09/30/2009. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "The Model 081-40-01 was an experimental vertical take off aircraft of the 1950s. The aircraft was briefly airborne during taxi tests December 23, 1953. The first flight was actually June 16, 1954.

Delays in the development of the T40 engine caused the Navy to change its mind and to downgrade the XFV-1 to a pure research vehicle, since its top speed was now too slow for a fighter. Lockheed test pilot Herman 'Fish' Salmon (hence the XFV-1 was nicknamed "Salmon") flew all 22 flights, totaling 11.5 hours, before the program was cancelled on June 16, 1955.

                                  (Jack McKillop Collection)

After cancellation, the first XFV-1 was delivered to Hiller Helicopters of Palo Alto, California, USA for ground testing, thereafter it was displayed at the Lockheed facility at Burbank, California, for several years. In December 1979 it was donated to the Aerospace Museum at San Diego, California, however, it ended up at the US Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.

The second aircraft (BuNo 138658) was never completed, after the cancellation of the program it became a gate guard at NAS Los Alamitos, California.

                                  Lockheed 081 XFV-1 (138658) (Bob Cieslak Collection)

By 1991 it had been transferred to the Florida Air Museum at Lakeland, Florida and restored for static display in vertical and horizontal position.

Lockheed 081 XFV-1 (138658) (Harold Arkenbout Collection)