Blast from the Past

This article presents a review about the jet engine testing facilities of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Trenton, NJ, that had to be moved to a base run by another branch of the military, the Arnold Engineering Development Center at Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee. The jet engine testing complex at Trenton had been built in the 1950s. The restriction effectively ruled out any upgrades so long as the Navy’s engine test requirements could be met by replicating the capabilities of the old facility. The natural tendency of the engineers and planners looking at the project was to think immediately about how the facility could be improved with modern designs. For the restriction on not improving the test capability at Trenton, the project ironically provided an expansion of services. This is built to subject the Navy engines to definite environmental conditions, and as long as the Navy has that kind of test requirement. It is a capability that is available not only to the Navy and Air Force, but to the Army, Marines, and private industry as well.