It seems that I have firm connection with the Los Angeles Museum of Science. When I worked for Northrop Grumman I had a couple of projects that are now on display in the museum. Also, during my career in the Air Force I was fortunate to fly the T-38 Talon (Made by Northrop Grumman).

I thought it would be fun to share some information about the projects and planes that are on display in the museum and my relationship to them.

Los Angeles Air and Space Museum

Ray Perreault Wind Tunnel Test Engineer with Wright Flyer

I was fortunate to be the lead Wind Tunnel Test Engineer on the Wright Flyer. It was done under contract by the AIAA.

The aerodynamic data was used for the flight simulator, also at the museum. (See below)

Trust me, the Wright brothers were lucky, it flies like a leaf in a hurricane.

Here is a view of the Wright Flyer, flight simulator at the museum. It’s fun to fly, and you’ll soon realize how unstable it is.

It looks a lot better than it flies.

Wright Flyer Simulator LA Museum of Science

Lift Simulator-LA Museum of Science Designed by Ray Jay Perreault

I designed the lift simulator at the museum in the early 1980s. When I made the design, I never thought it would still be there after such a long time.

Here are two great airplanes. On the left is the F-5. I was fortunate to be the lead wind-tunnel test engineer on the F- 5 and F-20, which was our competition against the F-16. Sadly, we lost, even though the F-20 was a better airplane for the price.

When the Air Force took their PR photos of the F-16, they used an F-5 as the chase plane.

Two of the planes that were a big part of my career

Other Interesting Career Notes

I was the manager of the wind tunnel test program on the AGM/MGM-137, then later in the program I was the assistant manager of engineering.

This was the most complex cruise missile every built and it’s performance is still classified.

AGM/MGM-137, for which I was the Manager of Wind Tunnel Testing

Ray Perreault during T-38 Flight Training

First class of female pilots in the USAF. I taught the flight lead to fly four-ship formation.

I was fortunate to be a T-38 Flight Instructor for five years. I’m proud that I was one of the flight instructors for the first group of Air-Force female pilots. They were great pilots and I would trust my life with any of them.

The F-23 is one of the most exciting planes that I worked on. I was the lead wind tunnel test engineer on the F-23 which was a competition against the F-22. Sadly, we lost the contract, for political reasons. Our plane flew better and met all of the requirements, so the Air Force changed the requirements. I know the sorted history of why we lost the contract, because the program manager and I rode back to the office after the contract announcement. I got all the details.

F-23 for which Ray Perreault was the Lead Engineer Wind Tunnel Testing

B-2 Bomber, Ray Perreault was part of for almost 30 years.

Here is another of the ‘boring’ airplanes that I worked on. I was the lead engineer for the B-2 wind tunnel program.

Early in the program I had access to the company airplanes, and actually traveled under assumed names. I had the KGB following me for a while.

Later in my career, I was deputy director of the B-2 Computer Systems.