▁oper ational ▁suit ability ▁and ▁acceler ated ▁service ▁tests ▁did ▁not ▁get ▁under way ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁well ▁after ▁the ▁A AF ▁had ▁decided ▁that ▁the ▁air plane ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁suitable ▁for ▁combat ▁operations ▁and ▁would , ▁instead , ▁be ▁re leg ated ▁to ▁a ▁training ▁role . ▁ ▁The ▁P - 5 9 s ▁were ▁tested ▁at ▁M uro c ▁from ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁through ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁without ▁a ▁single ▁accident ▁and , ▁though ▁the ▁aircraft ▁did ▁not ▁prove ▁to ▁be ▁combat ▁worthy , ▁the ▁successful ▁conduct ▁of ▁its ▁test ▁program , ▁combined ▁with ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁Lock he ed ▁XP - 8 0 ▁program ▁which ▁followed ▁it ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁se aled ▁the ▁future ▁dest iny ▁of ▁the ▁remote ▁high ▁desert ▁installation . ▁M uro c ▁would ▁th ence for th ▁become ▁syn onymous ▁with ▁the ▁cutting ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁tur bo jet ▁revolution ▁in ▁America . ▁ ▁A ircraft ▁testing ▁continued ▁at ▁this ▁desert ▁" Ar my ▁Air ▁Base ", ▁then ▁on ▁ 8 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁base ▁title ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁" M uro c ▁Army ▁Air ▁Field , ▁M uro c ". ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁E ighth ▁Air ▁Force ▁ran ▁tests ▁to ▁determine ▁how ▁well ▁conventional ▁f igh ters ▁stood ▁up ▁against ▁j ets . ▁Also , ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁a ▁small