1.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
2.
Ohio
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Ohio /oʊˈhaɪ. oʊ/ is a Midwestern state in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Ohio is the 34th largest by area, the 7th most populous, the states capital and largest city is Columbus. The state takes its name from the Ohio River, the name originated from the Iroquois word ohi-yo’, meaning great river or large creek. Partitioned from the Northwest Territory, the state was admitted to the Union as the 17th state on March 1,1803, Ohio is historically known as the Buckeye State after its Ohio buckeye trees, and Ohioans are also known as Buckeyes. Ohio occupies 16 seats in the United States House of Representatives, Ohio is known for its status as both a swing state and a bellwether in national elections. Six Presidents of the United States have been elected who had Ohio as their home state, Ohios geographic location has proven to be an asset for economic growth and expansion. Because Ohio links the Northeast to the Midwest, much cargo, Ohio has the nations 10th largest highway network, and is within a one-day drive of 50% of North Americas population and 70% of North Americas manufacturing capacity. To the north, Lake Erie gives Ohio 312 miles of coastline, Ohios southern border is defined by the Ohio River, and much of the northern border is defined by Lake Erie. Ohios neighbors are Pennsylvania to the east, Michigan to the northwest, Ontario Canada, to the north, Indiana to the west, Kentucky on the south, Ohio is bounded by the Ohio River, but nearly all of the river itself belongs to Kentucky and West Virginia. Ohio has only that portion of the river between the rivers 1792 low-water mark and the present high-water mark, the border with Michigan has also changed, as a result of the Toledo War, to angle slightly northeast to the north shore of the mouth of the Maumee River. Much of Ohio features glaciated plains, with a flat area in the northwest being known as the Great Black Swamp. Most of Ohio is of low relief, but the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau features rugged hills, in 1965 the United States Congress passed the Appalachian Regional Development Act, at attempt to address the persistent poverty and growing economic despair of the Appalachian Region. This act defines 29 Ohio counties as part of Appalachia, the worst weather disaster in Ohio history occurred along the Great Miami River in 1913. Known as the Great Dayton Flood, the entire Miami River watershed flooded, as a result, the Miami Conservancy District was created as the first major flood plain engineering project in Ohio and the United States. Grand Lake St. Marys in the west central part of the state was constructed as a supply of water for canals in the era of 1820–1850. For many years this body of water, over 20 square miles, was the largest artificial lake in the world and it should be noted that Ohios canal-building projects were not the economic fiasco that similar efforts were in other states. Some cities, such as Dayton, owe their emergence to location on canals. Summers are typically hot and humid throughout the state, while winters generally range from cool to cold, precipitation in Ohio is moderate year-round
3.
Air National Guard
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When Air National Guard units are used under the jurisdiction of the state governor they are fulfilling their militia role. However, if federalized by order of the President of the United States and they are jointly administered by the states and the National Guard Bureau, a joint bureau of the Army and Air Force that oversees the National Guard of the United States. The ANG of the territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands have no aircraft assigned, ANG units typically operate under Title 32 USC. However, when operating under Title 10 USC all ANG units are operationally-gained by an active duty USAF major command. ANG units of the Combat Air Forces based in the Continental United States, conversely, CONUS-based ANG units in the Mobility Air Forces, plus the Puerto Rico ANGs airlift wing and the Virgin Islands ANGs civil engineering squadron are gained by the Air Mobility Command. The vast majority of ANG units fall under either ACC or AMC, established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U. S. S. When not in a status, the Air National Guard operates under their respective state. The exception to rule is the District of Columbia Air National Guard. Because both state Air National Guard and the Air National Guard of the United States relatively go hand-in-hand, Air National Guard of the United States units or members may be called up for federal active duty in times of Congressionally sanctioned war or national emergency. The United States Air National Guard has about 110,000 men and women in service, even traditional part-time air guardsmen, especially pilots, navigators/combat systems officers, air battle managers and enlisted aircrew, often serve 100 or more man-days annually. As such, the concept of Air National Guard service as representing only one weekend a month, the Georgia Air National Guard and the Kansas Air National Guard previously flew the B-1B Lancer prior to converting to the E-8 Joint STARS and KC-135R Stratotanker, respectively. In addition, the 131st Fighter Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard transitioned from flying the F-15C/D Eagle at St and these proposals were eventually overruled and cancelled by the U. S. Congress. As state militia units, the units in the Air National Guard are not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command and they are under the jurisdiction of the United States National Guard Bureau unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States. Air National Guard units are trained and equipped by the United States Air Force, the state ANG units, depending on their mission, are operationally gained by a major command of the USAF if federalized. Air National Guard personnel are expected to adhere to the moral and physical standards as their full-time active duty Air Force. The same ranks and insignia of the U. S. Air Force are used by the Air National Guard, the Air National Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in a service members home state or equivalent. The creation of the regiments was caused by the perceived need to defend the Bay Colony against American Indians. This organization formed the basis of subsequent colonial and, post-independence, state and this distinction accounts for why there are no National Guard components in the U. S. Navy, U. S. Marine Corps or U. S. Coast Guard
4.
Ohio Air National Guard
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The Ohio Air National Guard is the air force militia of the State of Ohio, United States of America. It is, along with the Ohio Army National Guard, an element of the Ohio National Guard, as state militia units, the units in the Ohio Air National Guard are not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. They are under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Ohio through the office of the Ohio Adjutant General unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States. The Ohio Air National Guard is headquartered at Beightler Armory, Columbus, under the Total Force concept, Ohio Air National Guard units are considered to be Air Reserve Components of the United States Air Force. Ohio ANG units are trained and equipped by the Air Force and are gained by a Major Command of the USAF if federalized. State missions include disaster relief in times of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and forest fires, search and rescue, protection of public services. Air Force and the Air National Guard and it also provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and allied nation aircraft. The state of Ohio received its first aerial unit after World War I, when the 112th Observation Squadron was constituted in 1921 and assigned to the 37th Division, the 112th O. S. was organized and federally recognized on June 20,1927, at Cleveland Airport. In 1933 the unit was assigned to the 45th Observation Group, the unit was inducted into federal service on November 25,1940, and assigned to Pope Field, North Carolina, in support of the I Corps. The 112th Observation Squadron continues today as the 112th Fighter Squadron, the official site of the Ohio Air National Guard notes that it is descended from the 357th Fighter Group. The 357th Fighter Group was re-designated the 121st Fighter Group on August 21,1946, in 1947, with the passage of the National Security Act of 1947 creating a separate Air Force, the Ohio Air National Guard came into being as a federally recognized reserve component. The 121st FG received its federal recognition on June 26,1948, the three fighter squadrons of the 357th were also re-designated as squadrons of the Ohio Air National Guard. Initially fighter squadrons flying F-84 and later F-100 and A-7 jets, federally recognized on November 2,1947. 164th Airlift Squadron, now a C-130 squadron, federally recognized on June 20,1948. 166th Air Refueling Squadron, now a KC-135 tanker squadron, federally recognized on March 2,1948. In November 1950 it was redesignated as the 121st Fighter Wing, the 121st FW was called to federal service during the Korean War, although neither it nor its squadrons saw combat. Other units saw service during the Berlin Airlift, the Vietnam War, the 160th Air Refueling Wing was assigned to the Strategic Air Command on July 1,1976. It was initially equipped with Boeing KC-97L Stratofreighters, the 160th ARG was inactivated but its 145th ARS continues as a unit of the 121st ARW today
5.
Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base
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Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Air National Guard facility of the Ohio Air National Guard. The base was named for the early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of the United States Air Forces 121st Air Refueling Wing, Rickenbacker ANGB is also a joint military facility, with tenant activities of the Ohio Army National Guard, as well as Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve units and associated facilities. Rickenbacker ANGB is a former Strategic Air Command base previously named Lockbourne AFB from 1948 to 1974, the facility was transferred from SAC and the active duty Air Force on 1 April 1980 and turned over to the Air National Guard. This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http and this article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. Air Force Combat Units of World War II, Washington, DC, U. S. Government Printing Office 1961. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977, maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, Office of Air Force History 1984. A Cold War Legacy, A Tribute to Strategic Air Command, 1946–1992, Pictorial Histories Publications ISBN 1-57510-052-5 Rogers, United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Turner Publishing Company, Strategic Air Command, The Story of the Strategic Air Command, turner Publishing Company ISBN 1-56311-265-5 Shaw, Frederick J. Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC,2004. History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002
6.
121st Air Refueling Wing
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The 121st Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. If activated to service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command. The 121st Air Refueling Wings KC-135 Stratotanker mission is to provide the core aerial refueling capability for the U. S. Air Force and this unique aircraft enhances the Air Forces capability to accomplish its primary missions of Global Reach and Global Power. It also provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, the KC-135 is capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations. Moved to England in November 1943 and became part of VIII Fighter Command, trained with P-51 Mustangs and began combat operations on 11 February 1944 by making a fighter sweep over Rouen. Served primarily as an escort organization, providing penetration and withdrawal support for bombers that attacked strategic objectives on the Continent. Participated in the assault against the German Air Force and aircraft industry during Big Week, 20–25 February 1944. Participated in the invasion of Normandy in Jun 1944, the breakthrough at St Lo in July, the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944 – Jan 1945, flew its last mission, an escort operation, on 25 April 1945. Moved to Germany in Jul and assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe for duty with the army of occupation, inactivated in Germany on 20 August 1946. The wartime 357th Fighter Group was re-designated as the 121st Fighter Group and it was organized at Lockbourne Army Airfield, Columbus, Ohio, and was extended federal recognition on 20 June 1948 by the National Guard Bureau. The 121st Fighter Group was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, on 31 October 1950 the 121st Fighter Wing was established, and the 55th Fighter Wing was disbanded, its personnel and mission assumed by the new 121st Fighter Wing. The 121st Fighter Groups and its squadrons were assigned to the new 121st FW. The 112th flew the RB-26C Invader, with the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, and the regular militarys complete lack of readiness, most of the Air National Guard was federalized placed on active duty. The 112th Bombardment Squadron was federalized on 10 October 1950 and it was re-designated as the 112th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and assigned to the federalized Alabama ANG 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. It deployed to West Germany and later France to reinforce the United States Air Forces in Europe and it was released from active duty on 9 July 1952 and returned to Ohio without aircraft or equipment, which was transferred to USAFE. The 162d Fighter Squadron was not federalized and remained at Cox-Dayton Municipal Airport, the 164th Fighter Squadron was federalized on 10 February 1951. The 164th however was selected to remain at Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport and continue the air defense mission, being gained by the Eastern Air Defense Force. The squadron was released from service and returned to Ohio State control
7.
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
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The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is a military aerial refueling aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype and it is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transport aircraft. The KC-135 was the US Air Forces first jet-powered refueling tanker, the KC-135 entered service with the United States Air Force in 1957, it is one of six military fixed-wing aircraft with over 50 years of continuous service with its original operator. The KC-135 is supplemented by the larger KC-10, studies have concluded that many of the aircraft could be flown until 2040, although maintenance costs have greatly increased. The aircraft will eventually be replaced by the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus, like its sibling, the commercial Boeing 707 jet airliner, the KC-135 was derived from the Boeing 367-80 jet transport proof of concept demonstrator, which was commonly called the Dash-80. The KC-135 is similar in appearance to the 707, but has a fuselage and is shorter than the 707. The KC-135 predates the 707, and is quite different from the civilian airliner. Boeing gave the future KC-135 tanker the initial designation Model 717, in 1954 USAFs Strategic Air Command held a competition for a jet-powered aerial refueling tanker. Lockheeds tanker version of the proposed Lockheed L-193 airliner with rear fuselage-mounted engines was declared the winner in 1955, in the end, orders for the Lockheed tanker were dropped rather than supporting two tanker designs. Lockheed never produced its jet airliner, while Boeing would eventually dominate the market with a family of airliners based on the 707. In 1954, the Air Force placed an order for 29 KC-135As. The first aircraft flew in August 1956 and the initial production Stratotanker was delivered to Castle Air Force Base, California, the last KC-135 was delivered to the Air Force in 1965. These basic features make it resemble the commercial Boeing 707 and 720 aircraft. The USAF EC-135 Looking Glass was subsequently replaced in its role by the U. S. Navy E-6 Mercury aircraft, the KC-135Q variant was modified to carry JP-7 fuel necessary for the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, segregating the JP-7 from the KC-135s own fuel supply. The tanker also had special fuel systems for moving the different fuels between different tanks, the only external difference between a KC-135R and a KC-135T is the presence of a clear window on the underside of the empennage of the KC-135T where a remote controlled searchlight is mounted. It also has two ground refueling ports, located in rear wheel well so ground crews can fuel both the body tanks and wing tanks separately. Eight KC-135R aircraft are receiver-capable tankers, commonly referred to as KC-135R, All eight aircraft were with the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell AFB, Kansas, in 1994. They are primarily used for extension and Special Operations missions
8.
Hamilton Army Airfield
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Hamilton Field was a United States Air Force base that was inactivated in 1973, decommissioned in 1974, and put into a caretaker status with the Air Force Reserves until 1976. It was transferred to the United States Army in 1983 and redesignated an Army Airfield until its closure pursuant to BRAC action in 1988 and it is located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay in the southern portion of Novato, in Marin County, California. Thirteen days later Hamilton died in action near Lagnicourt, France, what would eventually become Hamilton Air Force Base has its origins in the late 1920s, when the airfield was first established. Then, with development beginning, it was named Hamilton Field on July 12,1932. Construction of the airfield began about July 1,1932, with the airfield being originally designed to accommodate four bomb squadrons, the Hamilton Field Station Complement replaced the 70th Service Squadron on March 1,1935. The U. S. Weather Bureau had a cooperative weather station on the base from 1934 to 1964. Hamilton Field was originally a bomber installation, on May 5,1934, the first planes assigned to Hamilton were Martin B-10 and B-12 bombers of the 7th Bombardment Group, having been transferred from March Airfield. Shortly thereafter, amphibious aircraft of the 88th Observation Squadron were assigned to Hamilton. The B-12 bombers housed at Hamilton Field were phased out in 1937, the B-18 was a standard two-engine short-range bomber, and was capable of airlifting combat-equipped troops en masse, an important advance in combat techniques at the time. Because the runway at Hamilton Field was not adequate for the B-17, in 1939, the 7th Bombardment Group was designated a heavy bomb group and was moved to Fort Douglas, Utah on September 7,1940, to train with B-17s. Hamilton became a base under the USAAC Air Force Combat Command in December 1940. The 9th PW was reassigned from March Field, bringing the 14th, the arrival of the pursuit wings and their crews caused crowding at the base and initiated the first of many housing problems. After leaving Hamilton, and flying all through the night, the bombers arrived over Oahu on the morning of December 7,1941, the B-17s had arrived over Oahu during the Japanese air attack on Hawaii which triggered American entry into World War II. They arrived at Pearl Harbor at the height of the attack, the B-17Es of the 7th Bombardment Group were moved back to Hamilton from Utah for deployment to the Far East. Six of them arrived in Hawaii just after the Pearl Harbor attack, during World War II, Hamilton was an important West Coast air training facility. Its mission was that of a training base for newly formed fighter groups. The ATC West Coast Wing was headquartered at the airfield, with the 64th Transport Group being assigned early in 1942, the 1503rd AAF Base Unit was also stationed here. In the initial years, Hamilton remained Air Transport Commands primary West Coast facility until 1948 when Military Air Transport Service moved most activities to nearby Travis AFB
9.
357th Fighter Group
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The 357th Fighter Group was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. The 357th operated P-51 Mustang aircraft as part of the U. S, Eighth Air Force and its members were known unofficially as The Yoxford Boys after a village near their base in the UK. Its victory totals in air-to-air combat are the most of any P-51 group in the Eighth Air Force, the 357th flew 313 combat missions between 11 February 1944 and 25 April 1945. It is officially credited by the U. S. Air Force with having destroyed 595.5 German airplanes in the air and 106.5 on the ground, the 357th existed as a USAAF unit only during World War II and its immediate aftermath. Its history, lineage and honors were bestowed on an Ohio Air National Guard group therefore the Ohio ANG considers itself a descendant of the 357th FG. See 121st Air Refueling Wing for additional lineage and history information Constituted as 357th Fighter Group on 1 December 1942, inactivated in Germany on 20 August 1946 Redesignated 121st Fighter Group. P-39 Airacobra, 1942–1943 P-51B/C/D/K Mustang, 1943–1945 Three fighter squadrons were constituted 16 December 1942, cadre for the new group were drawn from the 328th Fighter Group, already at Hamilton. On 3 March 1943, the group moved by rail to Tonopah, Nevada, at Tonopah the members lived in and worked under primitive conditions, described as tar-paper shacks, and without enclosed hangar maintenance facilities. While adequately powered at low altitudes and suited for close support operations, Three pilots and a flight surgeon died in training accidents while at Tonopah, including Captain White, who was replaced by Major Thomas Hayes, another veteran of the early Pacific campaign. In June the group entered its next training phase, changing stations to Santa Rosa Army Air Field, there the group continued training on P-39s, flying bomber escort and coastal patrol practice missions. On 7 July 1943, a collision occurred between two P-39s, killing both pilots including Captain Clay Davis, commander of the 363 FS. On the same date the group commander, Lt. Col, thirteen pilots and a flight surgeon died in P-39 training accidents in the United States, and numerous aircraft were lost or heavily damaged in non-fatal accidents. The 357th received an influx of 60 new pilots and moved again, to bases at Oroville and Marysville, on 24 October after a final tactical inspection, the group was declared ready for overseas deployment. Debarking at Greenock, Scotland, on 29 November, the group moved by train to its base in Suffolk. All mission dates, targets, and details from Roger Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Diary, German unit identifications are from Merle Olmsted. The 357th had been allocated to the Ninth Air Force as a P-51 tactical air support unit and it moved into its base at RAF Raydon on 30 November 1943. It had no aircraft until 19 December, when the it received a former Mustang III of RAF Fighter Command, by the end of the year the 357th received 15 Mustangs, severely restricting conversion training for the pilots, and some made the transition by ferrying in new aircraft. All but a handful gained flying experience in the new aircraft only by flying combat operations, assigned to the 66th Fighter Wing, the 357th was the first P-51 Mustang Group of the Eight Air Force
10.
Lockbourne Army Airfield
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Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Air National Guard facility of the Ohio Air National Guard. The base was named for the early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of the United States Air Forces 121st Air Refueling Wing, Rickenbacker ANGB is also a joint military facility, with tenant activities of the Ohio Army National Guard, as well as Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve units and associated facilities. Rickenbacker ANGB is a former Strategic Air Command base previously named Lockbourne AFB from 1948 to 1974, the facility was transferred from SAC and the active duty Air Force on 1 April 1980 and turned over to the Air National Guard. This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http and this article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. Air Force Combat Units of World War II, Washington, DC, U. S. Government Printing Office 1961. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977, maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, Office of Air Force History 1984. A Cold War Legacy, A Tribute to Strategic Air Command, 1946–1992, Pictorial Histories Publications ISBN 1-57510-052-5 Rogers, United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Turner Publishing Company, Strategic Air Command, The Story of the Strategic Air Command, turner Publishing Company ISBN 1-56311-265-5 Shaw, Frederick J. Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC,2004. History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002
11.
North American P-51 Mustang
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The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission, the Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build Curtiss P-40 fighters under license for the Royal Air Force. Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation proposed the design, the prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940,102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October. The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine and it was first flown operationally by the RAF as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber. The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustangs performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, the P-51 was also used by Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean, Italian and Pacific theaters. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed to have destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft, despite the advent of jet fighters, the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s. After the Korean War, Mustangs became popular civilian warbird and air racing aircraft, in April 1940 the British government established a purchasing commission in the United States, headed by Sir Henry Self. Self was given responsibility for Royal Air Force production and research and development, and also served with Sir Wilfrid Freeman. Self also sat on the British Air Council Sub-committee on Supply and one of his tasks was to organize the manufacturing and supply of American fighter aircraft for the RAF. At the time, the choice was limited, as no U. S. aircraft then in production or flying met European standards. The Curtiss-Wright plant was running at capacity, so P-40s were in short supply, North American Aviation was already supplying its Harvard trainer to the RAF, but was otherwise underutilized. NAA President Dutch Kindelberger approached Self to sell a new medium bomber, instead, Self asked if NAA could manufacture the Tomahawk under license from Curtiss. Kindelberger said NAA could have an aircraft with the same engine in the air sooner than establishing a production line for the P-40. In March 1940,320 aircraft were ordered by Sir Wilfred Freeman who had become the head of the Ministry of Aircraft Production. The NA-73X, which was designed by a led by lead engineer Edgar Schmued, followed the best conventional practice of the era. One was a wing designed using laminar flow airfoils which were developed co-operatively by North American Aviation and these airfoils generated very low drag at high speeds. The results of this test showed the superiority of the wing designed with the NAA/NACA 45–100 airfoils, the other feature was a new cooling arrangement that reduced the cooling drag. It was later discovered that, after lot of development, the assembly could take advantage of the Meredith Effect
12.
66th Fighter Wing
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The 66th Fighter Wing is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Chicago Municipal Airport, Illinois. It was withdrawn from the Illinois Air National Guard and inactivated on 31 October 1950, established in March 1943 at Norfolk Army Airfield Virginia. Supervised training of units for overseas duty. Reorganized and deployed to England, became a command and control organization for VIII Fighter Command with responsibility for fighter-escort groups of Eighth Air Force. Assigned groups provided fighter escort to B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator heavy bomber groups during combat missions over Occupied Europe July 1943-May 1945, inactivated in England,21 November 1945. Allotted to the Illinois Air National Guard for command and control origination for units in the Upper Midwest region of the United States, extended federal recognition and activated on 26 November 1946. At the end of October 1950, the Air National Guard converted to the wing-base Hobson Plan organization, as a result, the wing was withdrawn from the Illinois ANG and was inactivated on 31 October 1950. Constituted as the 5th Air Defense Wing on 25 March 1943 Activated on 27 March 1943 Re-designated 66th Fighter Wing on 3 July 1943. 11 May 1943 RAF Duxford, England, c.3 June 1943 Sawston Hall, England,20 August 1943 RAF Troston, England, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
13.
Continental Air Command
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Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary augmentation to the regular Air Force while it rebuilt itself under wartime conditions, later, during the 1950s, it was a training force for reservists with no prior military service. ConAC provided peacetime airlift missions for the Air Force and it was mobilized twice in 1961 and 1962 by president Kennedy for the Berlin and Cuban Missile Crisis. Lastly, it was used by president Lyndon B. Johnson for airlift operations into the Dominican Republic and it was inactivated in 1968 and replaced by Headquarters, Air Force Reserve. After the end of World War II, the Truman Administration was determined to bring the Federal budget back into balance, an enormous deficit had built up, so expenditure was cut, resulting in relatively little money for the new United States Air Force to modernize its forces. Planning for reserve forces took place, in any event. Their single firm conviction about the nature of the program was that it must provide opportunities for pilots to fly. This was fundamentally different from the National Guard concept, the National Guard is the designated state militia by the Constitution of the United States. Although the Air National Guard fulfills state and some federal needs, in the first place, not every person in the United States with an obligation or desire for military service wants to serve in a state militia. Second, the prescribed nature and organization of the National Guard does not provide for service as individuals. As the Army Air Forces demobilized in 1945 and 1946, inactivated unit designations were allotted and transferred to various State Air National Guard bureaus, as individual units were organized, they began obtaining federal recognition, and the state Air National Guard units were established. The Army Air Forces Air Reserve program was approved by the War Department in July 1946, Army Air Forces Base Units were organized by Air Defense Command at each training location. They were located at both Army Airfields and civil airports where the Air Force retained partial jurisdiction after turning over the facility to the community after the end of World War II. The reservists were to report to a unit located in their area. The base unit furnished the personnel to operate the detachment and provided base services. ADC programmed to have AT-6 Texans, AT-11 Kansans and P-51 Mustangs available for pilots to fly four hours per month to train and maintain proficiency. ADC intended to activate forty base units operational by 1 July, by the end of 1946, the command had organized Air Reserve training detachments at seventy bases and airfields. On 21 February 1947, Headquarters Army Air Forces informed ADC to eliminate twenty-nine reserve training detachments as quickly as possible, the Air Force Reserve was affected by fundamental legislation pertaining to the parent Air Force
14.
55th Fighter Wing
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The 55th Fighter Wing is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. It was withdrawn from the Ohio Air National Guard and inactivated on 31 October 1950 when the Guard adopted the Wing Base organizational model and formed the cadre for the 121st Fighter Wing. During World War II, the served as the 55th Bombardment Wing in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. The wing was first activated as the 55th Bombardment Operational Training Wing in March 1943 at MacDill Field, various groups were attached to the wing for short periods for training, but none were permanently assigned. Assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, being stationed at Bari, Italy and was inactivated on 9 September 1945, allocated to the Ohio Air National Guard for command and control origination for units in the Ohio River Valley region of the United States. Extended federal recognition and activated on 21 August 1946, at the end of October 1950, the Air National Guard converted to the wing-base organization. As a result, the wing was withdrawn from the Ohio ANG and was inactivated on 31 October 1950, february 1944 Spinazzola Airfield, Italy, March 1944 Bari Airfield, Italy, c. July – September 1945 Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio,7 December 1947 –31 October 1950 460th Bombardment Group, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
15.
121st Fighter Group
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The 121st Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. If activated to service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command. The 121st Air Refueling Wings KC-135 Stratotanker mission is to provide the core aerial refueling capability for the U. S. Air Force and this unique aircraft enhances the Air Forces capability to accomplish its primary missions of Global Reach and Global Power. It also provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, the KC-135 is capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations. Moved to England in November 1943 and became part of VIII Fighter Command, trained with P-51 Mustangs and began combat operations on 11 February 1944 by making a fighter sweep over Rouen. Served primarily as an escort organization, providing penetration and withdrawal support for bombers that attacked strategic objectives on the Continent. Participated in the assault against the German Air Force and aircraft industry during Big Week, 20–25 February 1944. Participated in the invasion of Normandy in Jun 1944, the breakthrough at St Lo in July, the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944 – Jan 1945, flew its last mission, an escort operation, on 25 April 1945. Moved to Germany in Jul and assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe for duty with the army of occupation, inactivated in Germany on 20 August 1946. The wartime 357th Fighter Group was re-designated as the 121st Fighter Group and it was organized at Lockbourne Army Airfield, Columbus, Ohio, and was extended federal recognition on 20 June 1948 by the National Guard Bureau. The 121st Fighter Group was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, on 31 October 1950 the 121st Fighter Wing was established, and the 55th Fighter Wing was disbanded, its personnel and mission assumed by the new 121st Fighter Wing. The 121st Fighter Groups and its squadrons were assigned to the new 121st FW. The 112th flew the RB-26C Invader, with the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, and the regular militarys complete lack of readiness, most of the Air National Guard was federalized placed on active duty. The 112th Bombardment Squadron was federalized on 10 October 1950 and it was re-designated as the 112th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and assigned to the federalized Alabama ANG 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. It deployed to West Germany and later France to reinforce the United States Air Forces in Europe and it was released from active duty on 9 July 1952 and returned to Ohio without aircraft or equipment, which was transferred to USAFE. The 162d Fighter Squadron was not federalized and remained at Cox-Dayton Municipal Airport, the 164th Fighter Squadron was federalized on 10 February 1951. The 164th however was selected to remain at Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport and continue the air defense mission, being gained by the Eastern Air Defense Force. The squadron was released from service and returned to Ohio State control
16.
122d Fighter Wing
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The 122d Fighter Wing is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard, stationed at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Fort Wayne, Indiana. If activated to service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. While in training also used for air defense of Philadelphia area, in 2005 the wing introduced the reconnaissance Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, becoming one of the first units to fly with it. In 2008, after having flown for 17 years with the block 25 aircraft, more modern is quite relative since the aircraft they received were Block 30 F-16C/Ds manufactured between 1987 and 1989. These models were mainly coming from the Michigan Air National Guard 107th Fighter Squadron which was transitioning to the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the time. With the upgrade to the Block 30 aircraft, the code of the 163rd was changed from FW to IN in 2009 when the 181st Fighter Wing at Hulman Field became a non-flying unit. However, only a few of the F-16s were re-coded, cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W. A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 -1980, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO. 163rd Fighter Squadron @ F-16. net
17.
Indiana Air National Guard
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The Indiana Air National Guard is the air force militia of the State of Indiana, United States of America. It is, along with the Indiana Army National Guard, an element of the Indiana National Guard, as state militia units, the units in the Indiana Air National Guard are not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. They are under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Indiana though the office of the Indiana Adjutant General unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States. The Indiana Air National Guard is headquartered at Stout Field, Indianapolis, under the Total Force concept, Indiana Air National Guard units are considered to be Air Reserve Components of the United States Air Force. Indiana ANG units are trained and equipped by the Air Force and are gained by a Major Command of the USAF if federalized. State missions include disaster relief in times of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and forest fires, search and rescue, protection of public services. The Militia Act of 1903 established the present National Guard system, units raised by the states but paid for by the Federal Government, if federalized by Presidential order, they fall under the regular military chain of command. On 1 June 1920, the Militia Bureau issued Circular No.1 on organization of National Guard air units and it is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II. The 113th Observation Squadron was ordered into service on 1 September 1941 as part of the buildup of the Army Air Corps prior to the United States entry into World War II. These unit designations were allotted and transferred to various State National Guard bureaus to provide them unit designations to re-establish them as Air National Guard units, the modern Indiana ANG received federal recognition on 9 December 1946 as the 113th Fighter Squadron at Stout Field, Indianapolis. It was equipped with F-51D Mustangs and its mission was the air defense of the state and it was assigned to the 122d Fighter Group, also federally recognized on 9 December at Stout Field. A second squadron, the 163d Fighter Squadron, was recognized and activated on 10 November 1947 at Baer Field. It was assigned to the 122d Fighter Group and also was equipped with F-51D Mutangs, Indiana Air Guard units were mobilized and served during the Korean War of the early 1950s and the Berlin Crisis of 1961. Personnel from four Army Guard and four Air Guard units from Indiana were called into service in support of the 1991 Gulf War in the Middle East. With the advent of the Jet Age and the ANG converting from the World War II piston-powered F-51 to more modern aircraft, Stout Field was unable to safely operate with jets due to its short runways. On 1 October 1962, the 113th Tactical Fighter Squadron was authorized to expand to a level. The 113th TFS becoming the flying squadron. After the September 11th,2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, also, Indiana ANG units have been deployed overseas as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq as well as other locations as directed
18.
Aerospace Defense Command
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Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Forces, responsible for continental air defence. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980 and its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly inactivated in 1950, reactivated in 1951, and then redesignated Aerospace rather than Air in 1968. Its mission was to air defense of the Continental United States. It directly controlled all active measures, and was tasked to coordinate all passive means of air defense, the air districts established on 16 January 1941 before the Pearl Harbor attack. The four air districts also handled USAAF combat training with the Army Ground Forces and organization and training of bomber, fighter and other units, the USAAFs Aircraft Warning Corps provided air defense warning with information centers that networked an areas Army Radar Stations which communicated radar tracks by telephone. The AWC information centers also integrated visual reports processed by Ground Observer Corps filter centers, AWC information centers notified air defense command posts of the 4 continental air forces for deploying interceptor aircraft which used command guidance for ground-controlled interception. The USAAF inactivated the aircraft warning network in April 1944, Continental Air Forces was activated on 12 December 1944 with the four Air Forces as components to consolidate the CONUS air defense mission under one command. The Continental Air Forces reorganization began in 1945, when ground radar, the Distant Early Warning Line was first conceived—and rejected—in 1946. By 1948 there were only 5 AC&W stations, including the Twin Lights station in NJ that opened in June and Montauk NY Air Warning Station #3 --cf. SAC radar stations, e. g. at Dallas & Denver Bomb Plots. By the time ADC was inactivated on 1 July 1950, ADC had deployed the Lashup Radar Network with existing radars at 43 sites, in addition,36 Air National Guard fighter units were called to active duty for the mission. ADC was reinstated as a command on 1 January 1951 at Mitchel Air Force Base. The headquarters was moved to Ent Air Force Base in Colorado Springs on 8 January 1951 and it received 21 former ConAC active-duty fighter squadrons. ADC was also assigned the 25th, 26th 27th and 28th Air Divisions ADC completed the Priority Permanent System network for Aircraft Warning, gaps were filled by additional Federal Aviation Administration radar stations and the Ground Observation Corps. During the mid-1950s, planners devised the idea of extending the wall of powerful land-based radar seaward with Airborne early warning, the RC-121s, EC-121s and Texas Towers, it was believed, would contribute to extending contiguous east-coast radar coverage some 300 to 500 miles seaward. In terms of the air threat of the 1950s, this meant a gain of at least 30 extra minutes warning time of a bomber attack. ADCs Operation Tail Wind on 11–12 July tested its augmentation plan that required Air Training Command interceptors participate in an air defense emergency, a total of seven ATC bases actively participated in the exercise, deploying aircraft and aircrews and supporting the ADC radar net. As the USAF prepared to deploy the Tactical Air Command E-3 Sentry in the later 1970s, all remaining EC-121s were transferred to the Air Force Reserve, which formed the 79th AEWCS at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida in early 1976. Besides monitoring Cuban waters, these last Warning Stars also operated from NAS Keflavik, final EC-121 operations ended in September 1978
19.
142nd Fighter Wing
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The 142nd Fighter Wing is a unit of the Oregon Air National Guard, stationed at Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon. As a state unit, the 142nd Fighter Wing is not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. It is under the jurisdiction of the Oregon Air National Guard unless it is federalized by order of the president of the United States, if activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The 123rd Fighter Squadron assigned to the wings 142nd Operations Group, is a descendant organization of 123rd Observation Squadron and it is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II. Began operations, using P-47s, by making a sweep over France. Flew fighter- sweep, dive-bombing, and escort missions prior to the invasion of the continent, attacked railroads, trains, vehicles, gun emplacements, and buildings in France during the invasion of 6 June 1944. Patrolled beachhead areas and continued its assaults against the enemy during the remainder of the Normandy campaign, participated in the aerial barrage that prepared the way for the Allied breakthrough at St Lo on 25 July, and supported the subsequent drive across northern France. Conducted operations that supported Allied ground action in the Battle of the Bulge, returned to the US, October and November 1945 and inactivated. The wartime 371st Fighter Group was re-activated and re-designated as the 142nd Fighter Group and it was organized at Portland Municipal Airport, Oregon, and was extended federal recognition on 30 August 1946 by the National Guard Bureau. The 142nd Fighter Group was bestowed the history, honors, the groups 123rd Fighter Squadron was equipped with P-51D Mustangs and was assigned to the Fourth Air Force, Air Defense Command. The group was federalized and brought to duty on 2 March 1951. It was assigned to the Air Defense Command Western Air Defense Force and it was then reassigned to the federalized Washington ANG 142nd Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 11 April and moved to OHare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, by 1 May 1951. Re-designated 142nd Fighter-Interceptor Group on 1 May 1951, at OHare, the 142nd Fighter Group controlled the 62nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying F-86A Sabre day interceptors. The group was inactivated on 6 February 1952, being replaced by the 4706th Air Defense Wing, re-formed as the 142nd Fighter-Interceptor Group, flying F-86F Sabre day interceptor aircraft. It resumed its mission of the air defense of Oregon. Was upgraded by ADC in 1955 to the dedicated F-94A Starfire all-weather interceptor, with this new aircraft, the mission of the 123rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron changed from day interceptor to day and night all-weather interceptor. In 1957 the 123rd again upgraded to the improved F-89J Scorpion then in 1966 to the supersonic F-102A Delta Dagger. In the summer of 1958, the 142nd implemented the ADC Runway Alert Program, the runway alert continues to this day
20.
O'Hare International Airport
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It is the primary airport serving the Chicago metropolitan area, with Midway International Airport, about 10 miles closer to the Loop, serving as a secondary airport. It is operated by the City of Chicago Department of Aviation, OHare was the busiest airport in the world by number of takeoffs and landings in 2014, topping Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, however, it lost the title to Atlanta a year later. Until 1998, OHare was also the worlds busiest airport in number of passengers and it was surpassed mainly due to limits the federal government imposed on the airport to reduce flight delays. As of 2016, OHare is the sixth-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic, the third-busiest airport in the United States, OHare also has eight runways, more than any major international airport. OHare is a hub for American Airlines and United Airlines, as well as a hub for regional carrier Air Choice One. OHare was voted the Best Airport in North America for 10 years by two sources, Readers of the U. S. Edition of Business Traveler Magazine and Global Traveler Magazine, in contrast, Travel and Leisure magazines 2009 Americas Favorite Cities ranked Chicagos Airport System the second-worst for delays, behind the New York City airport system. OHare accounts for nearly 20% of the flight cancellations and delays. OHare was constructed in 1942–43 as part of a plant for Douglas C-54s during World War II. The site was chosen for its proximity to the city and transportation, the two-million-square-foot factory needed easy access to the workforce of the nations then-second-largest city, as well as its extensive railroad infrastructure. Orchard Place was a small farming community. Douglas Companys contract ended in 1945 and though plans were proposed to build commercial aircraft, with the departure of Douglas, the airfield took the name of Orchard Field Airport, the source of its three-letter IATA code ORD. In 1945, the city of Chicago chose Orchard Field as the site for a facility to meet future aviation demands, Matthew Laflin Rockwell was the director of planning for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and responsible for the site selection and design. He was the great-grandson of Matthew Laflin, a founder and pioneer of Chicago, in 1949, the airport was renamed OHare International Airport to honor Edward OHare, the U. S. Navys first flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. (This is similar to, sourced from McCoy Air Force Base, being used for todays Orlando International Airport, by the early 1950s Midway Airport, Chicagos main airport since 1931, was the worlds busiest airport and was too crowded despite multiple expansions. Midways runways were known to be too short for the planned first generation of jets, so the city of Chicago, traveling with him, LT Whitey Feightner was redirected to land at OHare. The runway had just been completed and was covered with peach baskets to prevent aircraft from landing until it was opened, LT Feightner was told to ignore the baskets and land on the new runway, and his F7U became the first aircraft to land there. OHare opened a $1 million Skymotive terminal for corporate aircraft in 1955, the April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 10 weekday departures on United,9 on American,6 on Capital,3 Eastern,3 TWA,2 Delta,2 North Central, and 1 Braniff
21.
Strategic Air Command
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At a lower echelon, headquarters divisions included Aircraft Engineering, Missile Concept, and Strategic Communications. In 1992, as part of an overall post-Cold War reorganization of the U. S. Planning to reorganize for a separate and independent postwar U. S. Air Force had begun by the fall of 1945, with the Simpson Board tasked to plan. the reorganization of the Army, SAC initially totaled 37,000 USAAF personnel. S. Air Force as an independent service, kenney, initial units reporting to the Strategic Air Command headquarters on 21 March 1946 included the Second Air Force, the IX Troop Carrier Command and the 73d Air Division. In addition to the bombing mission, SAC also devoted significant resources to aerial reconnaissance. An F-13 squadron, the F-13 later re-designated as the RB-29 Superfortress, was also established, SAC conducted routine aerial reconnaissance missions near the Soviet borders or near the 12-mile international waters limit, although some missions actually penetrated into Soviet airspace. The flight profiles of these missions—above 30,000 feet and in excess of 300 knots—made interception by Soviet air forces difficult until the Soviets 1948 introduction of the MiG-15 jet fighter. Project Nanook, the Cold War’s first Top Secret reconnaissance effort, used the first RB-29 missions for mapping and visual reconnaissance in the Arctic, later missions were Project LEOPARD along the Chukchi Peninsula, followed by Projects RICKRACK, STONEWORK, and COVERALLS. In 1946, the US possessed only nine atomic bombs and twenty-seven B-29s capable at any one time of delivering them, unfortunately, postwar budget and personnel cuts had had an insidious effect on SAC as its Deputy Commander, Major General Clements McMullen, implemented mandated force reductions. This continued to wear down SAC as a command and morale plummeted, as a result, by the end of 1947, only two of SACs eleven groups were combat ready. In terms of overall Air Force basing and infrastructure, SAC continued to acquire a share of USAF infrastructure. In 1947, before the USAF was established as an independent service, construction commenced on Limestone AAF, Maine, fort Dix AAF, New Jersey, Spokane AAF, Washington, and Wendover Field, Utah were also transferred to SAC between 30 April and 1 September 1947. Following establishment of the USAF as a service, SAC bases in the United States consisted of
22.
4708th Air Defense Wing
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The 4708th Air Defense Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division of Air Defense Command at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, where it was discontinued in 1956. It assumed control of several fighter Interceptor squadrons that had been assigned to the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, in early 1953 it also was assigned nine radar squadrons in the Midwest. Several of these squadrons were located in Canada as part of the Mid-Canada Line. At the same time its dispersed fighter squadrons combined with colocated air base squadrons into air defense groups, the wing was redesignated as an air defense wing in 1954. It was discontinued in and its units transferred to the 30th Air Division in 1956 and it assumed operational control and the air defense mission of fighter squadrons formerly assigned to the inactivating 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. The wings mission was to train and maintain tactical units in a state of readiness to intercept, in November, the federalized Air National Guard squadrons were returned to state control. Another F-51 squadron, the 56th FIS, was activated at Selfridge later that month, although it converted to F-86 aircraft by the start of 1953. In February 1953, another reorganization of ADC activated Air Defense Groups at ADC bases with dispersed fighter squadrons. Oscoda AFB, where the 527th Air Defense Group was activated, returned to the control of the wing, although the 518th Air Defense Group took over operations at Niagara Falls, it was assigned to another wing. In November it added an additional AC&W Sq, in 1955, ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars. In March 1956, the 4711th Air Defense Wing moved to Selfridge from Presque Isle AFB, Maine, Niagara Falls briefly was assigned to the wing in this realignment. The fighter groups and remaining radar detection and control squadrons of the wing were transferred to the 30th Air Division in July. With no remaining operational mission, the wing and the 4711th Wing were discontinued in July 1956 They would be replaced shortly by the 1st Fighter Wing, which was activated on 18 October 1956. George S. Brown,1 February 1952 - ca.31 March 1952 Col. Francis R. Royal, ca.1 April 1952 -16 July 1953 Col. George B. Greene, Jr.16 July 1953 - unknown This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http, buss, Lydus H. Sturm, Thomas A. Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F. History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, Cornett, Lloyd H, Johnson, a Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980. Peterson AFB, CO, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, the Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, USAF Historical Study No.126 Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II
23.
86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
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The 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 79th Fighter Group at Youngstown Air Force Base, Ohio, the squadron was first activated shortly after the United States entered World War II as the 86th Pursuit Squadron. As the 86th Fighter Squadron It saw combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, after the end of the war it became an element of the occupation forces until returning to the United States, where it was inactivated in 1947. It was activated again to replace an Air National Guard squadron that had been mobilized for the Korean War. The squadron was first activated in early 1942 at Dale Mabry Field, Florida as the 86th Pursuit Squadron and its initial cadre was drawn from the 56th and 81st Fighter Groups. The squadron was redesignated the 86th Fighter Squadron in May 1942, the unit trained in the United States, then moved to Egypt by sea via Brazil in October–November 1942, where it became part of Ninth Air Force. The squadron trained with P-40 Warhawks while moving westward in the wake of the British drive across Egypt, the squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its support of British Eighth Army during that period, March–August 1943. It operated in the area of the Anzio beachhead from January to March 1944, the unit participated in the drive on Rome from March to June 1944, and converted to P-47 Thunderbolts during that time. The 86th received a second DUC for numerous missions flown at altitude in intense flak to help pierce the enemy line at the Santerno River in Italy in April 1945. Squadron pilots were credited with victories over enemy aircraft during World War II. The squadron remained overseas as part of United States Air Forces in Europe after the war as part of the occupation forces and it was transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US in June 1947 and inactivated on 15 July 1947. As an element of Air Defense Command it was responsible for air defense of the Great Lakes area, in July the squadron upgraded to radar equipped and rocket armed North American F-86D Sabres at Youngstown. In August 1955 ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars. At Youngstown, the squadrons World War II headquarters, the 79th Fighter Group assumed the personnel and equipment of the 502d Air Defense Group, which was simultaneously inactivated. The Air Force transferred command of Youngstown MAP from ADC to Continental Air Command on 1 March 1960, buss, Lydus H. Sturm, Thomas A. Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F. A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization,1946 –1980, peterson AFB, CO, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. U. S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields D-Day to V-E Day, maxwell AFB, AL, Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
24.
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
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The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of the process, production models were flying. Designed with straight wings, the type saw combat in Korea with the United States Air Force as the F-80. The F-94 Starfire, an all-weather interceptor on the same airframe, the closely related T-33 Shooting Star trainer would remain in service with the U. S. Air Force and Navy well into the 1980s, with the last NT-33 variant not retired until April 1997. Many still serve in a role in foreign air arms or are in private hands. The XP-80 had a conventional airframe, with a slim low wing. Other early jets generally had two engines because of their power, these being mounted in external nacelles for easier maintenance. With the advent of more powerful British jet engines, fuselage mounting was more effective, Lockheeds team, consisting of 28 engineers, was led by the legendary Clarence L. Kelly Johnson. This teaming was a product of Lockheeds Skunk Works, which surfaced again in the next decade to produce a line of high-performance aircraft beginning with the F-104. With the Germans and British clearly far ahead in development, Lockheed was pressed to develop a jet in as short a time as possible. Kelly Johnson submitted a proposal in mid-June and promised that the prototype would be ready for testing in 180 days. The Skunk Works team, beginning 26 June 1943, produced the airframe in 143 days, the first prototype was nicknamed Lulu-Belle. Powered by the replacement Halford H1 taken from the prototype de Havilland Vampire jet fighter, it first flew on 8 January 1944, the donated British jet program data had no doubt proved invaluable. The second prototype, designated XP-80A, was designed for the larger General Electric I-40 engine, 44-83021 was nicknamed the Gray Ghost after its pearl gray paint scheme, while 83022, left unpainted for comparison of flight characteristics, became known as the Silver Ghost. The XP-80As first test flight was unimpressive, but most of the problems with the design were soon addressed and corrected in the test program. Initial opinions of the XP-80A were not positive, with Lockheed Chief Engineering Test Pilot Milo Burcham commenting that an aircraft he very much enjoyed had now become a dog. The XP-80As were primarily testbeds for larger, more engines and air intake design. The P-80 testing program proved very dangerous, Burcham was killed on 20 October 1944 while flying the third YP-80A produced, 44-83025
25.
Republic F-84 Thunderjet
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The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a day fighter, the aircraft was not considered fully operational until the 1949 F-84D model and the design matured only with the definitive F-84G introduced in 1951. In 1954, the straight-wing Thunderjet was joined by the swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak fighter, the Thunderjet became the USAFs primary strike aircraft during the Korean War, flying 86,408 sorties and destroying 60% of all ground targets in the war as well as eight Soviet-built MiG fighters. Over half of the 7,524 F-84s produced served with NATO nations, the USAF Strategic Air Command had F-84 Thunderjets in service from 1948 through 1957. The F-84 was the first production aircraft to utilize inflight refueling and the first fighter capable of carrying a nuclear weapon. The F-84 nomenclature can be somewhat confusing, the straight-wing F-84A to F-84E and F-84G models were called the Thunderjet. The F-84F Thunderstreak and RF-84F Thunderflash were different airplanes with swept wings, the XF-84H Thunderscreech was an experimental turboprop version of the F-84F. The F-84F swept wing version was intended to be a variation of the normal Thunderjet with only a few different parts. Production delays on the F-84F resulted in order of the straight-wing version. In 1944, Republic Aviations chief designer, Alexander Kartveli, began working on a replacement for the P-47 Thunderbolt piston-engined fighter. The initial attempts to redesign the P-47 to accommodate a jet engine proved futile due to the large cross-section of the centrifugal compressor turbojets. Instead, Kartveli and his team designed a new aircraft with a streamlined fuselage largely occupied by an axial compressor turbojet engine, in addition, the new aircraft had to use the General Electric TG-180 axial turbojet which entered production as the Allison J35. On 11 November 1944, Republic received an order for three prototypes of the new XP-84—Model AP-23, the name Thunderjet was chosen to continue the Republic Aviation tradition started with the P-47 Thunderbolt while emphasizing the new method of propulsion. On 4 January 1945, even before the aircraft took to the air, meanwhile, wind tunnel testing by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics revealed longitudinal instability and stabilizer skin buckling at high speeds. The weight of the aircraft, a concern given the low thrust of early turbojets, was growing so quickly that the USAAF had to set a gross weight limit of 13,400 lb. The results of preliminary testing were incorporated into the third prototype, designated XP-84A. The first prototype XP-84 was transferred to Muroc Army Air Field where it flew for the first time on 28 February 1946 with Major Wallace A and it was joined by the second prototype in August, both aircraft flying with J35-GE-7 engines producing 3,745 lbf. In particular, the impact of wingtip tanks on aircraft handling was not thoroughly studied, after the creation of the United States Air Force by the National Security Act of 1947, the Pursuit designation was replaced with Fighter, and the P-84 became the F-84
26.
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
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The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design, the RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version. In 1949, a swept wing version of the F-84 was created with the hope of bringing performance to the level of the F-86. The last production F-84E was fitted with a tail, a new wing with 38.5 degrees of leading edge sweep and 3.5 degrees of anhedral. It flew on 3 June 1950 with Otto P. Haas at the controls, although the airplane was capable of 602 knots, the performance gain over the F-84E was considered minor. Nonetheless, it was ordered into production in July 1950 as the F-84F Thunderstreak, the F-84 designation was retained because the fighter was expected to be a low-cost improvement of the straight-wing Thunderjet with over 55 percent commonality in tooling. Production delays with the F-84F forced the USAF to order a number of straight-wing F-84Gs as an interim measure, although tooling commonality with the Thunderjet was supposed to be 55 percent, in reality only fifteen percent of tools could be reused. To make matters worse, the F-84F utilized press-forged wing spars, at the time, only three presses in the United States could manufacture these, and priority was given to the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber over the F-84. The YJ65-W-1 engine was considered obsolete and the improved J65-W-3 did not become available until 1954, when the first production F-84F finally flew on 22 November 1952, it differed from the service test aircraft. It had a different canopy which opened up and back instead of sliding to the rear, the aircraft was considered not ready for operational deployment due to control and stability problems. The first 275 aircraft, equipped with conventional stabilizer-elevator tailplanes, suffered from accelerated stall pitch-up, beginning with Block 25, the problem was ameliorated by the introduction of a hydraulically powered one-piece stabilator. A number of aircraft were retrofitted with spoilers for improved high-speed control. As a result, the F-84F was not declared operational until 12 May 1954, the second YF-84F prototype was completed with wing-root air intakes. These were not adopted for the due to loss of thrust. However, this arrangement permitted placement of cameras in the nose, the first YRF-84F was completed in February 1952. The aircraft retained an armament of four guns and could carry up to fifteen cameras. Being largely identical to the F-84F, the Thunderflash suffered from the production delays and engine problems. The aircraft was retired from duty in 1957, only to be reactivated in 1961
27.
Tactical Air Command
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Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base and it was inactivated on 1 June 1992 and its personnel and equipment absorbed by Air Combat Command. Tactical Air Command was established to provide a balance between strategic, air defense, and tactical forces of the post–World War II U. S. Army Air Forces followed by, in 1947, the U. S. Air Force. In 1948, the Continental Air Command assumed control over air defense, tactical air, after two years in a subordinate role, Tactical Air Command was established as a major command. World War II showed the effectiveness of air power in supporting army ground forces. However, the demobilization in late 1945 meant that the huge air armada that had brought Germany to her knees. Following the end of World War II, Headquarters United States Army Air Forces had little funding and most wartime personnel had been released from active duty and returned to civilian life. Many USAAF aircraft were being sent to storage or scrapyards, although the tension with the Soviet Union meant that combat military air forces were still needed. The big questions were how large and what kind of forces, a major realignment of the USAAF was undertaken in early 1946. As part of the realignment, three major divisions within the Continental United States were formed, Strategic Air Command, Tactical Air Command. Each was given a specific responsibility, using assets prescribed to accomplish the assigned mission, Tactical Air Command was formed to command, organize, equip, train and administer assigned or attached forces. It was to plan for and participate in tactics for fighter, light bombardment and these included tactical fighters, tactical bombers, tactical missiles, troop carrier aircraft, assault, reconnaissance, and support units. TAC also planned for and developed the capability to deploy tactical striking forces anywhere in the world, during its existence, Tactical Air Command deployed personnel, material and/or aircraft to Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe and Australia in support of its prescribed mission. TACs original authorization was 25,500 officers and enlisted men, aircraft assets available consisted of propeller-driven North American P-51 Mustangs, Republic P-47 Thunderbolts and a handful of the new jet-powered Lockheed P-80 Shooting Stars. TAC was also given control of the Third Air Force, Ninth Air Force, on 18 September 1947, the United States Air Force was established as a separate military force, with TAC as one of its major commands. At the time, there was only one U. S. Air Forces in Europe tactical air unit available in Europe, TAC was called upon to send additional units and aircraft to Europe to reinforce the 86 FG. The 36th Fighter Group, flying Lockheed F-80B Shooting Stars, was transferred from Howard AFB in the Panama Canal Zone to Furstenfeldbruck Air Base near Munich. In addition to fighter aircraft, TAC also deployed available C-47 Skytrain transports to Europe, transferring them to USAFE
28.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
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Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wright Field and Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot, Patterson Field is approximately 10 miles northeast of Dayton, Wright Field is approximately 5 miles northeast of Dayton. The host unit at Wright-Patterson AFB is the 88th Air Base Wing, assigned to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center and Air Force Materiel Command. The bases origins begin with the establishment of Wilbur Wright Field on 22 May and McCook Field in November 1917, McCook was used as a testing field and for aviation experiments. Wright was used as a field, Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot, armorers’ school. McCooks functions were transferred to Wright Field when it was closed in October 1927, Wright-Patterson AFB was established in 1948 as a merger of Patterson and Wright Fields. In 1995, negotiations to end the Bosnian War were held at the resulting in the Dayton Agreement that ended the war. The 88th Air Base Wing is commanded by Col. John M. Devillier Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant John M. Mazza, the base had a total of 27,406 military, civilian and contract employees in 2010. The Greene County portion of the base is a census-designated place, Wright-Patterson AFB is one of the largest, most diverse, and organizationally complex bases in the Air Force with a long history of flight tests spanning from the Wright Brothers into the Space Age. It is the headquarters of the Air Force Materiel Command, one of the commands of the Air Force. It is also the base of the 445th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command. Wright-Patterson is also the headquarters of the Aeronautical Systems Center and the Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson is the host of the annual United States Air Force Marathon which occurs the weekend closest to the Air Forces anniversary. The Wing reports to the Aeronautical Systems Center, a major development and their flight exhibition company and the Wright Company School of Aviation returned 1910–1916 to use the flying field. In 1918, Wilbur Wright Field agreed to let McCook Field use hangar and shop space as well as its enlisted mechanics to assemble, after World War I,347 German aircraft were brought to the United States—some were incorporated into the Army Aeronautical Museum. The training school at Wilbur Wright Field was discontinued, Wilbur Wright Field and the depot merged after World War I to form the Fairfield Air Depot. In 1924, the Committee presented the deeds to president Calvin Coolidge for the construction of a new engineering center. The entire acreage was designated Wright Field, which had such as the Headquarters, 5th Division Air Service. New facilities were built 1925–27 on the portion of Wright Field west of Huffman Dam to house all of the McCook Field functions being relocated, on 1 July 1931, the portion of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam was redesignated Patterson Field in honor of Lieutenant Frank Stuart Patterson
29.
162d Reconnaissance Squadron
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The 162d Reconnaissance Squadron is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard 178th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing located at Springfield Air National Guard Base, Springfield, Ohio. The 162d is equipped with the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator UAV, the 362d Fighter Squadron was established at Hamilton Field, California in December 1942. Became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe army of occupation in Germany during 1945, Inactivated in Germany during August 1946. The wartime 362d Fighter Squadron was re-designated as the 162d Fighter Squadron and it was organized at Cox-Dayton Municipal Airport, Ohio, and was extended federal recognition on 22 November 1947 by the National Guard Bureau. The 162d Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, the squadron was equipped with F-51D Mustangs and was assigned initially to the Illinois ANG 66th Fighter Wing, operationally gained by Continental Air Command. On 7 December 1947 the Ohio ANG 55th Fighter Wing, was federally recognized, with the formation and federal recognition of the Ohio ANG 121st Fighter Group at Lockbourne Field, near Columbus, the squadron was reassigned. The mission of the 162d Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Ohio, parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were World War II veterans so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts. In some ways, the postwar Air National Guard was almost like a country club. With the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, however, the 162d was not federalized and remained at Cox-Dayton Municipal Airport and continued its air defense mission. With new facilities under construction at Springfield, the 162d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron conducted their training from temporary facilities at Wright-Patterson AFB. The F-84E Thunderjets were Korean War veteran aircraft and the squadron received training in the equipment from the Ohio ANG 164th and 166th Tactical Fighter Squadrons, in November 1957 the squadron received new F-84F Thunderstreak jet interceptors and the squadron was re-designated as the 162d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. This designation reflected a dual mission which the squadron was tasked, the day interceptor mission of Air Defense Command, and a tactical nuclear weapon delivery mission by Tactical Air Command. On 10 November 1958, the squadron was re-designated as the 162th Tactical Fighter Squadron, in 1959 and 1960 the squadron participated in exercises Dark Cloud and Pine Cone III, the latter taking place at Congaree AFB, South Carolina. In the exercises, the squadron practiced delivery of nuclear weapons in the fictitious country of North Saladia. During the 1961 Berlin Crisis, the 162th was federalized as part of the 121st Tactical Fighter Wing and Group for a period of twelve months beginning on 1 October. However, due to funding shortages, only 26 F-84Fs of 166th TFS were deployed to Étain-Rouvres Air Base, France, although several ground support units from the 162d and 164th were also deployed. The squadron, however, remained under Federal USAF control until the crisis ended, after the Berlin Federalization ended, the 15 October 1962, the 162d was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 178th Tactical Fighter Group was established by the National Guard Bureau. The 162d TFS becoming the flying squadron
30.
164th Tactical Fighter Squadron
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The 164th Airlift Squadron is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard 179th Airlift Wing located at Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base, Mansfield, Ohio. The 164th is equipped with the C-130 Hercules, the 363d Fighter Squadron was established at Hamilton Field, California in December 1942. Began training on the P-39 Airacobra at Tonopah Army Airfield, Nevada, became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe army of occupation in Germany during 1945. Inactivated in Germany during August 1946, the wartime 363d Fighter Squadron was re-designated as the 164th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the Ohio Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport, Ohio, and was extended federal recognition on 20 June 1948 by the National Guard Bureau, the 164th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the 363d Fighter Squadron. The squadron was equipped with F-51D Mustangs and was assigned to the Ohio ANG 55th Fighter Wing, with the formation and federal recognition of the Ohio ANG 121st Fighter Group at Lockbourne Field, near Columbus, the squadron was reassigned. The mission of the 164th Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Ohio, parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were World War II veterans so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts. In some ways, the postwar Air National Guard was almost like a country club. With the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, the 164th Fighter Squadron was federalized on 10 February 1951. The 164th, however, was selected to remain in Ohio and continue the air defense mission, being gained by the Eastern Air Defense Force. In September 1953 after the Korean War, the 164th received its first jet aircraft, the squadron only operated the Shooting Star for a year when in October 1954 the equipment was changed to F-84E Thunderjets that had returned from wartime duty in Korea. This ADC alert lasted each and every day until 30 June 1956, in early 1957, the squadron sent their war-weary Thunderjets to storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona and received new F-84F Thunderstreak swept-wing interceptors. On 10 November 1958, the squadron was re-designated as the 164th Tactical Fighter Squadron, during the 1961 Berlin Crisis, the 164th was federalized as part of the 121st Tactical Fighter Wing and Group for a period of twelve months beginning on 1 October. However, due to funding shortages, only 26 F-84Fs of 166th TFS were deployed to Étain-Rouvres Air Base, France, although several ground support units from the 162d and 164th were also deployed. The squadron, however, remained under Federal USAF control until the crisis ended, after the Berlin Federalization ended, the 15 October 1962, the 164th was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 179th Tactical Fighter Group was established by the National Guard Bureau. The 164th TFS becoming the flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 179th Headquarters, 179th Material Squadron, 179th Combat Support Squadron, the squadron continued normal peacetime training throughout the 1960s. Individual squadron members volunteered for duty during the Vietnam War, however the 164th was not federalized in 1968 as the F-84Fs were not considered front line combat aircraft
31.
Warsaw Pact
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The Warsaw Pact was the military complement to the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, the regional economic organization for the communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. While the Warsaw Pact was established as a balance of power or counterweight to NATO, instead, the conflict was fought on an ideological basis and in proxy wars. Both NATO and the Warsaw Pact led to the expansion of military forces and its largest military engagement was the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968, which, in part, resulted in Albania withdrawing from the pact less than a month later. The Pact began to unravel in its entirety with the spread of the Revolutions of 1989 through the Eastern Bloc, beginning with the Solidarity movement in Poland, East Germany and Poland withdrew from the Pact in 1990. On 25 February 1991, the Pact was declared at an end at a meeting of defence, the USSR itself was dissolved in December 1991, although most of the former Soviet republics formed the Collective Security Treaty Organization shortly thereafter. Throughout the following 20 years, the seven Warsaw Pact countries outside the USSR each joined NATO, in the Western Bloc, the Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance is often called the Warsaw Pact military alliance—abbreviated WAPA, Warpac, and WP. Therefore, although ostensibly an international collective security alliance, the USSR dominated the Warsaw Treaty armed forces, the strategy behind the formation of the Warsaw Pact was driven by the desire of the Soviet Union to dominate Central and Eastern Europe. The Soviets wanted to keep their part of Europe theirs and not let the Americans take it from them and this policy was driven by ideological and geostrategic reasons. Ideologically, the Soviet Union arrogated the right to define socialism and communism, geostrategic principles also drove the Soviet Union to prevent invasion of its territory by Western European powers. Before the creation of the Warsaw Pact, Czechoslovak leadership, fearful of a rearmed Germany, sought to create a security pact with East Germany and these states protested strongly against the re-militarization of West Germany. The Warsaw Pact was primarily put in place as a consequence of the rearming of West Germany inside NATO, Soviet leaders, like many European countries on both sides of the Iron Curtain, feared Germany being once again a military power and a direct threat. The terrible consequences of German militarism remained a fresh memory among the Soviets, previously, in March 1954, the USSR, fearing the restoration of German militarism in West Germany, requested admission to NATO. The Soviet request to join NATO arose in the aftermath of the Berlin Conference of January–February 1954. James Dunn, who met in Paris with Eden, Adenauer and Robert Schuman, affirmed that the object should be to avoid discussion with the Russians, according to John Gaddis there was little inclination in Western capitals to explore this offer from USSR. But Eden, Dulles and Bidault opposed the proposal, the Soviets then decided to make a new proposal to the governments of the USA, UK and France to accept the participation of the USA in the proposed General European Agreement. Again all proposals, including the request to join NATO, were rejected by the UK, US, emblematic was the position of British General Hastings Ismay, supporter of NATO expansion, who said that NATO must grow until the whole free world gets under one umbrella. He opposed the request to join NATO made by the USSR in 1954 saying that the Soviet request to join NATO is like an unrepentant burglar requesting to join the police force, in April 1954 Adenauer made his first visit to the USA meeting Nixon, Eisenhower and Dulles. Ratification of EDC was delaying but the US representatives made it clear to Adenauer that EDC would have to become a part of NATO, memories of the Nazi occupation were still strong, and the rearmament of Germany was feared by France too
32.
France
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France, officially the French Republic, is a country with territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The European, or metropolitan, area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, Overseas France include French Guiana on the South American continent and several island territories in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. France spans 643,801 square kilometres and had a population of almost 67 million people as of January 2017. It is a unitary republic with the capital in Paris. Other major urban centres include Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Nice, Toulouse, during the Iron Age, what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls, a Celtic people. The area was annexed in 51 BC by Rome, which held Gaul until 486, France emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages, with its victory in the Hundred Years War strengthening state-building and political centralisation. During the Renaissance, French culture flourished and a colonial empire was established. The 16th century was dominated by civil wars between Catholics and Protestants. France became Europes dominant cultural, political, and military power under Louis XIV, in the 19th century Napoleon took power and established the First French Empire, whose subsequent Napoleonic Wars shaped the course of continental Europe. Following the collapse of the Empire, France endured a succession of governments culminating with the establishment of the French Third Republic in 1870. Following liberation in 1944, a Fourth Republic was established and later dissolved in the course of the Algerian War, the Fifth Republic, led by Charles de Gaulle, was formed in 1958 and remains to this day. Algeria and nearly all the colonies became independent in the 1960s with minimal controversy and typically retained close economic. France has long been a centre of art, science. It hosts Europes fourth-largest number of cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites and receives around 83 million foreign tourists annually, France is a developed country with the worlds sixth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest by purchasing power parity. In terms of household wealth, it ranks fourth in the world. France performs well in international rankings of education, health care, life expectancy, France remains a great power in the world, being one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with the power to veto and an official nuclear-weapon state. It is a member state of the European Union and the Eurozone. It is also a member of the Group of 7, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organization, originally applied to the whole Frankish Empire, the name France comes from the Latin Francia, or country of the Franks
33.
366th Fighter Wing
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The 366th Fighter Wing is a fighter wing of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The wing comprises four groups, the 366th Operations Group, 366th Maintenance Group, 366th Mission Support Group, until September 2010, a fourth squadron, the 390th Fighter Squadron flew the F-15C Eagle in an air superiority mission. The 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron which flew F-4D Phantoms and later F-111s, the 726th Air Control Squadron assigned here gives an air picture to the aircraft as they train. This is a radar unit that routinely deploys to various theaters to operate command. Structured as a Control and Reporting Center, able to accommodate Control, Air Weapons Controller personnel often deploy without home-system to support flying units in various scenarios and exercises throughout the U. S. and European theater. An active Air National Guard unit, the 266th Range Squadron, controls and maintains emitter sites within the 7, additionally, the 390th Electronic Combat Squadron, located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, is assigned to the 366th Operations Group. The squadron, consisting of USAF flight crews flying U. S, for additional history and lineage, see 366th Operations Group The wing was activated on 1 January 1953 as the 366th Fighter Bomber Wing at Alexandria Air Force Base, Louisiana. It replaced the Federalized Iowa Air National Guard 132d Fighter Bomber Wing which was being returned to control after a twenty-one month period of activation as a result of the Korean War. Initially using the former ANG F-51D Mustangs, the 366th received F-86F Sabres which were returned from Korea in the summer of 1953, on 18 March 1954, the KB-29 equipped 420th Air Refueling Squadron was attached to the Wing to provide air refueling for the Thunderstreaks. The B-29s were later replaced with KB-50 aerial tankers, the Wing became first TAC unit to perform six-month TDY rotations with NATO at Aviano AB, Italy, with rotations continuing to both Italy and France for six-month stretches. As it did so, the wing began converting to the F-84F Thunderstreak. The 366th Fighter Day Group was inactivated in September 1957 when parent wing adopted Tri-Deputate organization, in late 1957, the wing began conversion to the F-100 Super Sabre to its inventory while continuing to operate the F-84. Redesignated 366th Tactical Fighter Wing 1 July 1958 as part of Air Force-Wide naming change, inactivated 1 April 1959 as part of a general budgetary reduction of USAF wings. Aircraft transferred to Air National Guard and this multi-base organizational structure was unique in that it was the only tactical fighter wing in USAFE with four squadrons at four different air bases in Europe. The 366th was also the last USAFE tactical fighter wing formed in Europe, each squadron flew 20 F-84F Thunderstreaks left by the departing Air National Guard Units. In addition to the units being dispersed, the 366th also formed Combat Support Groups at each base to support the flying operations. The decision to form, organize, equip and train the 366th at four different bases was a decision by USAFE. The first major problem being the simple logistics needed to operate the squadrons, deliveries of services in France had always been a problem since the USAF bases were established in the early 1950s
34.
North American F-100 Super Sabre
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The North American F-100 Super Sabre was an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of speed in level flight. The F-100 was designed by North American Aviation as a higher performance follow-on to the F-86 Sabre air superiority fighter, adapted as a fighter bomber, the F-100 was supplanted by the Mach two class F-105 Thunderchief for strike missions over North Vietnam. The F-100 flew extensively over South Vietnam as the air forces primary close air support jet until being replaced by the more efficient subsonic LTV A-7 Corsair II, the F-100 also served in other NATO air forces and with other U. S. allies. In its later life, it was referred to as the Hun. In January 1951, North American Aviation delivered an unsolicited proposal for a day fighter to the United States Air Force. Named Sabre 45 because of its 45° wing sweep, it represented an evolution of the F-86 Sabre, the mockup was inspected on 7 July 1951, and after over a hundred modifications, the new aircraft was accepted as the F-100 on 30 November 1951. Extensive use of titanium throughout the aircraft was notable, on 3 January 1952, the USAF ordered two prototypes followed by 23 F-100As in February and an additional 250 F-100As in August. The YF-100A first flew on 25 May 1953, seven ahead of schedule. It reached Mach 1.04 in spite of being fitted with a de-rated XJ57-P-7 engine, the second prototype flew on 14 October 1953, followed by the first production F-100A on 9 October 1953. These findings were confirmed during Project Hot Rod operational suitability tests. Particularly troubling was the yaw instability in certain regimes of flight which produced inertia coupling, the aircraft could develop a sudden yaw and roll which would happen too fast for the pilot to correct and would quickly over-stress the aircraft structure to disintegration. It was under conditions that North Americans chief test pilot. Another control problem stemmed from handling characteristics of the wing at high angles of attack. As the aircraft approached stall speeds, loss of lift on the tips of the caused an violent pitch-up. This particular phenomenon became known as the Sabre dance, nevertheless, delays in the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak program pushed the Tactical Air Command to order the raw F-100A into service. Tactical Air Command also requested that future F-100s be fighter-bombers, with the capability of delivering nuclear bombs, the North American F-107 was a follow-on Mach 2 development of the F-100 with the air intake moved above and behind the cockpit. It was not produced in quantity in favor of the Republic F-105 Thunderchief, the F-100A officially entered USAF service on 27 September 1954, with the 479th Fighter Wing at George AFB, California
35.
USS Pueblo (AGER-2)
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The seizure of the U. S. Navy ship and its 83 crew members, one of whom was killed in the attack, came less than a week after President Lyndon B. North Korea stated that Pueblo deliberately entered their territorial waters 7.6 nautical miles away from Ryo Island, Pueblo, still held by North Korea today, officially remains a commissioned vessel of the United States Navy. Since early 2013, the ship has been moored along the Potong River in Pyongyang, Pueblo is the only ship of the U. S. Navy still on the commissioned roster currently being held captive. The ship was launched at the Kewaunee Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in Kewaunee, Wisconsin, on 16 April 1944, as the United States Army Freight, the Army later redesignated the FP vessels as Freight and Supply changing the designation to FS-344. The ship, commissioned at New Orleans on 7 April 1945 and her first commanding officer was Lt. J. R. Choate, USCGR, succeeded by Lt. J. G. Barker, USCGR, on 12 September 1945, FS-344 was placed out of service in 1954. FS-344 was transferred to the United States Navy on 12 April 1966 and was renamed USS Pueblo after Pueblo and Pueblo County, Colorado on 18 June of the same year. She left with orders to intercept and conduct surveillance of Soviet Union Red Navy activity in the Tsushima Strait and to gather signal. The declassified SIGAD for the National Security Agency Direct Support Unit from the Naval Security Group on Pueblo during the patrol involved in the incident was USN-467Y, AGER denoted a joint Naval and National Security Agency program. In the afternoon of 22 January 1968, the two North Korean fishing trawlers Rice Paddy 1 and Rice Paddy 2 passed within 30 yards of Pueblo. That day, a North Korean unit made an attempt in the Blue House executive mansion against the South Korean President Park Chung-hee. According to the American account, the day,23 January, Pueblo was approached by a sub chaser and her nationality was challenged. The North Korean vessel then ordered it to stand down or be fired upon, Pueblo attempted to maneuver away, but was considerably slower than the sub chaser. Additionally, three torpedo boats appeared on the horizon and then joined in the chase and subsequent attack, the attackers were soon joined by two MiG-21 fighters. A fourth torpedo boat and a sub chaser appeared on the horizon a short time later. The ammunition on Pueblo was stored belowdecks, and her guns were wrapped in cold weather tarpaulins. The machine guns were unmanned, and no attempt was made to man them, an NSA report quotes the sailing order, Defensive armament should be stowed or covered in such manner so that it does not cause unusual interest by surveyed units. U. S. Navy authorities and the crew of Pueblo insist that before the capture, North Korea says the vessel was well within North Korean territory
36.
127th Tactical Fighter Squadron
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The 127th Command and Control Squadron was a unit of the Kansas Air National Guard 184th Intelligence Wing stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kansas. The 127th was a squadron operating the Distributed Common Ground System. The unit was inactivated on 29 September 2014, the squadron is a descendant organization of the Kansas National Guard 127th Observation Squadron, established on 30 July 1940. It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II and these agencies are provided redundant communities during Peace Time, Natural Disasters and National Emergencies. Equipment utilized in support of the mission is flexible and state of the art, established by the National Guard Bureau on 30 July 1940 as the 127th Observation Squadron, and activated in August 1941. Initially the squadron had 115 men in its ranks and it was, however, still short of officers since it only had nine officers but was authorized a total of thirty-one. Moved to Sherman Field at Fort Leavenworth, by November 1941 the squadron had one BE-1, one O-47A, one O-38E, all of the aircraft were single engine observation/liaison planes. The 127th was ordered to service on 6 October 1941. According to the plans, the squadron was to be based at Brownwood Army Airfield, Texas until the emergency was over. The 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor changed all plans for American military units, a number of 127th personnel were off the base that Sunday and returned to find it almost impossible to get back on base. Was moved to Tullahoma Army Air Base, Tullahoma, Tennessee, Tullahoma Army Air Base was situated in close proximity to Camp Forrest, Tennessee, the site of a major infantry center. Trained on missions cooperating with the 33d and 80th Infantry divisions, at the same time the 124th Observation Squadron from the Iowa National Guard was stationed at Tullahoma. Beginning in 1942, the squadron was assigned to the 75th Observation Group for its higher headquarters, the squadron left Tullahoma on 5 September 1942, for Barksdale Army Airfield, Shreveport, Louisiana to participate in the largest war games ever staged by the United States Army. During the Louisiana Maneuvers the 127th worked in cooperation with their higher headquarters. On 19 August 1943, the 127th was reassigned to the First Air Support Command and this command would soon become the First Tactical Air Division. Beginning in April 1944 the squadron received indications that it would not remain a training organization much longer, on 10 November 1944, three years after mobilization, the squadron left the United States for the Pacific Theater. Docked at Bombay, India on 10 December 1944 being assigned to the Tenth Air Force in the China Burma India Theater, Squadron pilots were constantly involved in duties supporting the British Army. Their missions included such activities as photographic and reconnaissance duties, evacuation of wounded, supply drops, courier duties and they were entrusted with secret messages, regular mail and with transporting fresh blood to the front
37.
Kunsan Air Base
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Kunsan K-8 Air Base is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, which is on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is at the town of Gunsan about 150 miles south of Seoul, the town can be romanized as both Gunsan and Kunsan. The United States Air Force uses Gunsan to refer to the town, Kunsan Air Base is the home of the 8th Fighter Wing, The Wolf Pack, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces Seventh Air Force and the 38th Fighter Group of the Republic of Korea Air Force. It is one of two major Air Force installations operated by the United States Forces Korea, the other being Osan Air Base, the United States first used the base in 1945, but on a very small scale. From 1945 to 1950, the Army and later the Air Force intermittently operated small detachments from Kunsan, at most these detachments contained a handful of people. When the Korean War broke out on 25 June 1950, Kunsan Air Base had no United States flying units assigned, in their rapid advance, the invading North Koreans captured Kunsan Air Base on 13 July 1950. The 24th Infantry Division retook Kunsan in October 1950, and the Chinese Communist Forces Intervention Campaign that winter failed to push far enough south to put Kunsan in jeopardy, United States forces first operated in significant numbers from the base in 1951. The first Air Force unit to be assigned to the base was the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing, the 27th Fighter Escort Wing was one of the first F-84 units to see combat action in Korea and earned numerous honors and awards for their combat record during the Korean War. Improvements to the base were needed, however, to jet fighters. The 27th FEW was reassigned at the end April and The Armys 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion built a 5,000 feet runway to replace the sod runway constructed by Japanese and this runway is now known as Taxiway Charlie. By August, construction had progressed to the point that heavier units could be based at Kusan, the 3rd Bomb Wing consisting of the 8th, 13th and 90th Bomb Squadrons flew the Douglas B-26 Invader bomber during the war, remaining at Kunsan from August 1951 until October 1954. In April 1953, the 474th Fighter-Bomber Group returned to the United States and was replaced by the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing, under this system, each base in Korea received a K number, simplifying positive identification when referring to the various bases. Kunsan received the number K-8, while Osan Air Base was also known as K-55, after hostilities ceased, the base began to draw down. The F-84 forces of the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing left in November 1953, and by October 1954 the host unit of the base and this left the base with a much-reduced mission. From 1953 to 1954, the 808th and 841st Engineering Aviation Battalions constructed what is today’s main runway, for the next several years Kunsan merely hosted periodic rotations of fighter and light bomber squadrons, with base facilities maintained and operated by an air base group. During 1957 and 1958 the base hosted squadrons from Japan temporarily, any runway extensions or new billeting were built after 1958. During the period 1957 summer and 1958 summer sad to say, the base remained a radar site as a back up during this time to Osan, until the Radar site was turned over to the ROKAF in mid 1958. During this time the base would also host an occasional RB-57 aircraft doing security overflights in the area, the Osan detachment on the base also maintained a radio relay site from a hill on the base
38.
354th Fighter Wing
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The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces. It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, the wing replaced the 343d Fighter Wing on 20 August 1993 as part of a service-wide effort to preserve the lineage of the Air Force’s most honored wings. Prior to its inactivation, the 343d was the oldest surviving air combat unit in Alaska, the 18th Fighter Squadron, whose history also dated back to World War II, remained active, but the 355th Fighter Squadron replaced the 11 TASS. Also changing names were the 3d Fighter Training Squadron, which became the 353d Fighter Squadron, the 353 FS and 355 FS had long associations with the new host unit. All 354th Fighter Wing Aircraft carry the tail code AK, the 355 FS was inactivated in August 2007 as a result of Base Realignment and Closure 2005 action and all A-10 aircraft were reassigned to other USAF units. The 18 FS was redesignated as the 18th Aggressor Squadron and remains at Eielson, prior to its move to Alaska, the 354 FW was based for more than 35 years at the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina. Provides training and support for combat employment of wing assigned aircraft across a full spectrum of aerospace operations. Functions as primary liaison between the Federal Aviation Administration, Army, and Air Force on all airpower applications, 354th Operations Support Squadron Trains for and supports worldwide expeditionary combat employment for wing assigned F-16CG. Support includes airspace and flying hour programming, life support, operations training, weapons and tactics, intelligence, operations plans, responsible for local air traffic control, weather service, and airfield management. 18th Aggressor Squadron The 354th Operations Group provides air-bridge support and realistic combat flying training in support of 354th Fighter Wing, Air Force, Red Flag - Alaska The Groups major mission is RED FLAG-Alaska, 10-day air combat training exercise held up to four times a year. Each exercise is a multi-service, multi-platform coordinated, combat operations exercise and corresponds to the designed operational capability of participating units. In other words, exercises often involve several units whose military mission may differ significantly from that of other participating units. ”The 354th Maintenance Group staff includes command, quality assurance, information management, engineering technical services and weapons training functions. In addition, three squadrons are assigned under the group, The 354th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron provides aircraft sortie production, in addition to a command staff, the Aircraft Maintenance Squadron has two Aircraft Maintenance Units aligned with each of the Wing’s Fighter Squadrons. The 18th Aircraft Maintenance Unit supports the 18th Fighter Squadrons F-16 aircraft, the 354th Maintenance Squadron provides heavy aircraft maintenance and munitions support for the Wing. In addition, the squadron aircraft maintenance and munitions support to Red Flag - Alaska, transient. The 354th Maintenance Operations Squadron is responsible for all of the groups maintenance training, aircraft engine management, maintenance operations as well as maintenance plans. The squadron also provides support for the group staff functions and is also tasked to deploy and support aerospace power anytime. The group also provides a home for Eielsons associate units
39.
South Vietnam
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South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam, was a state governing the southern half of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. It received international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam, the term South Vietnam became common usage in 1954, when the Geneva Conference provisionally partitioned Vietnam into communist and non-communist parts. The Republic of Vietnam was proclaimed on 26 October 1955, with Ngô Đình Diệm as its first president and its sovereignty was recognized by the United States and eighty-seven other nations. It had membership in several committees of the United Nations. After the Second World War, the Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh, in 1949, anti-communist Vietnamese politicians formed a rival government in Saigon led by former emperor Bảo Đại. Bảo Đại was deposed by Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm in 1955, after Diệm was killed in a military coup led by general Dương Văn Minh in 1963, there was a series of short-lived military governments. General Nguyễn Văn Thiệu led the country from 1967 until 1975, the Vietnam War began in 1959 with an uprising by Viet Cong forces armed and controlled by Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Fighting reached a climax during the Tet Offensive of 1968, when there were over 1.5 million South Vietnamese soldiers and 500,000 U. S. soldiers in South Vietnam. Despite a peace treaty concluded in January 1973, fighting continued until the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong armies overran Saigon on 30 April 1975, the creation of this republic, during the Indochina War, allowed France to evade a promise to recognise Vietnam as independent. This pre-Vietnam government prepared for a unified Vietnamese state, but the countrys full reunification was delayed for a year because of the problems posed by Cochinchinas legal status, Nguyễn Văn Xuân 1949–55 State of Vietnam. Roughly 60% of Vietnamese territory was controlled by the communist Việt Minh. Vietnam was partitioned at the 17th parallel in 1954, once highly lauded by America, he was ousted and assassinated in a U. S. -backed coup. In 1963–65, there were numerous coups and short-lived governments, several of which were headed by Dương Văn Minh or Nguyễn Khánh, Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ was the top leader in 1965–67. Surrendered to Communists when others abandoned their posts, 1975–76 Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam. Huỳnh Tấn Phát Before World War II, the third of Vietnam was the concession of Cochinchina. Between Tonkin in the north and Cochinchina in the south was the protectorate of Annam, Cochinchina had been annexed by France in 1862 and even elected a deputy to the French National Assembly. It was more evolved, and French interests were stronger than in parts of Indochina. During World War II, Indochina was administered by Vichy France, japanese troops overthrew the French administration on 9 March 1945, Emperor Bảo Đại proclaimed Vietnam independent
40.
Eddie Rickenbacker
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Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. With 26 aerial victories, he was Americas most successful ace in the war. He was also considered to have won the most awards for valor by American during the war according to the April 2017 VFW magazine in their special World War I edition. He was also a car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters. Edward Rickenbacker was born in Columbus, Ohio, to Swiss German-speaking immigrants, from childhood, he loved machines and experimented with them, encouraged by his fathers words, A machine has to have a purpose. His first life-threatening experience occurred when he was in the Horsehead Gang and he lived near a mine, and they decided to ride a cart down the slope. It tipped over and almost crushed them, according to Rickenbackers autobiography, at age thirteen, his schooling ended in grade seven after the accidental death of his father on August 26,1904. However, according to Eddie Rickenbacker, An American Hero in the Twentieth Century and he aggressively pursued any chance of involvement with automobiles. Rickenbacker went to work at the Columbus Buggy Company, eventually becoming a salesman, Rickenbacker was also an avid golfer, often playing at the Siwanoy Country Club course near his home. He is one of a select few Club members who were granted honorary lifetime membership at Siwanoy. Rickenbacker became well known as a car driver, competing in the Indianapolis 500 four times before World War I. Rickenbacker joined the Maxwell Race Team in 1915 after leaving Peugeot, after the Maxwell team disbanded that same year, he joined the Prest-O-Lite team as manager and continued to race improved Maxwells for Prest-O-Lite. Rickenbacker wanted to join the Allied troops in World War I, but the U. S. had not yet entered the war. During World War I, with its atmosphere, he — like many other German Americans — changed his surname. As he was well known at the time, the change received wide publicity. From then on, as he wrote in his autobiography, most Rickenbachers were practically forced to spell their name in the way I had and he believed his given name looked a little plain. He signed his name 26 times, with a different middle initial each time, after settling upon V, he selected Vernon as a middle name. In 1916, Rickenbacker traveled to London, with the aim of developing an English car for American races, because of an erroneous press story and Rickenbackers known Swiss heritage, he was suspected of being a spy
41.
LTV A-7 Corsair II
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The LTV A-7 Corsair II was an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed by Ling-Temco-Vought to replace the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its airframe design was a smaller version of the supersonic Vought F-8 Crusader. The Corsair II initially entered service with the United States Navy during the Vietnam War and it was later adopted by the United States Air Force, including the Air National Guard, to replace the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, and North American F-100 Super Sabre. The aircraft was exported to Greece in the 1970s. In 1962, the United States Navy began preliminary work on the VAX, particular emphasis was placed on accurate delivery of weapons to reduce the cost per target. The requirements were finalized in 1963, announcing the VAL competition, to minimize costs, all proposals had to be based on existing designs. Vought, Douglas Aircraft, Grumman and North American Aviation responded, the Vought proposal was based on the successful Vought F-8 Crusader fighter, having a similar configuration, but shorter and more stubby, with a rounded nose. It was selected as the winner on 11 February 1964, and on 19 March the company received a contract for the batch of aircraft. In 1965, the received the popular name Corsair II. Compared to the F-8 fighter, the A-7 had a shorter, broader fuselage, the wing had a longer span, and the unique, variable incidence feature of the F-8 wing was omitted. The aircraft was fitted with an AN/APQ-116 radar, later followed by the AN/APQ-126 and it was the first U. S. aircraft to have a modern head-up display, now a standard instrument which displayed information such as dive angle, airspeed, altitude, drift and aiming reticle. The integrated navigation system allowed for another innovation – the projected map display system which accurately showed aircraft position on two different map scales, the A-7 had a fast and smooth development. The YA-7A made its first flight on 27 September 1965, the first Navy A-7 squadrons reached operational status on 1 February 1967, and began combat operations over Vietnam in December of that year. The A-7 offered a plethora of cutting-edge avionics compared to contemporary aircraft and this included data link capabilities that, among other features, provided fully hands-off carrier landing capability when used in conjunction with its approach power compensator or auto throttle. Other notable and highly advanced equipment was a map display located just below the radar scope. The map display was slaved to the navigation system and provided a high-resolution map image of the aircrafts position superimposed over TPC/JNC charts. Moreover, when slaved to the auto pilot, the inertial navigation system could fly the aircraft hands off to up to nine individual waypoints. Typical inertial drift was minimal for newly manufactured models and the measurement system accepted fly over, radar
42.
NATO
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party, three NATO members are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with the power to veto and are officially nuclear-weapon states. NATOs headquarters are located in Haren, Brussels, Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons. NATO is an Alliance that consists of 28 independent member countries across North America and Europe, an additional 22 countries participate in NATOs Partnership for Peace program, with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programmes. The combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70% of the global total, Members defence spending is supposed to amount to 2% of GDP. The course of the Cold War led to a rivalry with nations of the Warsaw Pact, politically, the organization sought better relations with former Warsaw Pact countries, several of which joined the alliance in 1999 and 2004. N. The Treaty of Brussels, signed on 17 March 1948 by Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, the treaty and the Soviet Berlin Blockade led to the creation of the Western European Unions Defence Organization in September 1948. However, participation of the United States was thought necessary both to counter the power of the USSR and to prevent the revival of nationalist militarism. He got a hearing, especially considering American anxiety over Italy. In 1948 European leaders met with U. S. defense, military and diplomatic officials at the Pentagon, marshalls orders, exploring a framework for a new and unprecedented association. Talks for a new military alliance resulted in the North Atlantic Treaty and it included the five Treaty of Brussels states plus the United States, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. The first NATO Secretary General, Lord Ismay, stated in 1949 that the goal was to keep the Russians out, the Americans in. Popular support for the Treaty was not unanimous, and some Icelanders participated in a pro-neutrality, the creation of NATO can be seen as the primary institutional consequence of a school of thought called Atlanticism which stressed the importance of trans-Atlantic cooperation. The members agreed that an attack against any one of them in Europe or North America would be considered an attack against them all. The treaty does not require members to respond with military action against an aggressor, although obliged to respond, they maintain the freedom to choose the method by which they do so. This differs from Article IV of the Treaty of Brussels, which states that the response will be military in nature. It is nonetheless assumed that NATO members will aid the attacked member militarily, the treaty was later clarified to include both the members territory and their vessels, forces or aircraft above the Tropic of Cancer, including some Overseas departments of France. The creation of NATO brought about some standardization of allied military terminology, procedures, and technology, the roughly 1300 Standardization Agreements codified many of the common practices that NATO has achieved
43.
Ingolstadt Manching Air Base
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Ingolstadt Manching Airport, or Fliegerhorst Ingolstadt/Manching in German, is a military airbase with civil usage located in Manching near Ingolstadt, Germany. The airport is home to the Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Center for Aircraft, cassidian, the defence and security subsidiary of EADS, also has its headquarters here. The first flights of the Tornado and Eurofighter prototypes took place here, the F104 and the F4 were flown here testing weapons systems in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. No scheduled flights are offered to and from Ingolstadt Manching, private Wings offers some business charter flights on demand across Europe. Current weather for ETSI at NOAA/NWS Airport information for ETSI at World Aero Data, Data current as of October 2006
44.
RAF Wittering
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Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. The station is the home of the A4 Force, with No.85 Wing RAF, in 2016 the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Station would be one of the RAFs well found centres of specialisation for Support Enablers along with RAF Leeming. In addition to the A4 Force Elements, RAF Wittering support a variety of lodger units located on the station. In November 2011 the Ministry of Defence announced that 44 Service personnel from HQ12 Engineer Group, part of the Royal Engineers and this move was completed in March 2013. Having previously hosted the Harrier OCUs, until January 2011, RAF Witterings return to flying training was marked on the 4th February 2015 with the arrival of Cambridge, currently,16 Tutors are based at Wittering. The stations honorary air commodore is Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex, operations Wing Actively manages the aerodrome environment such that it accommodates the safe operation of aircraft. Support Wing Personnel support and provides a safe and secure Station in order to enable units to train, prepare, and deploy on operations. Elements of 5 Police Squadron,1 Police Wing Military Provost Guard Service Defence Platoon An element of 3 Flying Training School 16 Squadron - Provides Elementary Flying Training for RAF pilots, Elements of 6 Flying Training School 115 Squadron - Provides training for Tutor Qualified Flying Instructors. RAF Wittering officially opened in 1924, the Central Flying School was at Wittering from 1926 until 1935, when it became a fighter base, and the CFS moved to RAF Upavon. It was the longest landing strip and flarepath in England and also used by Bomber Command to land damaged aircraft, embry believed this success led to the construction of three large airfields at coastal sites to land damaged aircraft of Bomber Command. RAF Collyweston, a station, was next door until 1941. The airfield was bombed five times, with seventeen people being killed on 14 March 1941, in April 1943 No.141 Squadron were moved in, operating de Havilland Mosquitoes. Aircraft from the station downed 151 Luftwaffe planes and 89 V-1 flying bombs, hugh Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Putney served at the station, as did Andrew Humphrey. The current airfield was created by the merging of RAF Wittering and nearby RAF Collyweston, during the cold war RAF Wittering was a vital part of the strategic nuclear deterrent, with a runway built in 1954 long enough for the V bombers. Until January 1969 two squadrons of Victor B.2 bombers equipped with Blue Steel stand-off missiles were part of the QRA force of the RAF, two nuclear armed aircraft were permanently on 15 minutes readiness to take off. They were parked within 100 m of the runway threshold. In times of tension, four bombers could be stationed beside the runway on the ORP
United States
Ohio
Air National Guard
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
