Dec. 16, 1957: A pair of Air Force F-89 Scorpion interceptors flash low over a remote radar station on Santa Rosa Island after successfully repelling a simulated enemy aircraft during a drill off the Southern California coast. Five Los Angeles Times staffers — three writers and photographers John Malmin and Larry Sharkey — were assigned to cover the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) test of Los Angeles-area defenses.

HOW IT WAS DONE — Map shows how simulated bomber attack was thwarted by the 437th Fighter Interceptor Squadon of the Air Defense Command at Oxnard Air Force Base. "Bogie" track is course flown by Marvin Miles, Times aviation editor, who flew in target plane. In the elaborate test of continental defenses Miles chose altitude, time and course of the target, first flying 285 miles out to sea. Gene Sherman and Larry Sharkey of the Times “scrambled” when the alarm sounded and flew in F-89 Scorpion to meet and destroy the target plane. Jerry Hulse and John Malmin, Times men, “saw” maneuver by radar on Santa Rosa Island.

This photo by Malmin was the lead image for a full-page layout on the NORAD drill. Sharkey was in one of the F-89 intercepters, but because four flew in the drill, it’s 50-50 if his aircraft is pictured here.

The Oxnard Air Force Base was closed in 1970 and is now Camarillo Airport.

(Source: Los Angeles Times)