▁attack ▁bom bers ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁African ▁campaign ▁on ▁ 5 0 ▁ha z ard ous , ▁low - level ▁miss ions ▁against ▁German ▁t anks , ▁con vo ys , ▁troops , ▁brid ges , ▁air fields , ▁and ▁other ▁tact ical ▁targets . ▁Edwards ▁became ▁a ▁test ▁pilot ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁spent ▁much ▁of ▁his ▁time ▁at ▁M uro c ▁Army ▁Air ▁Field , ▁on ▁California ' s ▁high ▁desert , ▁testing ▁wide ▁vari eties ▁of ▁experimental ▁prototype ▁aircraft . ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁the ▁crash ▁of ▁a ▁North rop ▁Y B - 4 9 ▁flying ▁wing ▁near ▁M uro c ▁A FB ▁on ▁ 5 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁From ▁the ▁time ▁Edwards ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁was ▁named , ▁speed ▁and ▁alt itude ▁records ▁began ▁to ▁p ile ▁up ▁as ▁new ▁aircraft ▁were ▁developed ▁and ▁the ▁base ▁started ▁to ▁build ▁and ▁branch ▁out ▁significantly . ▁ ▁A ▁major ▁reason ▁for ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁Edwards ▁A FB ▁was ▁the ▁near ness ▁of ▁West ▁Coast ▁aircraft ▁manufact ur ers . ▁ ▁However , ▁another ▁major ▁reason ▁was ▁the ▁decision ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁miss ile ▁test ▁facility ▁on ▁the ▁base . ▁▁ ▁The ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁static ▁miss ile ▁fac ulty ▁to ▁test ▁high - th rust ▁miss ile ▁ro cket ▁engines ▁was ▁first ▁en vision ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁by ▁the ▁Power ▁Plant ▁Labor atory ▁at ▁Wright - P atter son ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base . ▁ ▁It