SPCRET 18 One such tank had been cut apart to check on tie-in capability in fitting a new nose on the tank. To expedite matters it was requested that AFSWC appoint a project officer to work with Tracerlab, Martin and the Kaiser Metal Products Plant. BEST AVAILABLE COPY On 8 October at the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) at Edwards Air Force Base, California, General Estes learned that no B-57 had ar-~ rived at that Center for testing. The first B-57's had been scheduled for arrival in late September or early October, but slippages had postponed their arrival until Noveaber.. Brigadier General Stanley J. Holtener, Commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center, believed at that time that Edwards was to receive eight B-57's between 15 November 1953 and 30 Janusry 1954. Extensive testing was scheduled to get underway immediately upon arrival of the first aircraft. Altitude testing was not scheduled until late in the testing series, but it was believed that ARDC would, if requested, accomplish that phase of testing earlier. Approximately two years earlier, the B-57 Phase II Project Officer had tested an aircraft of B~57 configuration, equipped with Avon engines instead of J-65's, and hed found the aircraft extremely easy to maintain, a quality which made it well-suited for sparsely equipped forward bases like the Pacific Proving Ground. Although not a part of Phase II test- ing, the B-57 had been flown at 51,000 feet pressure altitwie with a maneuver factor of 2.5G's. Although the pilot had made no effort to ob- tain altitude, he believed the aircraft could operate at 54,000 feet, if equipped with Avon engines. The Phase II Project Officer believed the aircraft admirably suited for sampling missions. AW sue Although he had not