Palmdale in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

A.W. "Tony" LeVier

1913-1998

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, May 28, 2010

1. A.W. "Tony" LeVier Marker

Inscription. Born in Duluth, Minnesota, on February 14th, 1913. In the 1930s he won the junior pilot aerobatic meet, barnstormed the country, operated two flying schools and competed in air races. In 1941 he joined the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation and tested the P-38 Lighting, XP-80A jet fighter and the XP-80 Shooting Star. Authored "Pilots Report on Supersonic Flight." Flight tested the XF-104 Starfighter, the T-33 trainer, and the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft and made several safety improvements to supersonic fighters.

LeVier took America's first jet trainer up for its maiden flight in 1948. A subsequent flight in the T-Bird nearly cost him his life when the canopy tore off and the air blast ripped his helmet from his head. Fortunately, he managed to regain control. Later, the military used this trainer to teach a half-generation of pilots to fly jets. LeVier retired from Lockheed in 1974. He made the first test flight of 20 different aircraft and flew over 240 different types, more than any pilot in history.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space.

Location. 34° 36.189′ N, 118° 5.308′ W. Marker is in Palmdale, California, in Los Angeles County. It can be reached from Avenue P west of 25th Street East, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located at the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale Plant 42. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2001 E Avenue P, Palmdale CA 93550, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles,

in the High Desert,

and in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in

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the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Joe Davies Jr (a few steps from this marker); Model 143 - Triumph (a few steps from this marker); F-105 Thunderchief (within shouting distance of this marker); Wright J65 Turbojet Engine (within shouting distance of this marker); F-14 Tomcat (within shouting distance of this marker); Col. Robert L. Riedenauer (Ret) (within shouting distance of this marker); MK-20 Rockeye Cluster Bomb Unit (within shouting distance of this marker); William J. "Pete" Knight (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Palmdale.

Also see . . . Tony LeVier. Anthony W. "Tony" LeVier (February 14, 1913 – February 6, 1998) was an air racer and test pilot for the Lockheed Corporation from the 1940s to the 1970s. This Wikipedia article displays many photos of planes tested by LeVier. (Submitted on November 2, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

T-33 Shooting Star and Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, May 28, 2010

2. T-33 Shooting Star and Markers

"Tony" LeVier and T-33 Shooting Star Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, May 28, 2010

3. "Tony" LeVier and T-33 Shooting Star Markers

Credits. This page was last revised on July 31, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 2, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 1,358 times since then and 53 times this year. Last updated on March 27, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1. submitted on November 2, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 2, 3. submitted on January 15, 2011, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.