MS, Public Administration, Auburn

Mottern Michael With F 100 1969 (2)
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