63d Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 63d Fighter Squadron (63 FS) is an inactive United States Air Force
unit, last assigned to the 56th Operations Group
, at Luke Air Force Base
, Arizona
. It operated the F-16 Fighting Falcon
aircraft, conducting advanced fighter training until its deactivation on 22 May 2009.
The 63d Fighter Squadron was constituted as the 62d Pursuit Squadron as part of the 56th Pursuit Group at Savannah
, Georgia
, on 15 January 1941. The squadron immediately began training for its wartime missions under III Fighter Command
, rapidly transitioning through the P-35
, P-36
, P-39, and P-40 aircraft. On 7 December 1941, the 62d stepped up to defend the Northeastern United States
from anticipated enemy air attack while it converted to the P-47
aircraft and prepared to deploy overseas, operating under the I Fighter Command
, New York Fighter Wing
in the early months of 1942.
It was re-designated 62d Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942, and deployed to RAF Kings Cliffe
(AAF-367), England on 9 January 1943. It was declared operationally ready two months later and flew its first combat missions 13 April. The squadron was given fuselage code "LM" and operated from several RAF stations during the war, flying the P-47C Thunderbolt as an VIII Fighter Command
bomber-escort unit initially for B-17 Flying Fortresses and beginning in 1944 for B-24 Liberator
s attacking enemy targets in Occupied Europe. Flying escort for fighter sweeps ahead of U.S. bomber
fleets, the pilots destroyed 167.5 enemy aircraft in the air and 110 on the ground. After the end of the war in Europe, the squadron demobilized in England, and was inactivated as an administrative unit on 18 October 1945.
escort fighter group, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
at Selfridge Army Air Base, Michigan. Initially equipped with P-47D Thunderbolts, being replaced with long-range P-51H Mustangs, originally developed for Twentieth Air Force
bomber escort missions in the Pacific Theater. The mission of the squadron was to provide fighter escort of SAC's B-29 Superfortress
bombers on intercontinental strategic bombardment missions, deploying to Alaska
and Europe
in this role. In 1947, the squadron was upgraded to Lockheed P-80C Shooting Stars, as SAC introduced the B-50 in the late 1940s. The squadron trained to maintain proficiency as a mobile strike force, including bomber escort mission until transferred from Strategic Air Command to Continental Air Command
on 1 Dec 1948.
The squadron began performing air defense missions with its relocation to Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan and re-equipped with the F-86A Sabre. The squadron was re-designated as the 63d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950. It was assigned to Air Defense Command 4706th Defense Wing in February 1952. In 1954, the squadron was re-equipped with the purpose-built F-89H/J Scorpion
interceptor. In 1957 began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre. Moved to O'Hare Air Reserve Station
, near Chicago, the squadron maintained the air defense alert at O'Hare until being inactivated in January 1958.
The squadron was reactivated 30 June 1975, as the 63d Tactical Fighter Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base
, Florida
. Its mission was to train pilots and weapons systems officers for the F-4E Phantom II. It changed equipment to the F-4D in 1978, sending the "E" models to operational squadrons. F-16A Fighting Falcons started to arrive for the 63d in 1980 and was active with the F-16A/B by 1981. Squadron aircraft carried the "MC" tail code, with a red tail stripe outlined in white. On 1 October 1981, the squadron was re-designated the 63d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron even though it had always trained crew when it flew the Phantom II. Starting in 1988, the 63d converted to the F-16C/D block 30.
. The end of the Cold War led to the BRAC commissions, and the downsizing of the Air Force to a smaller organization. As a result, it was decided first to close MacDill AFB, although under political pressure later it was realigned to a new mission.
Like its two sister squadrons, the 61st and 62d FS, the 63d Fighter Squadron was reassigned to Luke AFB, Arizona, but instead of getting block 25s the squadron took over block 42 F-16Cs. The 63d was activated at Luke AFB on 25 February 1993. The move was one of the starts to the process of making Luke AFB the main F-16 Replacement Training Unit.
On 14 January 2008, the 63d Fighter Squadron started a course that caught a few aviation headlines. They began training pilots selected to fly the F-22 Raptor
, pilots who have never flown a fighter before. Up to this point F-22 pilots were hand-picked from the existing fighter community. Once the training in the F-16 was completed, the student pilots were reassigned to the 43d Fighter Squadron
at Tyndall AFB, Florida where they spent the next two years training with the F-22.
In February 2008, it was announced that the 63d FS was to be inactivated as a result of BRAC 2005 that Luke AFB give up twenty-five block 25 F-16s. Although the 63d FS flew the Block 42 it transferred its F-16s to the 61st FS, which did operate the block 25. The 61st, due to its seniority and historical heritage, would remain active.
On 4 April 2009, the 63d graduated its last class of F-16 pilots at which time it continued the process to deactivate. Officially the squadron stood down on 22 May 2009 after 68 years of service.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit, last assigned to the 56th Operations Group
56th Operations Group
The 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
, at Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located seven miles west of the central business district of Glendale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is also about west of Phoenix, Arizona....
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. It operated the F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
aircraft, conducting advanced fighter training until its deactivation on 22 May 2009.
World War II
- see 56th Operations Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
for an expansive history of the squadron's World War II history
The 63d Fighter Squadron was constituted as the 62d Pursuit Squadron as part of the 56th Pursuit Group at Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, on 15 January 1941. The squadron immediately began training for its wartime missions under III Fighter Command
III Fighter Command
The III Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, rapidly transitioning through the P-35
Seversky P-35
The Seversky P-35 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in U.S...
, P-36
P-36 Hawk
The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design...
, P-39, and P-40 aircraft. On 7 December 1941, the 62d stepped up to defend the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
from anticipated enemy air attack while it converted to the P-47
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
aircraft and prepared to deploy overseas, operating under the I Fighter Command
I Fighter Command
The I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
, New York Fighter Wing
New York Fighter Wing
The New York Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the I Fighter Command, stationed at Mitchel Field, New York It was inactivated on 10 April 1944....
in the early months of 1942.
It was re-designated 62d Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942, and deployed to RAF Kings Cliffe
RAF Kings Cliffe
RAF Kings Cliffe is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located near Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, 12 miles west of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Originally the airfield was grass-surfaced but hard-surfaced runways and a perimeter track were laid down early in 1943.-USAAF...
(AAF-367), England on 9 January 1943. It was declared operationally ready two months later and flew its first combat missions 13 April. The squadron was given fuselage code "LM" and operated from several RAF stations during the war, flying the P-47C Thunderbolt as an VIII Fighter Command
VIII Fighter Command
The VIII Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at RAF Honington, England. It was inactivated on 20 March 1946....
bomber-escort unit initially for B-17 Flying Fortresses and beginning in 1944 for B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
s attacking enemy targets in Occupied Europe. Flying escort for fighter sweeps ahead of U.S. bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
fleets, the pilots destroyed 167.5 enemy aircraft in the air and 110 on the ground. After the end of the war in Europe, the squadron demobilized in England, and was inactivated as an administrative unit on 18 October 1945.
Cold War
The squadron was reactivated on 1 May 1946 as a Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
escort fighter group, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
at Selfridge Army Air Base, Michigan. Initially equipped with P-47D Thunderbolts, being replaced with long-range P-51H Mustangs, originally developed for Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
bomber escort missions in the Pacific Theater. The mission of the squadron was to provide fighter escort of SAC's B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
bombers on intercontinental strategic bombardment missions, deploying to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in this role. In 1947, the squadron was upgraded to Lockheed P-80C Shooting Stars, as SAC introduced the B-50 in the late 1940s. The squadron trained to maintain proficiency as a mobile strike force, including bomber escort mission until transferred from Strategic Air Command to Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
on 1 Dec 1948.
The squadron began performing air defense missions with its relocation to Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan and re-equipped with the F-86A Sabre. The squadron was re-designated as the 63d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950. It was assigned to Air Defense Command 4706th Defense Wing in February 1952. In 1954, the squadron was re-equipped with the purpose-built F-89H/J Scorpion
F-89 Scorpion
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
interceptor. In 1957 began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre. Moved to O'Hare Air Reserve Station
O'Hare Air Reserve Station
O'Hare Air Reserve Station is a former United States Air Force base, located at O'Hare International Airport. It was located west-northwest of Chicago, Illinois...
, near Chicago, the squadron maintained the air defense alert at O'Hare until being inactivated in January 1958.
The squadron was reactivated 30 June 1975, as the 63d Tactical Fighter Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Its mission was to train pilots and weapons systems officers for the F-4E Phantom II. It changed equipment to the F-4D in 1978, sending the "E" models to operational squadrons. F-16A Fighting Falcons started to arrive for the 63d in 1980 and was active with the F-16A/B by 1981. Squadron aircraft carried the "MC" tail code, with a red tail stripe outlined in white. On 1 October 1981, the squadron was re-designated the 63d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron even though it had always trained crew when it flew the Phantom II. Starting in 1988, the 63d converted to the F-16C/D block 30.
Modern era
On 1 November 1991, the host 56th Tactical Training Wing at MacDill implemented the Objective organization plan, and the subsequent re-designation of units led to the 63d becoming simply the 63d Fighter Squadron, and being assigned to the new 56th Operations Group56th Operations Group
The 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
. The end of the Cold War led to the BRAC commissions, and the downsizing of the Air Force to a smaller organization. As a result, it was decided first to close MacDill AFB, although under political pressure later it was realigned to a new mission.
Like its two sister squadrons, the 61st and 62d FS, the 63d Fighter Squadron was reassigned to Luke AFB, Arizona, but instead of getting block 25s the squadron took over block 42 F-16Cs. The 63d was activated at Luke AFB on 25 February 1993. The move was one of the starts to the process of making Luke AFB the main F-16 Replacement Training Unit.
On 14 January 2008, the 63d Fighter Squadron started a course that caught a few aviation headlines. They began training pilots selected to fly the F-22 Raptor
F-22 Raptor
The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation supermaneuverable fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals...
, pilots who have never flown a fighter before. Up to this point F-22 pilots were hand-picked from the existing fighter community. Once the training in the F-16 was completed, the student pilots were reassigned to the 43d Fighter Squadron
43d Fighter Squadron
The 43d Fighter Squadron is part of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It conducts advanced fighter training for F-22 Raptor pilots.-Mission:...
at Tyndall AFB, Florida where they spent the next two years training with the F-22.
In February 2008, it was announced that the 63d FS was to be inactivated as a result of BRAC 2005 that Luke AFB give up twenty-five block 25 F-16s. Although the 63d FS flew the Block 42 it transferred its F-16s to the 61st FS, which did operate the block 25. The 61st, due to its seniority and historical heritage, would remain active.
On 4 April 2009, the 63d graduated its last class of F-16 pilots at which time it continued the process to deactivate. Officially the squadron stood down on 22 May 2009 after 68 years of service.
Lineage
- Constituted as 63d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940
- Activated on 15 Jan 1941
- Re-designated as: 63d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) on 31 Jan 1942
- Re-designated as: 63d Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942
- Re-designated as: 63d Fighter Squadron on 1 Jun 1942
- Re-designated as: 63d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 28 Feb 1944
- Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945
- Activated on 1 May 1946
- Re-designated as: 63d Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 24 Apr 1947
- Re-designated as: 63d Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 14 Jun 1948
- Re-designated as: 63d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950
- Inactivated on 8 Jan 1958
- Re-designated as 63d Tactical Fighter Squadron on 12 May 1975
- Activated on 30 Jun 1975
- Re-designated as: 63d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 Oct 1981
- Re-designated as: 63d Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.
- Inactivated on 22 May 2009
Assignments
- 56th Pursuit (later, 56th Fighter) Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
, 15 Jan 1941-18 Oct 1945 - 56th Fighter (later, 56th Fighter-Interceptor) Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
, 1 May 1946 - 4708th Defense Wing, 6 Feb 1952
- 4706th Defense Wing, 1 Jul 1952
- 527th Air Defense Group527th Air Defense GroupThe 527th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4708th Air Defense Wing, being stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan...
, 16 Feb 1953 - 56th Fighter Group, 18 Aug 1955-8 Jan 1958
- 56th Tactical Fighter (later, 56th Tactical Training; 56th Fighter) Wing56th Fighter WingThe 56th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona where it also is the host unit....
, 30 Jun 1975 - 56th Operations Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
, 1 Nov 1991
- 58th Operations Group58th Operations GroupThe 58th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 58th Special Operations Wing. It is stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico....
, 25 Feb 1993 - 56th Operations Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
, 1 Apr 1994-22 May 2009
Stations
- SavannahSavannah, GeorgiaSavannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(1941) - Charlotte Army Airbase, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
(1941)- Deployed: Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(1941–1942)
- Deployed: Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport, South Carolina
- Farmingdale Army Airfield, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1941–1942) - Bridgeport Army Airfield, ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
(1942–1943) - RAF WitteringRAF WitteringRAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire....
(AAF-368), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(1943) - RAF Horsham St FaithRAF Horsham St FaithRAF Horsham St Faith was a Royal Air Force station near Norwich, Norfolk, England from 1939 to 1963. It was then developed as Norwich International Airport.-RAF Bomber Command use:...
(AAF-123), England (1943) - RAF HalesworthRAF HalesworthRAF Halesworth is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is west of Southwold in Suffolk.-USAAF use:Halesworth was built in 1942–1943 and was intended for use as a bomber station. It was built as a bomber station, with a 6,000 ft. main runway and two secondary runways of...
(AAF-365), England (1943–1944)
- RAF BoxtedRAF BoxtedRAF Boxted is a former World War II airfield in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately north-northeast of Colchester; about northeast of London...
(AAF-150), England (1944–1945) - RAF Little WaldenRAF Little WaldenRAF Station Little Walden is a former World War II airfield in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately north-northeast of Saffron Walden; about north-northeast of London...
(AAF-165), England (1945) - Camp KilmerCamp KilmerCamp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, New Jersey (1945) - Selfridge FieldSelfridge FieldSelfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens.-Units and organizations:...
, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
(1946–1951) - Wurtsmith Air Force BaseWurtsmith Air Force BaseWurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The former base includes located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the Au Sable State...
, Michigan (1951–1955) - O'Hare Air Reserve StationO'Hare Air Reserve StationO'Hare Air Reserve Station is a former United States Air Force base, located at O'Hare International Airport. It was located west-northwest of Chicago, Illinois...
, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
(1955–1958) - MacDill Air Force BaseMacDill Air Force BaseMacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
, Florida (1975–1993) - Luke Air Force BaseLuke Air Force BaseLuke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located seven miles west of the central business district of Glendale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is also about west of Phoenix, Arizona....
, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(1993–2009)
Aircraft
- P-35Seversky P-35The Seversky P-35 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in U.S...
(1941) - P-36 HawkP-36 HawkThe Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design...
(1941) - P-39 Airacobra (1941–1942)
- P-40 Warhawk (1941–1942)
- P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
(1942–1945, 1946–1947) - P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
(1946–1947) - F-80 Shooting Star (1947–1950)
- F-86A Sabre (1951-1952)
- F-86F Sabre (1952-1955)
- F-86D Sabre Interceptor (1955–1957)
- F-89D Scorpion (1955–1958)
- F-86L Sabre Interceptor (SAGE) (1957-1958)
- F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
(1975–1981) - F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
(1981–2009)