▁ 2 0 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁the ▁ 4 1 4 4 th ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁Unit ▁was ▁re - design ated ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 7 5 9 th ▁AF ▁Base ▁Unit ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁the ▁Hob son ▁Plan , ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 7 5 9 th ▁Ex perimental ▁Wing . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁X - 1 , ▁flight ▁testing ▁at ▁M uro c ▁began ▁to ▁assume ▁two ▁distinct ▁ident ities . ▁High ly ▁experimental ▁research ▁programs — such ▁as ▁the ▁X - 3 , ▁X - 4 , ▁X - 5 ▁and ▁X F - 9 2 A — w ere ▁typically ▁flow n ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Ad vis ory ▁Committee ▁for ▁Aer onaut ics , ▁or ▁N AC A , ▁and ▁were ▁conducted ▁in ▁a ▁method ical ▁fashion ▁to ▁answer ▁largely ▁theoretical ▁questions . ▁Then , ▁as ▁now , ▁the ▁great ▁bulk ▁of ▁flight ▁testing ▁at ▁M uro c ▁focused ▁on ▁evalu ations ▁of ▁the ▁capabilities ▁of ▁aircraft ▁and ▁systems ▁proposed ▁for ▁the ▁oper ational ▁invent ory . In ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁M uro c ▁was ▁renamed ▁Edwards ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁in ▁honor ▁of ▁Captain ▁Glen ▁Edwards ▁( 1 9 1 8 – 1 9 4 8 ), ▁who ▁was ▁killed ▁a ▁year ▁earlier ▁in ▁the ▁crash ▁of ▁the ▁North rop ▁Y B - 4 9 ▁F lying ▁Wing . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁he ▁fle w ▁A - 2 0 ▁Hav oc ▁light