Derek’s Autograph Gallery

About me

My name is Derek Horne and I am an author of numerous flight test related web sites. Over the past 7 years or so (the length of time I've had a web site) I've been very fortunate with the friends and acquaintances I've made since creating my websites. Through these friendships and acquaintences I've managed to gather quite a collection of autographs, paintings, lithographs and other items of memorabilia pertaining to the history of Edwards AFB, flight test and manned space flight. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank those that have been kind enough to send me this material and for all their friendship, support and generosity. Many of these items are shown in the galleries to the right along with items which I have bought from various individuals/auctions.

Below you will find some photographs taken at various events I've been fortunate enought to attend.

General Yeager and I standing beneath the X-1 at the NASM on October 9th, 2001

With General Yeager at the autograph table, NASM, October 9th, 2001.

With Bud Anderson at the John Dibbs stand, Flying Legends Airshow, Duxford 2001.

With Bud Anderson, again at the John Dibbs stand, Duxford 2001.

Gathering of Eagles

In October of 2003 I was fortunate enough to make a trip out to California to attend the Flight Test Historical Foundations "Gathering of Eagles" banquet and symposium at the Park Plaza Hotel in Lancaster. During my trip I also toured Edwards AFB, visited the museum and attended the Open House and Airshow. Below are some photographs from that trip.

F-4 at the AFFTC museum.

SR-71 at the AFFTC museum.

"The Golden Age of Flight Test" mural at the AFFTC museum, by Mike Machat.

X-1 mock-up in the AFFTC museum.

Pancho Barnes truck door, AFFTC museum.

NF-104A at Edwards Test Pilot School.

X-15 mockup at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

Northrop HL-10 lifting body at DFRC.

With Brigadier General Bob Cardenas in the Park Plaza Hotel restaurant.

With XB-70 pilots Al White and Colonel Joe Cotton in the Park Plaza lobby.

Colonel Joe Cotton signs my XB-70 model.

My XB-70 model, signed by Al White, Joe Cotton and Fitz Fulton.

My YB-49 model signed by Bob Cardenas and J.J. Quinn.

My "Wright to Fly" book signed by; Jimmy Doolittle III, Hank Beaird, Bob Titus, Bob Hoover, Joe Cotton, Bob Little, Fitz Fulton, Al White, Bob Cardenas, Bill Campbell and Henry Van Der Graf (C-17 flight test engineer).

With aviation legend Bob Hoover at the Gathering of Eagles.

With my good friends Captain Chris Hendry and his son Luke at the Gathering of Eagles. Thanks to Greg Frazier for taking this photograph.

B-2 flyby at the Edwards Open House.

Another B-2 flyby.

This was the first ever display by the F/A-22 Raptor at an airshow.

The Heritage Flight flyby of the A-10 and P-51D.

Sitting in the cockpit of the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier aircraft.

Wth Rick Emshoff from NASA and my dear friend "Uncle Al" Hallonquist in the Park Plaza lobby.

With my dear friend Mike "BC" Quinn in the Park Plaza lobby.

6 guys for steak at the Outback in Palmdale. Left to right, Derek, Mike, Luke, Chris, Rick and Al. A great evening!

Dave Scott Book signing

Shaking hands with Apollo 15 commander Colonel Dave Scott at his book signing at Ottakars, Glasgow. Tuesday May 18th.

Colonel Scott signs my copy of "Two Sides of the Moon".

Autographica 2004

I was very fortunate to be able to attend Autographica at the Royal Court Hotel in Coventry which was held on October 8th to October 12th, 2004. It was an honour to meet Valery Bykovsky, Valentina Tereshkova, Ed Mitchell, Al Worden and Charlie Duke all of whom took time to speak with me and pose for the following photographs.