[Photo Gallery] Space Shuttle Endeavour final flight over Los Angeles as seen from NASA escort jets

September 23, 2012 Aviation

David Cenciotti

The following stunning pictures were taken by NASA Dryden’s photographer Jim Ross from one of the two F-18 Hornets escorting the space shuttle Endeavour mounted atop Boeing 747 SCA (Shuttle Carrier Aircraft), during its final flight from Edwards Air Force Base, to Los Angeles International Airport.

Watch NASA 905, the SCA with the space shuttle, flying over Santa Monica, the most famous Los Angeles stadiums, the Universal Studios, Disneyland, Getty Center, SpaceX Center, USS Iowa, Griffith Observatory.

Image credit: NASA/Jim Ross

Photo: Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft with space shuttle Endeavour taxies by an F-35A at Edwards AFB (theaviationist.com)

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

Ruidano (@Ruidano) says:

September 23, 2012 at 2:03 PM

In the world there is not a lot of aircrafts capable of carrying Shuttles, the largest of them An-225 “Mriya” (translated as a “Dream”, then the idea “Dream liner” was used for 787) http://spotavia.blogspot.com/2012/02/225-dream-225.html
Gary says:

September 23, 2012 at 3:10 PM

So very sad to see them end this program before there is a viable program in place to replace it. The sure sign of a nation in decline…
Merkin Muffley says:

September 24, 2012 at 10:03 PM

Great pictures! BTW, that is Warner Bros., not Universal Studios.