1.
United States
–
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.
Nebraska
–
Nebraska /nᵻˈbræskə/ is a state that lies in both the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States. Its area is just over 77,220 sq mi with almost 1.9 million people and its largest city is Omaha, which is on the Missouri River. The state is crossed by many trails and was explored by the Lewis. Nebraska was admitted as the 37th state of the United States in 1867 and it is the only state in the United States whose legislature is unicameral and officially nonpartisan. Nebraska is composed of two major regions, the Dissected Till Plains and the Great Plains. The Dissected Till Plains is a region of rolling hills. The Great Plains occupy most of western Nebraska, characterized by treeless prairie, the state has a large agriculture sector and is a major producer of beef, pork, corn, and soybeans. Two major climatic zones are represented in Nebraska, the half of the state has a humid continental climate, and the western half. Indigenous peoples lived in the region of present-day Nebraska for thousands of years before European exploration. The historic tribes in the state included the Omaha, Missouria, Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe, when European exploration, trade, and settlement began, both Spain and France sought to control the region. In the 1690s, Spain established trade connections with the Apaches, by 1703, France had developed a regular trade with the native peoples along the Missouri River in Nebraska, and by 1719 had signed treaties with several of these peoples. After war broke out between the two countries, Spain dispatched an expedition to Nebraska under Lieutenant General Pedro de Villasur in 1720. The party was attacked and destroyed near present-day Columbus by a force of Pawnees and Otoes. The massacre of the Villasur expedition effectively put an end to Spanish exploration of Nebraska for the remainder of the 18th century, in 1762, during the Seven Years War, France ceded the Louisiana territory to Spain. Frances withdrawal from the area left Britain and Spain competing for dominance along the Mississippi, by 1773, later that year, Mackays party built a trading post, dubbed Fort Carlos IV, near present-day Homer. In 1819, the United States established Fort Atkinson as the first U. S. Army post west of the Missouri River, the army abandoned the fort in 1827 as migration moved further west. European-American settlement did not begin in any numbers until after 1848, on May 30,1854, the US Congress created the Kansas and the Nebraska territories, divided by the Parallel 40° North, under the Kansas–Nebraska Act. The Nebraska Territory included parts of the current states of Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, the territorial capital of Nebraska was Omaha
3.
Air National Guard
–
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.
Nebraska Air National Guard
–
The Nebraska Air National Guard is the air force militia of the State of Nebraska, United States of America. It is, along with the Nebraska Army National Guard, an element of the Nebraska National Guard, as state militia units, the units in the Nebraska Air National Guard are not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. They are under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Nebraska though the office of the Nebraska Adjutant General unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States. The Nebraska Air National Guard is headquartered at Lincoln Air National Guard Base, under the Total Force concept, Nebraska Air National Guard units are considered to be Air Reserve Components of the United States Air Force. Nebraska 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. 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 Nebraska Air National Guard origins date to the formation of the 173d Fighter Squadron at Lincoln Army Airfield, Lincoln and it was equipped with F-51D Mustangs and its mission was the air defense of the state. Today, the 155th Air Refueling Wing provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, in 2007, the 170th Group at Offutt AFB was formed. The 170th evolved from Detachment 1, Headquarters Nebraska ANG established in June 2002 and these functional areas include requirements, weapons and tactics, intelligence, base operations, weather, and aviation resource management. After the September 11th,2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, also, Nebraska 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. Nebraska State Guard Nebraska Wing Civil Air Patrol This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http, Nebraska National Guard Nebraska Military Department Nebraska National Guard Prairie Soldier publication
5.
Lincoln Airport (Nebraska)
–
Lincoln Airport is a public/military airport five miles northwest of downtown Lincoln, the state capital, in Lancaster County, Nebraska. It is owned by the Lincoln Airport Authority and is the second-largest airport in Nebraska, the 12,901 foot primary runway was an emergency landing site for the Space Shuttle though never used as such. The runway can handle Heavy military aircraft including the C-5 Galaxy, the airport is also the home of Lincoln Air National Guard Base, an installation for the KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft operated by the 155th Air Refueling Wing of the Nebraska Air National Guard. Airliners on charter flights by visiting college football teams play the Nebraska Cornhuskers also utilize Lincoln Airport as a primary destination. The airport is home to Duncan Aviation, an aircraft maintenance. Duncan Aviation has hangars on the east side of the airport, Lincoln Airport appeared in the 2013 Walt Disney Pictures movie Planes. During World War II the airfield was Lincoln Army Air Field and used for mechanics and it closed in December 1945 and was transferred back to the City of Lincoln. In 1952 the facility re-opened as Lincoln Air Force Base, during the 1960s the two main airlines at Lincoln were United Airlines and the original Frontier Airlines. Frontier Convair 580s flew nonstop and direct to Denver and Kansas City, United Douglas DC-6Bs flew nonstop to Denver, but nonstops to Chicago didnt start until 1967. Lincolns first jets were in 1966, Frontier Boeing 727-100s MKC-LNK-DEN, United Boeing 727-100s and Boeing 737-200s began flying nonstop to Chicago and Denver about 1968, LNK later saw United 727-200s, 737-300s, 737-500s and Airbus A320s. Other jet airlines included America West with Boeing 737-200s and 737-300s nonstop to Phoenix, the original Frontier Airlines ceased operations in 1986, successor Continental Airlines flew 737s and DC-9s to Denver. United mainline jet service was replaced by flights operated by its United Express partners who now fly 50 seat regional jets from LNK. In 2005, Northwest Airlines flew to Memphis but dropped the route within nine months, in early 2006, Allegiant Air began air service to Las Vegas but after two years, announced that it was transferring service to Grand Island, NE. In May 2014 Delta Air Lines announced a flight to Atlanta would start September 8. In 2011 Delta resumed the Memphis service, but only over the summer, the new flight will be a Delta Connection Canadair CRJ700, with $750,000 in federal spending used to guarantee revenue for Delta. Today part of Lincoln Airport is home to the Nebraska Air National Guards 155th Air Refueling Wing, several Nebraska Army National Guard units are collocated at the installation, just east of Runway 36 alongside Taxiway Delta. The Air National Guards tarmac is closed to general aviation and is guarded by Air Force Security Forces 24 hours a day, Lincoln Airport covers 5,000 acres at an elevation of 1,219 feet. It has three runways, 18/36 is 12,901 by 200 feet, 14/32 is 8,649 by 150 feet
6.
World War II
–
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the worlds countries—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing alliances, the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. Marked by mass deaths of civilians, including the Holocaust and the bombing of industrial and population centres. These made World War II the deadliest conflict in human history, from late 1939 to early 1941, in a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany conquered or controlled much of continental Europe, and formed the Axis alliance with Italy and Japan. Under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union partitioned and annexed territories of their European neighbours, Poland, Finland, Romania and the Baltic states. In December 1941, Japan attacked the United States and European colonies in the Pacific Ocean, and quickly conquered much of the Western Pacific. The Axis advance halted in 1942 when Japan lost the critical Battle of Midway, near Hawaii, in 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France, while the Soviet Union regained all of its territorial losses and invaded Germany and its allies. During 1944 and 1945 the Japanese suffered major reverses in mainland Asia in South Central China and Burma, while the Allies crippled the Japanese Navy, thus ended the war in Asia, cementing the total victory of the Allies. World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the world, the United Nations was established to foster international co-operation and prevent future conflicts. The victorious great powers—the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which lasted for the next 46 years. Meanwhile, the influence of European great powers waned, while the decolonisation of Asia, most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery. Political integration, especially in Europe, emerged as an effort to end pre-war enmities, the start of the war in Europe is generally held to be 1 September 1939, beginning with the German invasion of Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. The dates for the beginning of war in the Pacific include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or even the Japanese invasion of Manchuria on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor, who held that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously and this article uses the conventional dating. Other starting dates sometimes used for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939, the exact date of the wars end is also not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 14 August 1945, rather than the formal surrender of Japan
7.
155th Air Refueling Wing
–
The 155th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Nebraska Air National Guard, stationed at Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Nebraska. If activated to service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command. The 155th operates the KC-135R Stratotanker, which is responsible for conducting air refueling missions around the world, the 155th currently has eight aircraft, six of them operational. There is almost always one aircraft undergoing an inspection in the hangar. The unit runs like an active duty base on a smaller scale, full-time Air Force Security Forces personnel patrol the base and provide security for the aircraft 24 hours a day while firefighter personnel are always on station and on call. The other units on the base usually operate during the day and are staffed by Active Guard Reserve or civilian Technician personnel. The 173d FIS had won the coveted Spaatz Trophy, as the Guards finest flying unit in 1963, following second, in 1962,1963 and 1964 the unit won its second, third and fourth Winston P. Wilson Trophies. In May 1964 the mission of the Nebraska Air Guard changed from air defense to tactical reconnaissance using the RF-84 Thunderflash aircraft, the 173rd became the 173rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and the 155th Fighter Group became the 155th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. The first RF-4C Phantom II came to Lincoln in November 1971, in 1972 the unit began its conversion to the RF-4C from the RF-84F. In April 1992 the unit was directed to convert to the KC-135R Stratotanker mission when the U. S. Air Force decided to begin retiring the last of the F-4 Phantom II aircraft. The conversion to the refueling mission began in September 1993 with the arrival of the first KC-135E tanker. On 1 Oct.1995, the unit was re-designated as the 155th Air Refueling Wing after achieving initial operational capability in the mission three months early. In April 1999, the unit flew its first combat missions and it was the first Air Guard tanker unit to be tasked with supporting Operation Allied Force, the NATO bombing campaign of Serbia and Kosovo. The unit successfully deployed two aircraft and more than 80 personnel to Germany in less than three days and soon became the unit for all American tanker operations from its German air base. Along with its mission, the Nebraska unit is tasked with supporting the state government as well. afhra. af. mil/. 155th Air Refueling Wing – Nebraska Air National Guard
8.
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
–
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
9.
401st Fighter Squadron
–
The 401st Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 370th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force, stationed at Camp Myles Standish and it was inactivated on 7 November 1945. Established in mid-1943 at Westover Field, Massachusetts, equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts, trained under I Fighter Command in New England, being deployed to the European Theater of Operations, and assigned to Ninth Air Force in England. Its ETO fuselage code was 9D, was converted from P-47s to P-38 Lightnings upon arrival in the ETO. The group provided cover for Allied forces that crossed the Channel on 6 June 1944, on 17 July 1944, napalm incendiary bombs were dropped for the first time in war on a fuel depot at Coutances, near St. Lô, France. After the D-Day invasion, squadron moved to its Advanced Landing Ground at Cardonville, France on 20 July to support the Allied ground advance across France, flew armed reconnaissance during the Battle of the Bulge, attacking warehouses, highways, railroads, motor transports, and other targets. Converted to P-51 Mustangs during February - March 1945, flew last mission, a sweep over Dessau and Wittenberg, on 4 May 1945. Returned to the United States during September–November 1945, and was inactivated on 7 November 1945, the unit was re-designated as the 173d Fighter Squadron and allocated to the Nebraska Air National Guard on 24 May 1946. afhra. af. mil/. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
10.
Westover Air Reserve Base
–
Westover Air Reserve Base is an Air Force Reserve Command installation located in the Massachusetts communities of Chicopee and Ludlow, near the city of Springfield, Massachusetts. Westover hosts the largest Air Reserve Base in the world in terms of area, until 2011, it was a backup landing site for the NASA Space Shuttle and in the past few years has expanded to include a growing civilian access airport sharing Westovers military-maintained runways. The installation was named for Major General Oscar Westover who was commanding officer of the Army Air Corps in the 1930s, the host unit is the 439th Airlift Wing of the Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command. Outside of the AFRC command structure, the 439 AW and Westover are operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command. Due to its location as one of the few remaining active military air bases in the northeast United States, Westover ARB is transitted by many different U. S. military aircraft of all the services. S. In 1951, Air Defense Command arrived, but then turned over the base in 1955 to Strategic Air Command, the 99th Bombardment Wing arrived in 1956. In case of war, an alternate SAC command bunker. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission ruled that Westover would absorb other military units in New England, the expansion proposed the transfer of all military operations at Bradley International Airport to Westover and the nearby Barnes Municipal Airport. The exception to this decision is the 103rd Airlift Wing, which remain at Bradley. A $32 million building project is underway to accommodate the additional 1600 service members required by the plan, the new Armed Forces Reserve Center will host Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy Reserve operations. The Massachusetts Army National Guard will also make its debut at the base, the base celebrated its 75th anniversary with an air show on May 16-17,2015, where the Blue Angels headlined the 2015 Great New England Air Show. During this time, it was announced that the Westover was in the running for a squadron of the new KC-46A Pegasus. Later that year, it was announced that the base would not be receiving the plane, Westover was also in competition with Tinker Air Force Base and Grissom Air Reserve Base for the plane. The local government credits Westover with spurring development of the Memorial Drive corridor, including several planned hotels, as a center for military air operations, Westover Air Reserve Base poses several hazards to local residents. These include air pollution, noise pollution, and water contamination hazards – all of which are shared with similar-sized commercial airports, Westovers extended operations history has produced numerous hazardous waste sites. The portion of the Westover complex still under military control covers an area of 2,500 acres which contains two runways, 5/23, measuring 11,597 x 301 ft and 15/33 measuring 7,082 x 150 ft. A new Air Traffic Control tower was constructed in 2002 and the old tower was demolished, there were 46 aircraft based at this airport, 35% military, 50% single engine, 9% multi-engine, 2% jet aircraft, 2% helicopters and 2% ultralight. Military facilities are control of the Commander, 439th Airlift Wing
11.
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
–
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was a World War II era fighter aircraft produced by the United States between 1941–1945. Its primary armament was eight. 50-caliber machine guns and in the fighter-bomber ground-attack role it could carry five-inch rockets or a load of 2,500 pounds. When fully loaded the P-47 weighed up to eight tons making it one of the heaviest fighters of the war. The P-47 was designed around the powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine which was used by two U. S. Navy fighters, the Grumman F6F Hellcat and the Vought F4U Corsair. The Thunderbolt was effective as a short-to-medium range escort fighter in high-altitude air-to-air combat, the P-47 was one of the main United States Army Air Forces fighters of World War II, and served with Allied air forces including France, Britain, and Russia. Mexican and Brazilian squadrons fighting alongside the U. S. were equipped with the P-47, the armored cockpit was relatively roomy and comfortable, offering good visibility. A modern-day U. S. ground-attack aircraft, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, both had fled from their homeland to escape the Bolsheviks. In 1939, Republic Aviation designed the AP-4 demonstrator powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engine with a belly-mounted turbocharger. While the resulting Republic P-43 Lancer was in limited production, Republic had been working on an improved P-44 Rocket with a powerful engine. The latter was an aircraft powered by the Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled V-12 engine. The United States Army Air Corps backed the project and gave it the designation XP-47, as the war in Europe escalated in spring 1940, Republic and the USAAC concluded that the XP-44 and the XP-47 were inferior to the Luftwaffe fighters. Republic unsuccessfully attempted to improve the design, proposing the XP-47A, kartveli then designed a much larger fighter, which was offered to the USAAC in June 1940. The Air Corps ordered a prototype in September, to be designated the XP-47B, the XP-47A, which had little in common with the new design, was abandoned. The XP-47B was of construction with elliptical wings, with a straight leading edge that was slightly swept back. The air-conditioned cockpit was roomy and the seat was comfortable—like a lounge chair. Main and auxiliary self-sealing fuel tanks were placed under the cockpit, the cowling admitted cooling air for the engine, left and right oil coolers, and the turbosupercharger intercooler system. At full power, the pipes glowed red at their forward ends, the complicated turbosupercharger system with its ductwork gave the XP-47B a deep fuselage, and the wings had to be mounted in a relatively high position. This was problematic since long-legged main landing gear struts were needed to provide clearance for the enormous propeller
12.
European Theater of Operations, United States Army
–
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed US Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and it was bordered to the south by the North African Theater of Operations, US Army, which later became the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. As the armies advanced, both these zones and the areas into which they were divided would shift forward to new areas of control. Major General James E. Chaney, an Army Air Corps officer, arrived in the United Kingdom on 18 May 1941, SBOPS also had the role of studying British use of Lend Lease supplies. His formal title was the Special Army Observer in the United Kingdom, after the United States entered the war, SPOBS was succeeded by United States Army Forces in the British Isles, actually SPOBS under a new name. At the time of the ARCADIA Conference, December 1941 – January 1942, daley, and make him in turn responsible to General Chaney, designated as CG, USAFBI. Lt. Gen. John C. H. Lee became Chief, Services of Supply, U. S. Army Forces British Isles, on June 8,1942, the United States Department of War officially established ETOUSA in its place. Its mission was to conduct planning for the retaking of Europe and to exercise administrative. The 133rd Infantry Regiment of the 34th Infantry Division was the first United States Army unit sent to Europe in World War II, the first battalion arrived in Belfast in late January 1942, followed by the rest of the regiment in February. These units were designated as U. S. Army Northern Ireland Forces, the 133rd and 168th Infantry Regiments trained in the peat bogs, and performed border guard patrols between British Northern Ireland and the neutral Irish Free State. The remaining unit of the division, the 135th Infantry Regiment, until SHAEF was operational ETOUSA liaised closely with the British in the planning and organising of Operation Overlord. General Dwight D. Eisenhower had multiple command appointments, he replaced Chaney in late June 1942 and he then relinquished command of ETOUSA to Lt. Gen. Frank M. Andrews in February 1943, who was killed in an air crash in May. He was replaced by Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers, in December 1943 it was announced that Eisenhower would be Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. In January 1944 he resumed command of ETOUSA and the month was officially designated as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces. He served in a role until the end of hostilities in Europe in May 1945. From February 1944, SHAEF was the command and ETOUSA administrative command. Some units were transferred between operational commands and administrative commands at different times, by the end of 1944, Eisenhower, through SHAEF, commanded three powerful Allied army groups. The British 21st Army Group and French elements of the 6th Army Group were not part of ETOUSA, the ETOUSA planning staff in London was usually referred to by its Army Post Office number, APO887
13.
Ninth Air Force
–
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces Air Combat Command. It has been headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, from 1990, units were deployed to the Middle East against Iraq, and from 2001 against threats emanating from Afghanistan. In this role, the organization was known as United States Air Forces Central, until August 2009, the Ninth Air Force shared its commander with USAFCENT. S. This article deals with the current organization, as the lineage of the organization currently belongs to USAFCENT. This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http, archives of the Ninth Air Force Association Digital Collection at The University of Akron Archival Services Ninth Air Force Association
14.
North American P-51 Mustang
–
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
15.
Iowa ANG
–
The Iowa Air National Guard is the air force militia of the State of Iowa, United States of America. It is, along with the Iowa Army National Guard, an element of the Iowa National Guard, as state militia units, the units in the Iowa Air National Guard are not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. They are under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Iowa through the office of the Iowa Adjutant General unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States. The Iowa Air National Guard is headquartered at Camp Dodge, Johnston, under the Total Force concept, Iowa Air National Guard units are considered to be Air Reserve Components of the United States Air Force. Iowa 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. 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 Iowa Air National Guard origins date to the formation of the 132d Fighter Group at Des Moines Municipal Airport, Des Moines and it was equipped with F-51D Mustangs and its mission was the air defense of the state. In addition, the 174th Fighter Squadron was formed at Sioux Gateway Airport, Sioux City, on 1 October 1962 the 174th Tactical Fighter Squadron was expanded to a Group level, and the 185th Tactical Fighter Group received federal recognition and was activated. The 185th Air Refueling Wing provides mid-air refueling and mobility sustainment in support of the global mission of the Air Force. After the September 11th,2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, also, Iowa 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. Iowa State Guard Iowa Wing Civil Air Patrol This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http, Iowa Air National Guard 132nd Fighter Wing 185th Air Refueling Wing
16.
132nd Wing
–
The 132d Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Iowa Air National Guard and located at Des Moines Air National Guard Base, Iowa. The 132nds World War II predecessor unit, the 365th Fighter Group was a IX Fighter Command unit, the 365th, known as the Hell Hawks, was one of the most successful P-47 Thunderbolt fighter groups of the Ninth Air Force when it came to air combat. The 365th was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, Order of the Day, Belgium Army, Belgium Fourragère, the 365th Fighter Group flew its last mission on 8 May 1945. After having operated manned fighter aircraft for all of its prior history, moved to RAF Gosfield England in December 1943. It was several weeks before the 365th received a complement of 75 P-47D Thunderbolts. Flown on 22 February, was a bomber support sweep of short duration over enemy-held territory, one of the most successful Luftwaffe aces flying in the West with 102 victories, fell in this battle. On 5 March, with only nine missions to its credit the group moved south to RAF Beaulieu in Hampshire, the group was stood down three days after arrival so that it could undertake a two-week intensive course in ground attack and fighter-bombing. After training, the 365th flew dive-bombing missions to such targets as bridges, aerodromes, rail facilities, gun positions. On D-Day, its duties were attacking gun emplacements and communications facilities behind the bridgehead, on the following day when 12 separate squadron-sized missions were flown five aircraft failed to return. On 25 June, the 365th had one of its best days when eight enemy fighter-bombers were destroyed, on 2 July, Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Coffey, Jr. the Air Executive, became the Ninth Air Forces third Thunderbolt ace. As with other P-47 groups, losses were modest until ground attack became a task in June. All told,24 P-47s were missing in action during their stay at Beaulieu. S, on the continent, the group moved rapidly from one airfield to another, eventually winding up near Fritzlar, Germany on VE-Day. Engaged in routine training exercises, and was upgraded to F-84B Thunderjet jet aircraft in early 1948. The War Department authorized the establishment of Air National Guard units in all 48 states, the Air National Guard wing was organized by Colonel Frederick C. Gray, Jr. who was a veteran of the RAF, Colonel Gray, based in Des Moines, Iowa, acted as wing senior instructor for the three Air National Guard units which comprised the wing. Col. Grays appointment was made by Brigadier General Charles H. Grahl, Iowa Adjutant General, in 1946, Oscar Randolph Fladmark was appointed to the rank of Captain and the duty of a Flight Commander with the Air National Guard 175th Fighter Squadron based in Sioux Falls. Fladmarks appointment was approved by Colonel E. A, beckwith, South Dakota Adjutant General in Rapid City, South Dakota on 20 September 1946. Activated to Federal Service during the Korean War, sent to Dow AFB, used by TAC to train replacement pilots in F-51D Mustang ground support operations, also deployed unit members to Japan and Korea to fly combat missions
17.
Lincoln Air Force Base
–
Lincoln Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force installation located approximately 6 miles northwest of Lincoln, Nebraska. The facility was a USAF base and it is located within the city limits of Lincoln. It is used for general, commercial, and military activities, as well as a colocated industrial park and public. Lincoln Airport, established in 1960, was built on the east side of the former Lincoln Air Force Base main runway. What would become Lincoln Airport began in the early 1920s when the city selected a plot of land Northwest of the city to be used as a municipal airport, charles Lindbergh learned flying at Lincoln Airfield in 1922. Template, Lindberghs flight log The airfield became an air mail stop in 1928 and became a United Air Lines stop during 1927, the Lincoln Airplane and Flying School was established in 1928 and operated at the airfield, before later moving to Union Airport a few miles east. The school was operated by E. J. Sias, however, due to the short summer flying season, flight training in Lincoln was closed on 15 November 1940. It was moved to Drane Field, Lakeland, Florida where it reopened with new owners under the name Lakeland School of Aeronautics, with war clouds forming in 1941, the United States Army Air Corps needed airfields for training flight and ground personnel. On 27 February 1942 Lincoln Airfield was announced to be home of an Army Airfield training field, as part of the subsequently renamed United States Army Air Forces, Lincoln Army Airfield was one of eleven USAAF training bases in Nebraska during World War II. Building construction was primarily of wood, tar paper, and non-masonry siding, the use of concrete and steel was limited because of the critical need elsewhere. Most buildings were hot and dusty in the summer and very cold in the winter, buildings consisted of hangars, barracks, warehouses, a hospital and dental clinic, dining halls, and maintenance shops. There was also a library, social clubs for officers and enlisted men, and a post exchange, a large concrete aircraft parking ramp was poured along with four concrete runways. Their dimensions and directions at the time were, 7000x150, 5500x150, 5500x150, the airfield was completed 151 days after the announcement with construction including barracks, paved streets, hangars and shops. 1,016 buildings and structures were constructed, Lincoln AAF was assigned to Western Technical Training Command with a mission to conduct flying training, basic military training and technical training. The plan consolidated a number of schools that were scattered throughout the country at that time. The first trainees arrived on 2 June 1942, classrooms functioned 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The 331st Army Air Force Base Unit commanded the support elements at Lincoln AAF as part of Air Technical Service Command and it was also the home of the 12th Heavy Bombardment Processing Headquarters. The 616th Flying Training Group provided flying training instruction to aircrews of B-17 Flying Fortresses, Consolidated B-24 Liberators, the 54th Training Sub-Depot provided indoctrination and basic training for 30,000 combat personnel, providing basic flight training for Army aviation cadets, and being a military separation center
18.
Second Air Force
–
The Second Air Force is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and support officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended the Northwestern United States and Upper Great Plains regions and during the Cold War, was Strategic Air Command unit with strategic bombers and missiles. Elements of Second Air Force engaged in operations during the Korean War, Vietnam War. The Northwest Air District of the GHQ Air Force was activated on 19 October 1940 at McChord Field along with 3 other CONUS districts, the district was redesignated 2nd Air Force on 9 April 1941. 5th Bombardment Wing was assigned to Second Air Force up to 5 September 1941, on 11 December 1941, four days after the Pearl Harbor attack, 2d Air Force was placed under Western Defense Command. However, on 5 January 1942, it was returned to the Air Force Combat Command, from December 1941, 2d Air Force organized air defense for the northwest Pacific Ocean coastline of the United States and flew antisubmarine patrols along coastal areas until October 1942. It appears that immediately after 7 December 1941, only the 7th, 17th, 39th, as the Second Air Force it became predominantly the training organization of B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment groups. Nearly all new heavy bomb groups organized after Pearl Harbor were organized and trained by Second Air Force OTU units, under the newly organized XX Bomber Command, B-29 aircraft were received from Boeings manufacturing plants and new combat groups were organized and trained. XX Bomber Command and the first B-29 groups were deployed in December 1943 to airfields in India for Operation Matterhorn operations against Japan, a football team made up of Second Air Force personnel defeated Hardin-Simmons University in the 1943 Sun Bowl. A third B-29 organization, XXII Bomber Command was formed by Second Air Force in August 1944, however the organization never got beyond forming Headquarters echelon and Headquarters squadron. Inactivated before any operational groups were assigned, as XX Bomber Command units were reassigned from India to the Marianas, the training of B-29 groups and replacement personnel continued until August 1945 and the end of the Pacific War. With the wars end, Second Air Force was inactivated on 30 March 1946, the command was reactivated on 6 June 1946 under Air Defense Command, at Fort Crook, Nebraska. During this period of the forces history its home base was redesignated Offutt Air Force Base, the Second Air Force assumed responsibility for the air defense of certain portions of the continental United States. In 1947, the 73d Bomb Wing was reactivated with the 338th and 351st Bomb Groups being assigned to it, the wing was assigned to Second Air Force. A third group, the 381st was added in 1948, however SAC was having enough difficulties keeping its front-line active duty bomb units in the air to maintain even minimal pilot proficiency in the late 1940s. The wing and its groups were all inactivated in 1949. The Second Air Force was also assigned the reserve 96th Bomb Wing, which was redesignated an air division. One of these groups was the 440th Troop Carrier Group and it was again inactivated on 1 July 1948
19.
Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star
–
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
20.
Korean War
–
The Korean War began when North Korea invaded South Korea. The United Nations, with the United States as the principal force, China came to the aid of North Korea, and the Soviet Union gave some assistance. Korea was ruled by Japan from 1910 until the days of World War II. In August 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan, as a result of an agreement with the United States, U. S. forces subsequently moved into the south. By 1948, as a product of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, Korea was split into two regions, with separate governments, both governments claimed to be the legitimate government of all of Korea, and neither side accepted the border as permanent. The conflict escalated into open warfare when North Korean forces—supported by the Soviet Union, on that day, the United Nations Security Council recognized this North Korean act as invasion and called for an immediate ceasefire. On 27 June, the Security Council adopted S/RES/83, Complaint of aggression upon the Republic of Korea and decided the formation, twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force, with the United States providing 88% of the UNs military personnel. After the first two months of war, South Korean forces were on the point of defeat, forced back to the Pusan Perimeter, in September 1950, an amphibious UN counter-offensive was launched at Inchon, and cut off many North Korean troops. Those who escaped envelopment and capture were rapidly forced back north all the way to the border with China at the Yalu River, at this point, in October 1950, Chinese forces crossed the Yalu and entered the war. Chinese intervention triggered a retreat of UN forces which continued until mid-1951, after these reversals of fortune, which saw Seoul change hands four times, the last two years of fighting became a war of attrition, with the front line close to the 38th parallel. The war in the air, however, was never a stalemate, North Korea was subject to a massive bombing campaign. Jet fighters confronted each other in combat for the first time in history. The fighting ended on 27 July 1953, when an armistice was signed, the agreement created the Korean Demilitarized Zone to separate North and South Korea, and allowed the return of prisoners. However, no treaty has been signed, and the two Koreas are technically still at war. Periodic clashes, many of which are deadly, continue to the present, in the U. S. the war was initially described by President Harry S. Truman as a police action as it was an undeclared military action, conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. In South Korea, the war is referred to as 625 or the 6–2–5 Upheaval. In North Korea, the war is referred to as the Fatherland Liberation War or alternatively the Chosǒn War. In China, the war is called the War to Resist U. S
21.
Bangor Air National Guard Base
–
Bangor Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base. Created in 1927 as the commercial Godfrey Field, the airfield was taken over by the U. S. Army just before World War II and renamed Godfrey Army Airfield and later Dow Army Airfield. It became Dow Air Force Base in 1947, when the new U. S. Air Force took over many Army air assets. In 1968, the base was sold to the city of Bangor, Maine, Godfrey Field opened in 1927 as a commercial airport. Northeast Airlines began commercial operations there in 1931, just before World War II, the United States Army Air Corps took over the base, renamed it Godfrey Army Airfield, and placed it under the 8th Service Group, Air Service Command. Godfrey AAF prepared and maintained the Lend-Lease aircraft that would be flown by AAC Ferrying Command to RCAF Stations in Newfoundland for eventual transport to Britain, during this time, Milford Auxiliary Airfield was opened nearby at the Bangor Precision Bombing Range. On 28 February 1942, Dow Army Airfield was transferred to Air Service Command because of its proximity to the Air Transport Command North Atlantic air ferry route to the United Kingdom, on 5 March 1944, Dow AAF was transferred to Air Transport Commands North Atlantic Wing. In 1944, more than 8,400 aircraft passed though Dow, after the end of the European war in May 1945, many aircraft returned to the United States via Dow. The base was drawn down during the demobilization in late 1945, one of the first USAAF groups assigned to Air Defense Command, the unit was responsible for the air defense of the northeastern United States. In July 1947, the deployed to Muroc AFB, California. First operational production USAF F-84Bs arrived at Dow AFB on 7 November, throughout the winter of 1947–48, the 14th Fighter Wing lost three F-84s at Dow. Investigators found that the aircraft performed better in the cold Maine climate than during testing in the California desert, on 25 August 1948, Dow Air Force Base was assigned to one of ADCs first Air Divisions, the 26th Air Division. That year, Deblois Bombing Range was opened nearby and the old Milford Air Force Auxiliary Airfield became part of an Air Force survival school a few years later, in July 1949, the 14th Fighter Wing sent sixteen F-84Bs to celebrate New York Citys new Idlewild Airport. The group was inactivated on 2 October 1949 due to budget cuts, in the early 1950s, Dow AFB was expanded and rebuilt. A long jet runway was laid parallel to the wartime NW/SE main runway. The older facilities were abandoned and ultimately were torn down, today, they are a wooded area on the southwest side of the airport. Dow AFB was activated on 1 January 1951, the 4009th Air Base Squadron supported the facility and supervise the remaining construction. During the Korean War, the Maine Air National Guard was brought into service at the base
22.
England Air Force Base
–
England Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located 5 miles Northwest of Alexandria and about 170 miles Northwest of New Orleans. Originally known as Alexandria Army Air Base, on 23 June 1955 the facility was renamed England Air Force Base in honor of Lt Col John Brooke England, the base was closed in 1992. The airfield and buildings are now Alexandria International Airport, the base was opened on 21 October 1942 and during the Second World War performed Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress aircrew training. It was placed on inactive status on September 23,1946, although a cadre of Army. On 10 October 1950, the United States Air Force reopened Alexandria Air Force Base during the Korean War, the stations primary mission was tactical fighter operations for Tactical Air Command. ANG personnel trained at Alexandria AFB 1950/51, being replaced by active duty Air Force personnel in 1951/52, 366th Fighter-Bomber Wing,1 January 1953 –1 April 1959 Active duty Air Force wing activated at Alexandria AFB. Three operational squadrons being equipped with North American F-51D Mustang. Wing became first TAC unit to perform six-month TDY rotations with NATO at Aviano AB, Italy, with continuing to support NATO in France. Redesignated 366th Tactical Fighter Wing 1 July 1958, inactivated 1 April 1959 as part of a general budgetary reduction of USAF wings. Aircraft transferred to Air National Guard, 420th Air Refueling Squadron,18 March 1954 –4 October 1955. 1st Air Commando/Special Operations Wing 15 January 1966 –15 July 1969 317th, 319th, redesignated 1st SOW8 July 1968. Redesignated as Group,15 September 1970, inactivated July 1973 due to US withdrawal from South Vietnam. Upon group inactivation, 6th SOTS reassigned to 1st SOW at Hurlburt Field but remained at England AFB until inactivation, on 15 September 1970, the 4403d Tactical Fighter Wing, a temporary Major Air Command-Controlled unit, activated at England. With its subordinate 416th and 431st Tactical Fighter Squadrons, it absorbed returning North American F-100 Super Sabre aircraft of 31st TFW from Tuy Hoa Air Base South Vietnam and it transferred aircraft and other assets to the Air National Guard. Acted as holding unit for arriving LTV A-7D Corsair II aircraft starting April 1972, the 4403d TFW and the 416th TFS both inactivated on 1 July 1972. On 1 July 1972, the 23d Tactical Fighter Wing reactivated at the base, without personnel or equipment, three A-7D tactical fighter squadrons formed. The wing re-equipped with Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in 1981, redesignated 23d Fighter Wing 1 October 1991. Alexandria AFB was base for Air Defense Command interceptor and radar units along the Gulf Coast, in 1959, the 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, assigned to the 32d Air Division stationed F-102 Delta Dagger interceptors at the base between 1959-1960
23.
Oklahoma ANG
–
The Oklahoma Air National Guard is the air force militia of the State of Oklahoma, United States of America. It is, along with the Oklahoma Army National Guard, an element of the Oklahoma National Guard, as state militia units, the units in the Oklahoma Air National Guard are not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. They are under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Oklahoma though the office of the Oklahoma Adjutant General unless they are federalized by order of the President of the United States. Oklahoma 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. This squadron is responsible for the installation and upkeep of equipment, such as, ground radar, ground communications, avionic radar, avionic communications. 219th Electronics Engineering and Radar Installation Squadron, the 125th Observation Squadron was organized in December 1940 as the Oklahoma National Guards first flying unit in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was federally recognized in January 1941, after moving across the English Channel to France in August 1944, the 125th Liaison Squadron was attached to the U. S. Over the course of five years, the 125th flew the Douglas 0-38E, the Curtiss O-52 Owl. 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 137th Wing traces its origins to the World War II 404th Fighter Group, the unit was founded on 21 November 1946 at Norman, Oklahoma as the 137th Fighter Group, and received its federal recognition on 18 December 1947. After receiving the Spaatz Trophy Award in 1950, the 125th was again ordered to duty under the Ninth Air Force and sent to England AFB in Alexandria. January 1960 brought significant change to the 125th as the unit was designated the 125th Air Transport Squadron, for the next eight years the unit flew the C-97 Stratofreighter, transporting cargo to Vietnam and throughout the world before converting to the C-124 Globemaster II in 1968. The 137th Tactical Airlift Wing received the C-130 Hercules transport in 1972, in October 1972, the 125th was redesignated Tactical Fighter Squadron and converted to the T-33 Shooting Star in preparation for equipping with the F-100D Super Sabre in March 1973. The 125th converted to the A-7D Corsair II in July 1978, after conversion to the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the 138th Fighter Wing has participated in Operation Provide Comfort, Operation Northern Watch, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The units deployment to Iraq in 2008 marked their 10th deployment to the Middle East, additionally, the laser targeting pod system for precision guided munitions employment has been incorporated into the unit mission. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission brought an expansion to the 138th Fighter Wings mission. The wing acquired three F-16 Block 42 aircraft from the 57th Wing located at Nellis Air Force Base as well as six F-16 Block 42 aircraft from 132d Fighter Wing, Iowa Air National Guard
24.
137th Fighter-Bomber Wing
–
The 137th Special Operations Wing is a unit of the Oklahoma Air National Guard located at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma. If activated to service, the wing is gained by Air Force Special Operations Command. The wing is entitled to the honors won by the group by temporary bestowal, the wing was activated during the Korean War and deployed to France. The unit later engaged in strategic and tactical airlift, and air refueling before being redesignated as an operations wing. The 137th Special Operations Wings MC-12W mission is to provide light tactical manned intelligence, surveillance and this unique aircraft enhances US Special Operations Commands capability to project US military presence worldwide. It was the headquarters for the federalized 137th Fighter-Bomber Group and newly formed support units under the base organization system. The wing was assigned to Tactical Air Command, with the 137th Air Base Group, 137th Maintenance and Supply Group and the 137th Medical Group also assigned. The 137th was programmed to reinforce USAFE and be moved to Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France, by 27 November, the wing assembled at Alexandria Municipal Airport, Louisiana, for conversion training in the newer Republic F-84 Thunderjets. Training and delays continued throughout 1951, due to the delays, many of the activated National Guard airmen were released from active duty and never deployed to France. The only hardened facilities at Chaumont were a concrete runway and a handful of tar-paper shacks, the 137th was stationed by USAFE at Neubiberg Air Base, West Germany until the facilities in France were suitable for military use. The 137th was inactivated on 10 July 1952 and its personnel, mission and equipment were transferred to the 48th Fighter-Bomber Wing, the wing was allotted to the Oklahoma Air National Guard, which activated it the same day at Will Rogers World Airport. The 137th was gained by Tactical Air Command, and its squadrons were equipped with North American F-51D Mustangs again, in the spring of 1953 they received reworked F-80A Shooting Star aircraft, brought up to F-80C standards. In 1955 the Oklahoma Air National Guard was redesignated 137th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, the 185th was designated a Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, and equipped with F-86D Sabre Interceptors. Their F-80s were transferred to the civilian Federal Aviation Administration for various experimental testing activities, with the Fighter-Interceptor mission assignment, the 185th also assumed ADC runway alert program on full 24-hour basis. This brought the 137th into the combat operational program of the USAF. On 1 August 1957, the squadrons of its 137th Fighter Group were expanded into groups as Fighter Groups, in June 1959 the squadron traded their F-86Ds for the upgraded F-86L Sabre Interceptor with uprated afterburning engines and new electronics. In April 1961, the 137th was reassigned to Military Air Transport Service as the 137th Air Transport Wing, trading in its Sabre interceptors for 4-engined Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter transports, the wing augmented MATS airlift capability worldwide in support of the Air Force’s needs. In 1966, MATS was replaced by Military Airlift Command, Part of the 137th Wing mission was a specially equipped C-97E, 51-224, the C-97s were retired in 1968 and the wing was re-equipped with C-124C Globemaster II heavy transports
25.
France
–
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
26.
Strategic Air Command
–
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
27.
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
–
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
28.
Aerospace Defense Command
–
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
29.
Boeing B-47 Stratojet
–
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet was an American long range, six-engine, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and at high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft. The B-47s primary mission was to drop bombs on the Soviet Union. With its engines carried in nacelles under the wing, the B-47 was a major innovation in post-World War II combat jet design. The B-47 entered service with the United States Air Forces Strategic Air Command in 1951 and it never saw combat as a bomber, but was a mainstay of SACs bomber strength during the late 1950s and early 1960s, and remained in use as a bomber until 1965. The B-47 arose from an informal 1943 requirement for a reconnaissance bomber. In December 1944, North American Aviation, the Convair Corp, Boeing and the Glenn Martin Company submitted proposals for the new long-range jet bomber. The USAAF awarded study contracts to all four companies, requiring that North American and Convair concentrate on four-engined designs, while Boeing, the powerplant was to be General Electrics new TG-180 turbojet engine. In May 1945, the von Kármán mission of the Army Air Forces inspected the secret German aeronautics laboratory near Braunschweig, on von Kármáns team was the eminent chief of the technical staff at Boeing, George S. Schairer. He wired his home office, Stop the bomber design, analysis work by Boeing engineer Vic Ganzer suggested an optimum sweepback angle of about 35 degrees. Boeings aeronautical engineers modified their Model 432 design to include swept wings and tail, resulting in the Model 448, the Model 448 retained its four TG-180 jet engines in its forward fuselage, with two more TG-180s in the rear fuselage. The flush-mounted air intakes for the engines were inadequate, while the USAAF disliked the installation of engines within the fuselage. The Army Air Force liked this new configuration, and so Boeings team of engineers continued to refine it, with the engines being moved further inboard. As the landing gear arrangement made rotation impossible, the gear was designed so that the aircraft rested on the ground at the proper angle for takeoff. The USAAF was very pleased with the refined Model 450 design, and in April 1946, the first XB-47 was rolled out on 12 September 1947, a few days before the USAAF became a separate service, the U. S. Air Force, on 18 September 1947. The XB-47 prototype flew its first flight on 17 December 1947, with the test pilots Robert Robbins and it flew from Boeing Field in Seattle to the Moses Lake Airfield in central Washington state, in a flight that lasted just 27 minutes, with no major problems. In Feb.1949, Russ Schleeh and Joe Howell broke all coast-to-coast speed records flying from Moses Lake Air Force Base to Andrews Air Force Base and they averaged 607.8 miles per hour. During early tests of the XB-47 prototype, the canopy came off at high speed, the copilot safely landed the aircraft. This resulted in a redesign, and the hiring of pilot Tex Johnston as chief test pilot
30.
Nebraska Army National Guard
–
The Nebraska Army National Guard is a group of Army National Guard units in the U. S. state of Nebraska. The Adjutant General for these units is Major General Judd H. Lyons, who was announced as the new Deputy Director of the Army National Guard in May,2013, and will assume his new duties later in 2013. The states longtime 67th Infantry Brigade was disestablished in 2002, daryl L. Bohac, 2013-Present Judd H. Lyons, 2009-2013 Timothy J. Kadavy, 2007-2009 Roger P. Lempke, 2000-2007 Stanley M. Heng, 1987-2000 Edward C. Binder,1978 -1983 The Nebraska Army National Guard has three main groups and they and their commanders are, 92nd Troop Command of Lincoln - Col. Michael D. Reorganised 1 October 1985 to comprise 1st Squadron, an element of the 35th Infantry Division. Transferred from CARS to USARS on 1 June 1989, headquarters Lincoln, 1-167th Cavalry was re-organized into the 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry in 2008. Organized and federally recognized on 20 November 1947 with headquarters at Omaha, elements organized from new, reorganized and redesignated 1 February 1953 as the 120th Engineer Battalion. Location of headquarters changed 1 May 1959 to Kearny, relieved 1 April 1963 from assigned to the 34th Infantry Division. Converted, reorganized, and redesignated 1 May 1968 as the 195th Armor,1 November 1978 assigned to the 67th Infantry Brigade. Reallocated to the 35th Infantry Division on 1 October 1985,1 June 1989 reallocated from CARS to United States Army Regimental System. Globalsecurity. org reports that he 195th Armor Battalion of the Nebraska National Guard and its elements were redesignated as the 734th Transportation Battalion
31.
North American F-86D Sabre
–
The North American F-86D Sabre was a transonic jet all-weather interceptor of the United States Air Force and others. Based on North Americans F-86 Sabre day fighter, the F-86D had only 25 percent commonality with other Sabre variants, with a fuselage, larger afterburner engine. The YF-95 was a development of the F-86 Sabre, the first aircraft designed around the new 2. 75-inch Mighty Mouse Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket, a second prototype, 50-578, was also built, but the YF-95 nomenclature was short-lived as the design was subsequently redesignated YF-86D. Later models of the F-86D received an uprated J-47-GE-33 engine rated at 5,550 lbf, a total of 2,504 D-models were built. On 18 November 1952, F-86D, 51-2945, set a record of 698.505 mph. Captain J. Slade Nash flew over a three km course at the Salton Sea in southern California at a height of only 125 ft. Another F-86D broke this record on 16 July 1953, when Lieutenant Colonel William F. Barns, flying F-86D 51-6145, in the same path of the previous flight. YF-95A prototype all-weather interceptor, two built, designation changed to YF-86D YF-86D originally designated YF-95A, F-86D Production interceptor originally designated F-95A,2,504 built. F-86G Provisional designation for F-86D variant with uprated engine and equipment changes,406 built as F-86Ds, yF-86K Basic version of F-86D intended for export with rocket tray replaced by four 20 mm cannon and simplified fire control system, two conversions. F-86K NATO version of F-86D, MG-4 fire control system, four 20 mm M24A1 cannon with 132 rounds per gun,120 were built by North American,221 were assembled by Fiat. F-86L Upgrade conversion of F-86D with new electronics, extended wingtips and wing leading edges, revised cockpit layout, source, Dorr Denmark Royal Danish Air Force Received 59 ex-USAF F-86Ds 1958-1960, assigned to 723,726 and 728 Squadrons. France French Air Force Fiat built 62 F-86Ks for France, assigned to EC 1/13 Artois, EC 2/13 Alpes, serials were 55-4814/4844, 55-4846/4865, 55-4872/4874, 55-4876/4879. Germany German Air Force Acquired 88 U. S. F-86Ks 22 July 1957–23 June 1958, the Ks were assigned to Jagdgeschwader 75/renamed 74. Greece Greek Air Force Acquired some U. S. F-86Ds were received in 1961, honduras Honduran Air Force Acquired Six Venezuelan F-86Ks in 1970. Italy Italian Air Force Fiat produced 121 F-86Ks for Italy, 1955-1958, also,120 U. S. F-86Ks were acquired. F-86s were assigned to the AMI air groups,6 Gruppo COT/1 Stormo,17 Gruppo/1 Stormo,23 Gruppo/1 Stormo,21 Gruppo/51 Aerobrigata,22 Gruppo/51 Aerobrigata and 12 Gruppo/4 Aerobrigata. Japan Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Acquired 122 US F-86Ds, 1958–1961, assigned to four all-weather interceptor Hikōtai, Netherlands Royal Netherlands Air Force Acquired 57 U. S. -built and six Fiat-built F-86K Sabres, 1955–1956, and assigned to three squadrons, No. Norway Royal Norwegian Air Force Acquired 60 U. S. -built F-86K Sabres, 1955–1956, philippines Philippine Air Force Acquired 20 F-86Ds, assigned to 8th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Vampires beginning 1960, part of the U. S. military assistance package
32.
Semi-Automatic Ground Environment
–
SAGE directed and controlled the NORAD response to a Soviet air attack, operating in this role from the late 1950s into the 1980s. Its enormous computers and huge displays remain a part of cold war lore, the processing power behind SAGE was supplied by the largest computer ever built, the AN/FSQ-7. Each SAGE Direction Center housed an FSQ-7 which occupied an entire floor, Information was fed to the DCs from a network of radar stations as well as readiness information from various defence sites. The computers, based on the raw data, developed tracks for the reported targets. Operators used light guns to select targets onscreen for further information, select one of the available defences and these commands would then be automatically sent to the defence site via teleprinter. Connecting the various sites was a network of telephones, modems. Each DC also forwarded data to a Combat Center for supervision of the several sectors within the division, SAGE became operational in the late 1950s and early 1960s at a combined cost of billions of dollars. It was noted that the deployment cost more than the Manhattan Project, throughout its development there were continual questions about its real ability to deal with large attacks, and several tests by Strategic Air Command bombers suggested the system was leaky. Nevertheless, SAGE was the backbone of NORADs air defence system into the 1980s, by time the tube-based FSQ-7s were increasingly costly to maintain. Today the same command and control task is carried out by microcomputers, just prior to World War II, Royal Air Force tests with the new Chain Home radars had demonstrated that relaying information to the fighter aircraft directly from the radar sites was not feasible. The radars determined the map coordinates of the enemy, but could not see the fighters at the same time. This meant the radar operators could not tell the pilots where to go for an interception, the pilots had to do this, the sectors used additional systems to track their own aircraft, plotting both on a single large map. Operators viewing the map could then see what direction their fighters would have to fly to approach their targets. This Dowding system was the first ground controlled intercept system of large scale and it proved enormously successful during the Battle of Britain, and is credited as being a key part in the RAFs success. However, the system was slow, often providing information that was up to five minutes out of date. The system was extremely expensive in manpower terms, requiring hundreds of telephone operators, plotters, trackers. This was a drain on manpower reserves, making it difficult to expand the network. The idea of using a computer to handle the task of taking reports, by 1944, analog computers had been installed at the CH stations to automatically convert radar readings into map locations, eliminating two people
33.
155th Fighter-Interceptor Group
–
The 155th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Nebraska Air National Guard, stationed at Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Nebraska. If activated to service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command. The 155th operates the KC-135R Stratotanker, which is responsible for conducting air refueling missions around the world, the 155th currently has eight aircraft, six of them operational. There is almost always one aircraft undergoing an inspection in the hangar. The unit runs like an active duty base on a smaller scale, full-time Air Force Security Forces personnel patrol the base and provide security for the aircraft 24 hours a day while firefighter personnel are always on station and on call. The other units on the base usually operate during the day and are staffed by Active Guard Reserve or civilian Technician personnel. The 173d FIS had won the coveted Spaatz Trophy, as the Guards finest flying unit in 1963, following second, in 1962,1963 and 1964 the unit won its second, third and fourth Winston P. Wilson Trophies. In May 1964 the mission of the Nebraska Air Guard changed from air defense to tactical reconnaissance using the RF-84 Thunderflash aircraft, the 173rd became the 173rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and the 155th Fighter Group became the 155th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. The first RF-4C Phantom II came to Lincoln in November 1971, in 1972 the unit began its conversion to the RF-4C from the RF-84F. In April 1992 the unit was directed to convert to the KC-135R Stratotanker mission when the U. S. Air Force decided to begin retiring the last of the F-4 Phantom II aircraft. The conversion to the refueling mission began in September 1993 with the arrival of the first KC-135E tanker. On 1 Oct.1995, the unit was re-designated as the 155th Air Refueling Wing after achieving initial operational capability in the mission three months early. In April 1999, the unit flew its first combat missions and it was the first Air Guard tanker unit to be tasked with supporting Operation Allied Force, the NATO bombing campaign of Serbia and Kosovo. The unit successfully deployed two aircraft and more than 80 personnel to Germany in less than three days and soon became the unit for all American tanker operations from its German air base. Along with its mission, the Nebraska unit is tasked with supporting the state government as well. afhra. af. mil/. 155th Air Refueling Wing – Nebraska Air National Guard
34.
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
–
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
35.
Tactical Air Command
–
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
36.
307th Bomb Wing
–
The 307th Bomb Wing is an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force of Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, the 307 BW, if mobilized, is gained by Air Force Global Strike Command. It served in the Korean War, where it earned a Presidential Unit Citation and it served as a strategic bomber organization until inactivated in 1945. The wing was activated as the 307th Strategic Wing in 1970 at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield. It managed deployed Strategic Air Command tankers and bombers participating in operations in Southeast Asia until it was inactivated on 30 September 1975. The 307th Bomb Wing is the reserve unit that operates the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress. The wing employs approximately 1,600 Air Force Reservists in a combination of full-time Active Guard & Reserve and Air Reserve Technician, from then until 15 December 1948 the 307th Wing controlled, in addition to its own units, the 82d Fighter Wing at Grenier Field, NH. In September 1947 it began training other SAC combat units in anti-submarine warfare, in February, it began operating a Boeing B-29 Superfortress transition training school and standardized combat training for all SAC units. In August 1950, the 307th deployed to Okinawa, detached from Strategic Air Command, it began operations under Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional. The attached 306th Bombardment Group transferred to its parent wing on 1 September 1950, the 307th also flew the last B-29 Superfortress combat mission on 23 July 1953. By the end of the hostilities, the wing had flown 5,810 combat sorties in 573 combat missions, the wing remained in the Far East in combat ready status and on 15 August 1953 Kadena became its permanent base. The 307th returned to the United States in November 1954 and disposed of its B-29s at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and it proceeded to its new base, Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska. It conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SACs global commitments, 4362d Support Squadron was attached to the wing from 20 July 1962 until 24 December 1964. In January 1965 the wing began phasing down as Lincoln AFB was being closed and it was inactivated on 25 March 1965. See also, U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield The wing was activated in 1970 as the 307th Strategic Wing when it replaced the 4258th Strategic Wing at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield. The wing was assigned three squadrons and received administrative and logistics support from the 635th Combat Support Group of Pacific Air Forces. The wing was detached from the 3d Air Division from organization until 25 October 1965, the following year, the wing added the 4258th Munitions Maintenance Squadron, which enabled it to support Boeing B-52 Stratofortress operations as well. On 1 April 1970, the 4258th SW was discontinued and replaced by the 307th Strategic Wing which assumed its mission, personnel, the 4258ths maintenance squadrons were replaced by ones with the 307th numerical designation of the newly established wing
37.
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
–
It first entered service in 1960 with the U. S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was adopted by the U. S. Marine Corps and the U. S. Air Force. The Phantom is a fighter with a top speed of over Mach 2.2. It can carry more than 18,000 pounds of weapons on nine hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles. The F-4, like other interceptors of its time, was designed without an internal cannon, later models incorporated an M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Beginning in 1959, it set 15 world records for performance, including an absolute speed record. The Phantom has the distinction of being the last U. S. fighter flown to attain ace status in the 20th century. The F-4 Phantom II remained in use by the U. S. in the reconnaissance and Wild Weasel roles in the 1991 Gulf War, finally leaving service in 1996. It was also the aircraft used by both U. S. flight demonstration teams, the USAF Thunderbirds and the US Navy Blue Angels. The F-4 was also operated by the forces of 11 other nations. Israeli Phantoms saw extensive combat in several Arab–Israeli conflicts, while Iran used its fleet of Phantoms in the Iran–Iraq War. Phantoms remain in front line service with five countries, Phantom production ran from 1958 to 1981, with a total of 5,195 built, making it the most numerous American supersonic military aircraft. The F-4 is currently used by Greece, Iran, Japan, South Korea and it has been recently used in combat against the Islamic State. In 1952, McDonnells Chief of Aerodynamics, Dave Lewis, was appointed by CEO Jim McDonnell to be the preliminary design manager. With no new aircraft competitions on the horizon, internal studies concluded the Navy had the greatest need for a new and different aircraft type, in 1953, McDonnell Aircraft began work on revising its F3H Demon naval fighter, seeking expanded capabilities and better performance. The company developed several projects including a variant powered by a Wright J67 engine, the J79-powered version promised a top speed of Mach 1.97. On 19 September 1953, McDonnell approached the United States Navy with a proposal for the Super Demon, the Navy was sufficiently interested to order a full-scale mock-up of the F3H-G/H, but felt that the upcoming Grumman XF9F-9 and Vought XF8U-1 already satisfied the need for a supersonic fighter. On 26 May 1955, four Navy officers arrived at the McDonnell offices and, within an hour, because the Navy already had the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk for ground attack and F-8 Crusader for dogfighting, the project now had to fulfill the need for an all-weather fleet defense interceptor
38.
Cold War
–
The Cold War was a state of geopolitical tension after World War II between powers in the Eastern Bloc and powers in the Western Bloc. Historians do not fully agree on the dates, but a common timeframe is the period between 1947, the year the Truman Doctrine was announced, and 1991, the year the Soviet Union collapsed. The term cold is used there was no large-scale fighting directly between the two sides, although there were major regional wars, known as proxy wars, supported by the two sides. The Cold War split the temporary alliance against Nazi Germany, leaving the Soviet Union. The USSR was a Marxist–Leninist state ruled by its Communist Party and secret police, the Party controlled the press, the military, the economy and all organizations. In opposition stood the West, dominantly democratic and capitalist with a free press, a small neutral bloc arose with the Non-Aligned Movement, it sought good relations with both sides. The two superpowers never engaged directly in full-scale armed combat, but they were armed in preparation for a possible all-out nuclear world war. The first phase of the Cold War began in the first two years after the end of the Second World War in 1945, the Berlin Blockade was the first major crisis of the Cold War. With the victory of the communist side in the Chinese Civil War and the outbreak of the Korean War, the USSR and USA competed for influence in Latin America, and the decolonizing states of Africa and Asia. Meanwhile, the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was stopped by the Soviets, the expansion and escalation sparked more crises, such as the Suez Crisis, the Berlin Crisis of 1961, and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. The USSR crushed the 1968 Prague Spring liberalization program in Czechoslovakia, détente collapsed at the end of the decade with the beginning of the Soviet–Afghan War in 1979. The early 1980s were another period of elevated tension, with the Soviet downing of Korean Air Lines Flight 007, the United States increased diplomatic, military, and economic pressures on the Soviet Union, at a time when the communist state was already suffering from economic stagnation. In the mid-1980s, the new Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev introduced the reforms of perestroika and glasnost. Pressures for national independence grew stronger in Eastern Europe, especially Poland, Gorbachev meanwhile refused to use Soviet troops to bolster the faltering Warsaw Pact regimes as had occurred in the past. The result in 1989 was a wave of revolutions that peacefully overthrew all of the communist regimes of Central, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union itself lost control and was banned following an abortive coup attempt in August 1991. This in turn led to the dissolution of the USSR in December 1991. The United States remained as the only superpower. The Cold War and its events have left a significant legacy and it is often referred to in popular culture, especially in media featuring themes of espionage and the threat of nuclear warfare
39.
Air Mobility Command
–
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U. S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, the Commander of AMC is Gen Carlton D. Everhart II, with Lt Gen Wayne Schatz Jr as Vice Commander and CMSgt Shelina Frey as Command Chief Master Sergeant. Air Mobility Command was established on June 1,1992 and it was formed from elements of the inactivated Military Airlift Command and Strategic Air Command. AMC melded a worldwide system with a tanker force that had been freed from its strategic nuclear strike commitments by the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Air Mobility Commands mission is to provide global air mobility, the command also plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian support at home and around the world. Many special duty and operational aircraft and stateside aeromedical evacuation missions are also assigned to AMC. U. S. forces must be able to provide a rapid, tailored response with a capability to intervene against a foe, hit hard. Rapid global mobility lies at the heart of U. S. strategy in this environment, without the capability to project forces, there is no conventional deterrent. As the number of U. S. forces stationed overseas continue to decline, global interests remain, Air Mobility Command also has the mission of establishing bare air bases in contingencies. To accomplish this mission, AMC established two Contingency Response Wings, and operates the Eagle Flag exercise, in addition to its status as a MAJCOM of the Air Force, AMC is also the Air Force component command of the United States Transportation Command. It provides airlift, special missions, aerial refueling, and aeromedical evacuation for the United States armed forces]], AMC also operates VIP flights such as Air Force One, Air Force Two, and other Special Assignment Airlift Missions. Finally, AMC acts as the manager, on behalf of United States Transportation Command. Principal aircraft assets of the include, C-17 Globemaster III, C-5 Galaxy, C-130 Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker, KC-10 Extender, C-40 Clipper, C-37 Gulfstream V. As of 2015, the command is preparing for the addition of the KC-46 Pegasus. Additional aircraft in support of high-profile VIP airlift include, VC-25, C-32, C-20 and these units train and exercise frequently and routinely provide augmentative operational support to AMCs active duty forces. Instead, they report to AMC via the National Guard Bureau, civil Reserve Air Fleet AMC has undergone considerable change since its establishment. Focusing on the mission of strategic air mobility, the command divested itself of infrastructure. The Air Rescue Service, intratheater aeromedical airlift forces based overseas, as a result of the Global War on Terrorism, on October 1,2003, AMC underwent a major restructuring, bringing a war fighting role to its numbered air force
40.
370th Fighter Group
–
The 140th Operations Group is a unit of the Colorado Air National Guard, stationed at Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado. If activated to service, the group is gained by Air Combat Command of the United States Air Force. The groups 120th Fighter Squadron was first organized as the World War I 120th Aero Squadron on 28 August 1917. It was reformed on 27 June 1923 as the 120th Observation Squadron, in 1946 the group, now redesignated the 140th Fighter Group, was one of the original twenty-seven regular Army Air Forces groups allotted to the National Guard. Since 1950 the group has controlled the squadrons of the 140th Wing, except for the period 1974-1993. The 140th flies F-16C/D/ Fighting Falcons fighter and C-21 Learjet airlift missions and it also controls the 137th Space Warning Squadron. 200th Airlift Squadron, Operates the C-21A Learget and it provides secure priority airlift for the highest level of military and civilian leaders throughout the world. 140th Operations Support Squadron The unit was constituted as the 370th Fighter Group in May 1943, the original squadrons of the group were the 401st, 402d and 485th Fighter Squadrons. The group trained with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts at several First Air Force bases in New England then was deployed to RAF Aldermaston England during January and February 1944, in Europe, it became an element of Ninth Air Force. When the group arrived, the expected to receive Thunderbolts on which they had trained stateside, however, much to the amazement of the Group Commander, Colonel Howard F. The latter base proved to be only a station, as it was required for troop carrier operations. The group provided cover for Allied forces that crossed the Channel on D-Day, the group transferred to IX Tactical Air Command and moved the Advanced Landing Ground at Cardonville, France on 24 July to support the Allied ground advance across France and into Germany. German Field Marshal von Kluge soon found that his forces moving towards Normandy were constantly beset by Allied fighter-bomber attacks. Losses in men and equipment are extraordinary, von Kluge himself was not immune to personal danger. USAAF Group Commander Nichols and a squadron of his P-38 Lightnings blasted von Kluges own headquarters, moving across France, the 370th FG hit gun emplacements, troops, supply dumps, and tanks near Saint-Lô in July and in the Falaise–Argentan area in August 1944. In September 1944, the group sent planes and pilots to England to provide cover for Operation Market-Garden, the allied airborne assault on the Netherlands and Germany. The P-38s of the group struck pillboxes and troops early in October to aid First Armys capture of Aachen, and afterward struck railroads, bridges, viaducts, and tunnels in that area. The 370th later flew armed reconnaissance during the Battle of the Bulge, attacking warehouses, highways, railroads, motor transports, the group converted to North American P-51 Mustangs during February – March 1945
41.
155th Tactical Reconnaissance Group
–
The 155th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Nebraska Air National Guard, stationed at Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Nebraska. If activated to service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command. The 155th operates the KC-135R Stratotanker, which is responsible for conducting air refueling missions around the world, the 155th currently has eight aircraft, six of them operational. There is almost always one aircraft undergoing an inspection in the hangar. The unit runs like an active duty base on a smaller scale, full-time Air Force Security Forces personnel patrol the base and provide security for the aircraft 24 hours a day while firefighter personnel are always on station and on call. The other units on the base usually operate during the day and are staffed by Active Guard Reserve or civilian Technician personnel. The 173d FIS had won the coveted Spaatz Trophy, as the Guards finest flying unit in 1963, following second, in 1962,1963 and 1964 the unit won its second, third and fourth Winston P. Wilson Trophies. In May 1964 the mission of the Nebraska Air Guard changed from air defense to tactical reconnaissance using the RF-84 Thunderflash aircraft, the 173rd became the 173rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and the 155th Fighter Group became the 155th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. The first RF-4C Phantom II came to Lincoln in November 1971, in 1972 the unit began its conversion to the RF-4C from the RF-84F. In April 1992 the unit was directed to convert to the KC-135R Stratotanker mission when the U. S. Air Force decided to begin retiring the last of the F-4 Phantom II aircraft. The conversion to the refueling mission began in September 1993 with the arrival of the first KC-135E tanker. On 1 Oct.1995, the unit was re-designated as the 155th Air Refueling Wing after achieving initial operational capability in the mission three months early. In April 1999, the unit flew its first combat missions and it was the first Air Guard tanker unit to be tasked with supporting Operation Allied Force, the NATO bombing campaign of Serbia and Kosovo. The unit successfully deployed two aircraft and more than 80 personnel to Germany in less than three days and soon became the unit for all American tanker operations from its German air base. Along with its mission, the Nebraska unit is tasked with supporting the state government as well. afhra. af. mil/. 155th Air Refueling Wing – Nebraska Air National Guard
42.
155th Reconnaissance Group
–
The 155th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Nebraska Air National Guard, stationed at Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Nebraska. If activated to service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command. The 155th operates the KC-135R Stratotanker, which is responsible for conducting air refueling missions around the world, the 155th currently has eight aircraft, six of them operational. There is almost always one aircraft undergoing an inspection in the hangar. The unit runs like an active duty base on a smaller scale, full-time Air Force Security Forces personnel patrol the base and provide security for the aircraft 24 hours a day while firefighter personnel are always on station and on call. The other units on the base usually operate during the day and are staffed by Active Guard Reserve or civilian Technician personnel. The 173d FIS had won the coveted Spaatz Trophy, as the Guards finest flying unit in 1963, following second, in 1962,1963 and 1964 the unit won its second, third and fourth Winston P. Wilson Trophies. In May 1964 the mission of the Nebraska Air Guard changed from air defense to tactical reconnaissance using the RF-84 Thunderflash aircraft, the 173rd became the 173rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and the 155th Fighter Group became the 155th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. The first RF-4C Phantom II came to Lincoln in November 1971, in 1972 the unit began its conversion to the RF-4C from the RF-84F. In April 1992 the unit was directed to convert to the KC-135R Stratotanker mission when the U. S. Air Force decided to begin retiring the last of the F-4 Phantom II aircraft. The conversion to the refueling mission began in September 1993 with the arrival of the first KC-135E tanker. On 1 Oct.1995, the unit was re-designated as the 155th Air Refueling Wing after achieving initial operational capability in the mission three months early. In April 1999, the unit flew its first combat missions and it was the first Air Guard tanker unit to be tasked with supporting Operation Allied Force, the NATO bombing campaign of Serbia and Kosovo. The unit successfully deployed two aircraft and more than 80 personnel to Germany in less than three days and soon became the unit for all American tanker operations from its German air base. Along with its mission, the Nebraska unit is tasked with supporting the state government as well. afhra. af. mil/. 155th Air Refueling Wing – Nebraska Air National Guard
43.
155th Air Refueling Group
–
The 155th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Nebraska Air National Guard, stationed at Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Nebraska. If activated to service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command. The 155th operates the KC-135R Stratotanker, which is responsible for conducting air refueling missions around the world, the 155th currently has eight aircraft, six of them operational. There is almost always one aircraft undergoing an inspection in the hangar. The unit runs like an active duty base on a smaller scale, full-time Air Force Security Forces personnel patrol the base and provide security for the aircraft 24 hours a day while firefighter personnel are always on station and on call. The other units on the base usually operate during the day and are staffed by Active Guard Reserve or civilian Technician personnel. The 173d FIS had won the coveted Spaatz Trophy, as the Guards finest flying unit in 1963, following second, in 1962,1963 and 1964 the unit won its second, third and fourth Winston P. Wilson Trophies. In May 1964 the mission of the Nebraska Air Guard changed from air defense to tactical reconnaissance using the RF-84 Thunderflash aircraft, the 173rd became the 173rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and the 155th Fighter Group became the 155th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. The first RF-4C Phantom II came to Lincoln in November 1971, in 1972 the unit began its conversion to the RF-4C from the RF-84F. In April 1992 the unit was directed to convert to the KC-135R Stratotanker mission when the U. S. Air Force decided to begin retiring the last of the F-4 Phantom II aircraft. The conversion to the refueling mission began in September 1993 with the arrival of the first KC-135E tanker. On 1 Oct.1995, the unit was re-designated as the 155th Air Refueling Wing after achieving initial operational capability in the mission three months early. In April 1999, the unit flew its first combat missions and it was the first Air Guard tanker unit to be tasked with supporting Operation Allied Force, the NATO bombing campaign of Serbia and Kosovo. The unit successfully deployed two aircraft and more than 80 personnel to Germany in less than three days and soon became the unit for all American tanker operations from its German air base. Along with its mission, the Nebraska unit is tasked with supporting the state government as well. afhra. af. mil/. 155th Air Refueling Wing – Nebraska Air National Guard
44.
Massachusetts
–
It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south, New Hampshire and Vermont to the north, and New York to the west. The state is named for the Massachusett tribe, which inhabited the area. The capital of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England is Boston, over 80% of Massachusetts population lives in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, a region influential upon American history, academia, and industry. Originally dependent on agriculture, fishing and trade, Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution, during the 20th century, Massachusetts economy shifted from manufacturing to services. Modern Massachusetts is a leader in biotechnology, engineering, higher education, finance. Plymouth was the site of the first colony in New England, founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims, in 1692, the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of Americas most infamous cases of mass hysteria, the Salem witch trials. In 1777, General Henry Knox founded the Springfield Armory, which during the Industrial Revolution catalyzed numerous important technological advances, in 1786, Shays Rebellion, a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans, influenced the United States Constitutional Convention. In the 18th century, the Protestant First Great Awakening, which swept the Atlantic World, in the late 18th century, Boston became known as the Cradle of Liberty for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution. The entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts has played a commercial and cultural role in the history of the United States. Before the American Civil War, Massachusetts was a center for the abolitionist, temperance, in the late 19th century, the sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in the western Massachusetts cities of Springfield and Holyoke, respectively. Many prominent American political dynasties have hailed from the state, including the Adams, both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also in Cambridge, have been ranked among the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world. Massachusetts public school students place among the top nations in the world in academic performance, the official name of the state is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. While this designation is part of the official name, it has no practical implications. Massachusetts has the position and powers within the United States as other states. Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family such as the Wampanoag, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Mahican, and Massachusett. While cultivation of crops like squash and corn supplemented their diets, villages consisted of lodges called wigwams as well as longhouses, and tribes were led by male or female elders known as sachems. Between 1617 and 1619, smallpox killed approximately 90% of the Massachusetts Bay Native Americans, the first English settlers in Massachusetts, the Pilgrims, arrived via the Mayflower at Plymouth in 1620, and developed friendly relations with the native Wampanoag people. This was the second successful permanent English colony in the part of North America that later became the United States, the event known as the First Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World which lasted for three days
45.
Connecticut
–
Connecticut is the southernmost state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Connecticut is also often grouped along with New York and New Jersey as the Tri-State Area and it is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capital city is Hartford, and its most populous city is Bridgeport, the state is named for the Connecticut River, a major U. S. river that approximately bisects the state. The word Connecticut is derived from various anglicized spellings of an Algonquian word for long tidal river, Connecticut is the third smallest state by area, the 29th most populous, and the fourth most densely populated of the 50 United States. It is known as the Constitution State, the Nutmeg State, the Provisions State, and it was influential in the development of the federal government of the United States. Connecticuts center of population is in Cheshire, New Haven County, Connecticuts first European settlers were Dutch. They established a small, short-lived settlement in present-day Hartford at the confluence of the Park, initially, half of Connecticut was a part of the Dutch colony New Netherland, which included much of the land between the Connecticut and Delaware rivers. The first major settlements were established in the 1630s by England, the Connecticut and New Haven Colonies established documents of Fundamental Orders, considered the first constitutions in North America. In 1662, the three colonies were merged under a charter, making Connecticut a crown colony. This colony was one of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, the Connecticut River, Thames River, and ports along the Long Island Sound have given Connecticut a strong maritime tradition which continues today. The state also has a history of hosting the financial services industry, including insurance companies in Hartford. As of the 2010 Census, Connecticut features the highest per-capita income, Human Development Index, and median household income in the United States. Landmarks and Cities of Connecticut Connecticut is bordered on the south by Long Island Sound, on the west by New York, on the north by Massachusetts, and on the east by Rhode Island. The state capital and third largest city is Hartford, and other cities and towns include Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, Norwalk, Danbury, New Britain, Greenwich. Connecticut is slightly larger than the country of Montenegro, there are 169 incorporated towns in Connecticut. The highest peak in Connecticut is Bear Mountain in Salisbury in the northwest corner of the state, the highest point is just east of where Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York meet, on the southern slope of Mount Frissell, whose peak lies nearby in Massachusetts. At the opposite extreme, many of the towns have areas that are less than 20 feet above sea level. Connecticut has a maritime history and a reputation based on that history—yet the state has no direct oceanfront
46.
Bradley International Airport
–
Bradley International Airport is a civil/military airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, in Hartford County, Connecticut. Owned and operated by the Connecticut Airport Authority, it is the second-largest airport in New England, the airport is about halfway between Hartford and Springfield. It is Connecticuts busiest commercial airport with 350 daily operations and the second-busiest airport in New England after Bostons Logan International Airport. The four largest carriers at Bradley International Airport are Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and American Airlines with market shares of 28%, 19%, 15%, and 14%, respectively. As a dual-use military facility with the U. S. Air Force, in 2014, Bradley was the 53rd busiest airport in the United States by number of passengers enplaned. Bradley was originally branded as the Gateway to New England and is home to the New England Air Museum, in 2016, Bradley International launched its new brand, Love The Journey. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021, the now defunct Bradlees department store chain was named after the airport when investors held a meeting there. Bradley has its origins in the 1940 acquisition of 1,700 acres of land in Windsor Locks by the State of Connecticut, in 1941, this land was turned over to the U. S. Army, as the country began its preparations for the impending war. The airfield began civil use in 1947 as Bradley International Airport and its first commercial flight was Eastern Air Lines Flight 624. International cargo operations at the airport also began that year, Bradley eventually replaced the older, smaller Hartford-Brainard Airport as Hartfords primary airport. In 1948, the government deeded the Airport to the State of Connecticut for public. In 1950, Bradley International Airport exceeded the 100, 000-passenger mark, in 1952, the Murphy Terminal opened. Later dubbed Terminal B, the terminal was the oldest passenger terminal in the US when it closed in 2010, the April 1957 OAG shows 39 weekday departures,14 American,14 Eastern,9 United, and 2 Northeast. Nonstops never reached west of Chicago or south of Washington until Eastern, nonstops to Los Angeles and Atlanta started in 1968. In 1960, Bradley handled 500,238 passengers, in 1971, the Murphy Terminal was expanded with an International Arrivals wing. This was followed by the installation of Instrument Landing Systems on two runways in 1977, in 1976, an experimental monorail was completed to link the terminal to a parking lot seven-tenths of a mile away. The people mover cost US$4 million and was anticipated to cost $250 thousand annually to operate, due to the high anticipated operating cost, the monorail was never put in service and was dismantled in 1984 to make room for a new terminal building. The retired vehicles from the system are now on display at the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor, in 1979, the Windsor Locks tornado ripped through the eastern portions of the airport
47.
RAF Aldermaston
–
Royal Air Force Aldermaston or more simply RAF Aldermaston is a former Royal Air Force station located 8 miles east of Newbury, Berkshire and 9.8 miles southwest of Reading, Berkshire, England. Originally built as an RAF Bomber Command airfield during 1941-1942, Aldermaston was transferred to the United States Army Air Forces in August 1942, placed under the jurisdiction of Eighth Air Force, it was home to several Douglas C-47 Skytrain Troop Carrier Groups. It was transferred to Ninth Air Force in 1943 primarily as a Troop Carrier Command base, returned to RAF Control at the end of 1945, it was used by Technical Training Command before being placed on Care and Maintenance. In 1946, it was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Aldermaston was initially planned as an RAF Bomber Command airfield, being constructed in 1941-1942. RAF92 Group was programmed to occupy the facility with Vickers Wellington bombers, the facility was constructed as a Class A bomber airfield with three concrete runways. The main was 1, 830m aligned 06/24, with two secondary runways of 1, 280m aligned 11-29 and 17-35. The airfield had a perimeter track with both the pan and loop-type aircraft hardstands for aircraft parking. The technical site was on the side of the airfield, consisting of various administrative buildings, maintenance shops. However, to support the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force in August 1942, the USAAF assigned station No.467 to the facility. It is a country house which was purchased from the Keyser family by the British Government at the outbreak of World War II. Taken over by the USAAF, it became the headquarters of the XIX Tactical Air Command and it was given the designation of AAF-476. 60th Troop Carrier Group Due to Aldermastons location in Berkshire, Eighth Air Force decided to use the base to station as a C-47 Troop Carrier base. It flew its only combat mission on 8 November 1942 when it transported airborne paratroopers from Aldermaston, with the successful operation, the group moved to Relizane Airfield, Algeria on 8 November 1942. There, it was transferred to the new Twelfth Air Force where it continued operations as part of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until the end of the war. 107th Observation Squadron With the 60ths move to North Africa, the 107th Reconnaissance Squadron and it flew a mixture of light observation L-4 Grasshopper single engine and Douglas A-20 Havoc two-engine reconnaissance aircraft. It also had several Supermarine Spitfires, the squadron remained only until 8 January 1943 when it was moved back to Membury. 315th Troop Carrier Group Replacing the 60th TCG was the 315th Troop Carrier Group, on 25 May 1943, twenty-one of the 315ths aircraft left for Algeria to support combat operations in North Africa. Although not participating in the phase of the invasions of Sicily and Italy
48.
RAF Andover
–
For both the types of transport aircraft called Andover used by the RAF, see Avro Andover and Hawker Siddeley Andover. For the current use of this site see Marlborough Lines, RAF Andover is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station located 2 miles west of Andover, Hampshire and 15.1 miles north east of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. RAF Andover was also used before and after the Second World War for a variety of aeronautical research. The RAF Staff College, Andover was founded here in 1922, the Royal Air Force Association was also founded at RAF Andover RAF Andover saw action during the Second World War. Three squadrons of the Royal Canadian Air Force were formed at RAF Andover, before and during the Battle of Normandy, RAF Andover was used by the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force as an operational tactical fighter airfield. It was also known as USAAF Station 406, Pundit Code AV, the code AV was broadcast in morse code by a mobile red light beacon at night, during the latter part of the Second World War. The Pundit Code was also painted on the airfield hangar nearest to the control tower, the site was redeveloped, and part of it has since become Marlborough Lines home to the Army Headquarters of the British Army. The Andover sections of these Roman roads in Britain were constructed by the Legio II Augusta Roman Legion, the Royal Flying Corps opened a station near Andover in August 1917 during the First World War. The station was built by German prisoners of war, some of whom left their signatures in roof spaces of buildings on the station. It is close to the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Amport House, plans for an RFC Training Depot Station on the airfield site had originally been made in 1912. The station motto was Vis et armis consilioque orta and this is appropriate as the station was built as a Training Depot for aircrews, who had completed basic flying training, to learn to fly the Handley Page Type O and Airco D. H.9 bombers. The first unit to occupy the station was No.2 School of Navigation and this unit took up residence while the station was still under construction. Also, from 24 December 1917 to 6 June 1918 Andover was host to a detachment of the 13th Aero Squadron of the Aviation Section, U. S. Signal Corps. In early 1918 experiments were conducted with Handley Page Type O bombers, based at Andover and Cranwell and this was the first attempt to develop a viable long-range electronic navigation system, of a kind that is today used routinely worldwide. Between the wars, the airfield housed a number of RAF units, including from 1919 the RAF School of Navigation, as No.2 School of Navigation and Bomb Dropping was retitled. The RAF Staff College was founded here on 1 April 1922, to staff training to selected officers. Also, the Royal Air Force Association was formed in 1929, RAF Andover continued to be used for a variety of aeronautical research and flight testing. As part of this, several military aircraft made their first flights from the airfield
49.
Cardonville Airfield
–
Cardonville Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield located near the commune of Cardonville in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France. Known as Advanced Landing Ground A-3, the airfield consisted of a single 5000 Square-Mesh Track runway aligned 15/33, after the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was left un-garrissoned and used for resupply and casualty evacuation. It was closed on 1 September 1944, today the airfield is a mixture of various agricultural fields. A memorial to the men and units that were stationed at Cardonville was placed near the site of the former airfield. afhra. af. mil/
United States
Nebraska
Air National Guard
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
