Mustard-colored metal fragment, measuring 2″ x 1.5″, recovered from the crash site of Chuck Yeager's Lockheed NF-104A AeroSpace Trainer. In fine condition. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from aerospace archaeologist R. Gregory Frazier, in full: "I certify that the specimen accompanying this letter was recovered from the crash site of the Lockheed NF-104A AeroSpace Trainer (AST). This unique ship was a turbine and rocket powered hybrid with the mission of training astronauts for the U.S. Air Force. The last of three aircraft built from conventional F-104 airframes, AFSN #60-762 served only a few weeks before being lost in an accident. On 10 December 1963 with Colonel Chuck Yeager at the controls, '762 made two flights, both in excess of 100,000 feet in altitude. During the second flight the aircraft lost its reaction control system needed for space slight as well as its spin recovery parachute. Yeager was forced to egress. The ship continued to flat-spin and crashed ten miles north of Edwards Air Force Base. This event was made popular in the 1982 film The Right Stuff. The accompanying specimen was recovered in 2001 by the West Mojave Aviation Archaeology Team."
