USMC CS/FRP-1 FLYING SUIT VMA-331 \"BUMBLEBEES\" TEST PILOT COL. JIM SANDBERG For Sale

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USMC CS/FRP-1 FLYING SUIT VMA-331 \"BUMBLEBEES\" TEST PILOT COL. JIM SANDBERG:
$750.00

Gentlemen,

Offered here is this USMC CS/FRP-1 flying suit that belonged to the highly seasoned Test Pilot Col. Jim Sandberg while flying A-4s assigned to the VMA-331 "BUMBLEBEES" during the early 1970s .

A 1969 Naval Academy graduate, Jim completed USAF UPT as an USMC Officer in 1971, USMC (Naval Aviator) transition training in 1972, and flew A-4s in the fleet and as an IP. He graduated from USAF TPS in December 1977, and the Navy Fighter Weapons School in 1979. Assigned to VX-4, he flew OT&E in the F-14 and F-4 and planned and conducted the first two operational evaluations of the F-18A HORNET.

After leaving active duty in 1982, he worked for Northrop as an engineering test pilot.

Jim conducted radar development, cockpit avionics integration, flying qualities, performance, and weapon delivery tests on the F-20, accumulating 450 test hours in that jet over the course of four years. He is also the only surviving test pilot of the Tigershark, the other two pilots were killed in crashes in the 80's.

He was the second Northrop test pilot for the YF-23A ATF test program and he flew the first flight of the GE-powered prototype in 1990. In 1991, Jim joined the B-2A SPIRIT Test Force and conducted performance and weapon delivery flight tests and pilot vehicle interface integration with various avionics configurations. He joined the F-18E/F SUPER HORNET Integrated Test

Team in 1995 and conducted EMD flight tests

acumulating more than 580 test hours when the

EMD program was completed in 1999. Jim was the Director of the Integrated Test Force at NAS

Patuxent River MD for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, his sixth major developmental flight test program.

A former president of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, he now works as an independent consultant.

This example comes directly from Sandberg personal property.

The condition of this flight suit is good but shows some fading and wear from duty and being stored many years.

Left chest depicts his aviator wings name tag wings "J.R. SANDBERG".

Right sleeve depicts an original 70's VMA-331 patch.

This would be a great addition to any flight gear collection, Sandberg is one of the top test pilots still alive with over 6000 hours in more than 40 types, mostly tactical jets.

Let me know if you have other questions.

All sales are final

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USMC CS/FRP-1 FLYING SUIT VMA-331 "BUMBLEBEES" TEST PILOT COL. JIM SANDBERG

$750.00

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