Tactical Air Command

Operational history , Maine, 1948. Visible AF serial numbers are 46–0548, 46–0535 and 46-0581. World War II showed the effectiveness of tactical air power in supporting army ground forces. However, the rapid demobilization in late 1945 meant that the huge air armada that had brought Germany to her knees and victory in Europe had been downsized to a shadow of its former self. Following the end of World War II, Headquarters United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 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 increasing 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 command divisions within the Continental United States (CONUS) were formed: Strategic Air Command, Tactical Air Command, and Air Defense 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 other aircraft. 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 (both Pacific Rim/Southeast Asia and Southwest Asia/Middle East), Africa, North America, South America, Europe and Australia in support of its prescribed mission. TAC's 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 and Twelfth Air Force. • 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (F-86 Sabre) : Deployed from: New Castle Airport, Delaware • 474th Fighter-Bomber Group Wing (F-84 Thunderjet) : Deployed from: Clovis AFB, New Mexico • 452nd Bombardment Wing (Light) (B-26 Invader) : Deployed from: George AFB, California • 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (RF-80, RF-86, RB-26) : Deployed from: March AFB, California • 314th Troop Carrier Wing (Medium) (C-119 Flying Boxcar) : Deployed from: Smyrna AFB, Tennessee • 403rd Troop Carrier Wing (Medium) (C-119, C-47, C-54) : Portland Airport, Oregon United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) , New Mexico in 1953, then transferred to Hahn Air Base, West Germany. The 50 FW was assigned to USAFE for nearly 40 years throughout the Cold War. Even with the active war in Korea raging, in the early 1950s Europe received a higher priority of air power than Korea by the Truman Administration and the Department of Defense. Deterring the threat of a Communist takeover of Western Europe was considered more important to the long-term survival of the United States than a Communist victory in Korea. In September 1950, NATO's Military Committee had called for an ambitious buildup of conventional forces to meet the Soviets, subsequently reaffirming this position at the February 1952 meeting of the Atlantic Council in Lisbon which had established a goal of ultimately fielding 96 divisions in the event of a conventional war in 1954. In support of this, the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), which consisted of 16 wings totaling 2,100 aircraft, was programmed to expand to 28 wings, 22 of them in NATO's Central Region alone, backed by deployed Strategic Air Command units sent from CONUS. Routine photo reconnaissance flights over Cuba revealed that the Soviet Union was, in fact, in the process of placing nuclear-armed missiles on that island. In response, the United States let it be known that any use of those missiles against any country in the Western Hemisphere would be considered as an attack on the United States and a full nuclear response on the Soviet Union would be the result. The United States and the Soviet Union stood eyeball to eyeball at the brink of a nuclear exchange. Photographic Reconnaissance AF Serial No. 56-0068 of the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. This aircraft is currently on static display at the Keesler AFB, Mississippi Air Park. On 11 October 1962, Headquarters Strategic Air Command (SAC) notified the 4080th Strategic Wing at Laughlin AFB, Texas, to "freeze" two officers, Major Richard S. Heyser and Major Rudolf Anderson, Jr., for a special project. The pair reported to Edwards AFB, California, where they received orders to conduct strategic reconnaissance flights over Cuba. On 13 October, Major Anderson deployed to McCoy AFB, Florida, to join a U-2 aircraft ferried in for the special mission. Meantime, Major Heyser launched from Edwards AFB in a U-2 equipped to photograph suspect sites on the island of Cuba. Heyser arrived over the island during daylight on 14 October and the next day, Major Anderson made his first flight from McCoy AFB. Photographs obtained on these flights confirmed that Soviet/Cuban crews had launch pads under construction that, when completed, could fire nuclear-armed IRBMs with a range of approximately 5,000 miles and MRBMs with a range of approximately 3,000 miles. operating from NAS Jacksonville and NAS Key West, Florida conducted high-speed low level reconnaissance flights over the Cuban missile sites while additional P-2 Neptune and P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft operating from various bases tracked Soviet ships and submarines transiting to and from Cuba. at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio While aircrews went on alert, support personnel expanded the base photo laboratory facilities and installed additional photo vans and darkrooms. Because of a shortage of adequate facilities, aircrews and other airmen occupied temporary, inadequate, wooden barracks that hampered crew rest. After trying off-base housing, the aircrews moved to permanent airmen's quarters on the base for the remainder of the deployment. 19AF's commander headed the main air operations center, the Air Force Atlantic Advanced Operational Nucleus (ADVON). Augmented by airmen and officers from other TAC air forces, Air Force Atlantic ADVON soon controlled nearly 1,000 aircraft and 7,000 men and women. During the Cuban Missile Crisis four primary Air Elements were organized and postured in Florida. Air Force record cards and historical records contain the following information: , FL by the 4 TFW during the Cuban Missile Crisis. , FL. The aircraft is marked as the Wing Commander's aircraft. • HQ, Air Force Provisional 33 (Fighter Recon). Organized at Homestead AFB and assigned to TAC, with attachment to Air Force Atlantic (Main). The Air Division Provisional 1, 2, and 3 were assigned as elements at the same time. • HQ, Air Division Provisional 1 was organized at Homestead AFB and assigned to the Air Force Provisional 33 (Fighter Reconnaissance). On 29 Oct 1962, the division was relieved from assignment to Air Force Provisional 33 and assigned directly to TAC. At the same time, it was attached to the Air Force Atlantic (ADVON). Serving in the division were deployed elements of the following wings: :: 31st Tactical Fighter Wing (F-100), Homestead AFB Florida, 24 Oct-9 Nov 1962 :: 401st Tactical Fighter Wing (F-100), England AFB, Louisiana, 24 Oct-9 Nov 1962 :: 474th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-100), Cannon AFB, New Mexico, 24 Oct-9 Nov 1962 : Altogether, the 1st Provisional Air Division included a force of 181 F-100 fighter aircraft and over 1,600 personnel. • HQ, Air Division Provisional 2 was also organized at McCoy AFB, Florida, and assigned to AF Prov 33 (Ftr Recon). On 29 Oct 1962, the division was relieved from assignment to 33 AF Prov 33 (Ftr Recon) and assigned directly to TAC, with attachment to AF Atlantic (ADVON). :: 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-105), Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, 21 Oct-c. 29 Nov 1962 :: 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-100), Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina, 21 Oct–1 Dec 1962 :: 427th Air Refueling Squadron: (20 KB-50J Superfortress), Langley AFB, Virginia • HQ, Air Division Provisional 3 was organized at MacDill AFB, Florida, and assigned to AF Prov 33 (Ftr Recon). On 29 Oct 1962, the division was relieved from assignment to 33 AF Prov 33 (Ftr Recon) and assigned directly to TAC, with attachment to AF Atlantic (ADVON). :: 12th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-84F), MacDill AFB, Florida :: 15th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-84F), MacDill AFB, Florida :: 27th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-100), Cannon AFB, New Mexico, 21 Oct-1 Dec 1962 :: 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (RF-101), (RB-66), Shaw AFB, South Carolina, 21 Oct-30 Nov 1962 Civilian airports in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Florida also received TAC Units. Like the Navy's RF-8A Crusaders, TAC RF-101 Voodoo reconnaissance aircraft from Shaw AFB continued to fly high speed low level sorties over Cuba on a daily basis, photographing suspected missile sites and Cuban military bases. In some cases the films were flown directly to Washington, D.C., and onto President John F. Kennedy's desk within hours of being taken. Crisis resolution to the 363 TRW in 1962 in recognition of the unit's actions associated with the Cuban Missile Crisis. While the invasion forces gathered in Florida, Kennedy ordered the U.S. State Department to develop a plan for civil governance in Cuba. Former Secretary of State Dean Acheson and the Joint Chiefs of Staff favored an invasion, but U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy vehemently opposed that plan and instead advocated a blockade. The President listened to his brother, and on 22 October 1962, appeared on television to explain to America and the world that the United States was imposing a strict quarantine on offensive military equipment being shipped to Cuba. Kennedy also warned Khrushchev that the United States would regard any missile attack from Cuba as an attack from the Soviet Union and would retaliate against the Soviet Union. Twenty-four additional USN F4H-1 aircraft, subsequently redesignated as F-4Bs, were loaned to USAF for additional evaluation. This evaluation resulted in a USAF decision to acquire their own version of the F-4, designated as the F-4C. Following its initial flight in May 1963, the F-4C entered USAF service with TAC in November 1963. The F-4 would prove to be one of the most numerous jet fighters ever operated by USAF, with over 2800 examples acquired for service in TAC, USAFE, PACAF and the Air Force Systems Command (AFSC), to include later versions such as the RF-4C, F-4D, F-4E and F-4G. In 1960, DoD also combined a USAF requirement for a new fighter-bomber to ostensibly replace TAC's F-105 fighter-bombers with a USN need for a new carrier-based air superiority fighter, then launched a competition among aircraft manufacturers for the final design. In 1962, General Dynamics and Boeing were selected as finalists with the General Dynamics variable-geometry wing Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX) design eventually winning out. Designated as the F-111, the Navy version was known as the F-111B and the USAF version the F-111A, with the first flight of the F-111A taking place in December 1964 and the first production models delivered to the USAF in 1967. Additional variants such as the FB-111A for SAC and the F-111E, F-111F and EF-111A for TAC and USAFE, plus the F-111K for the RAAF followed. Meanwhile, the Navy's F-111B program was canceled after five examples when it became apparent that its performance characteristics were unsuitable for an aircraft-carrier based fighter and interceptor, with many of its design features and systems being incorporated into the successful Grumman F-14 Tomcat. In all, 562 F-111s of all series were built. USAF also acquired a number of other USN aircraft originally designed for aircraft carrier use and pressed them into USAF service. This included the transfer of the piston-engine Douglas A-1 Skyraider in its A-1E and A-1H variants being retired from the Navy inventory in the mid-1960s for close air support, rescue aircraft escort, and special operations duties in Vietnam, as well as the Navy's LTV A-7 Corsair II light attack bomber in new production numbers, the USAF versions of which were designated A-7D and A-7K. In the case of the A-7, the USAF was initially reluctant to take on yet another Navy-designed aircraft, but on 5 November 1965, Secretary of the Air Force Harold Brown and Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General John P. McConnell, announced that USAF had decided to order a version of the aircraft, designated A-7D, for TAC. The first A-7D made its initial flight in April 1968, and deliveries of production models began in December 1968. When A-7D production ended in 1976, LTV had delivered 459 to the U.S. Air Force. These aircraft continued in TAC service until supplanted by F-16 Fighting Falcon or A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. Most A-7Ds and all A-7Ks were later transferred to Air National Guard (ANG) units operationally-gained by TAC, remaining in ANG service until 1993 when they, too, were replaced by the F-16 or A-10. Special Operations Units Air Force Special Forces units became part of TAC in 1961 when a counter-insurgency force was activated at Eglin AFB, Florida. Aircraft of these units consisted of a combination of propeller-driven World War II and Korean War-vintage fighters, modified trainers, Douglas B-26 Invader attack bombers and an eclectic collection of cargo and utility aircraft. Originally activated as a Combat Crew Training Squadron, the unit was upgraded to a wing and designated as the 1st Air Commando Wing. In 1964, TAC ordered a squadron of specially modified C-130E aircraft to support U.S. Army Special Forces and Central Intelligence Agency teams operating deep inside enemy territory. As the war in Vietnam intensified, additional air commando units were organized in Southeast Asia. In 1968, these units were redesignated as "Special Operations" squadrons. Tactical Fighters In response to what has become known as the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, TAC pilots and support personnel found themselves deployed to places like Da Nang AB and Phan Rang AB in South Vietnam and Takhli RTAFB and Korat RTAFB in Thailand. Initially, TAC began deploying squadrons of F-100 Super Sabre, RF-101 Voodoo and F-105 Thunderchief aircraft to these overseas installations under the cognizance of PACAF. As the American effort in Southeast Asia increased, TAC used a process of deploying squadrons to PACAF-operated bases in South Vietnam and Thailand, with the squadrons being attached temporarily on rotational deployments or being permanently reassigned to the PACAF wing. For the next decade, TAC would be consumed by operations in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. On a daily basis, flight crews trained by TAC would hurl themselves and their planes at targets across the area of operations, to include over the skies of North Vietnam. As the command responsible for training aircrews for overseas duty, TAC maintained Readiness Training Units in the United States to train pilots and other aircrew members for fighters, reconnaissance and troop carrier (redesignated tactical airlift after 1 July 1966) squadrons in the Pacific. Troop Carrier In December 1964, TAC deployed a squadron of C-123 Provider assault transports from the 464th Troop Carrier Wing at Pope AFB, North Carolina to Clark Air Base, Philippines, then on to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam to set up a tactical air cargo transportation system. , 1972. An A-7D from the 354th fired the last shot in anger of the Vietnam War on 15 August 1973. A-7Ds from Korat RTAFB maintained an alert status in Thailand and participated in the 1975 SS Mayaguez Rescue. The accords effectively ended United States military operations in North and South Vietnam. Laos and Cambodia, however, were not signatories to the Paris agreement and remained in states of war with their internal rebel forces. • 463rd Troop Carrier Wing (C-130B) Langley AFB, VA • 474th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-100, F-111) Cannon AFB, NM, Nellis AFB, NV • 479th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-4) George AFB, CA • 193d Tactical Electronic Warfare Group (EC-121) Olmsted AFB, PA (Air National Guard) • 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (RB/EB-66) Shaw AFB, SC • 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (RF-101, RF-4C) Shaw AFB, SC • 507th Tactical Control Group (O-2) Shaw AFB, SC • 552nd Airborne Early Warning & Control Wing (EC-121D) McClellan AFB, CA • 553rd Reconnaissance Wing (EC-121R) Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand • 29th Troop Carrier Squadron (C-130B) Forbes AFB, KS • 41st Troop Carrier Squadron (C-130A) Lockbourne AFB, OH • 50th Troop Carrier Squadron (C-130E) Sewart AFB, TN • 345th Troop Carrier Squadron (C-130E) Dyess AFB, TX • 776th Troop Carrier Squadron (C-130E) Pope AFB, NC source Inactivation of Aerospace Defense Command and assumption of the Continental Air Defense mission In early 1977, strong congressional pressure to reduce USAF management "overhead", and the personal conviction of the Air Force Chief of Staff that substantial savings could be realized without a reduction in operational capability, resulted in the disestablishment of Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) as a USAF major command. ADC was inactivated on 1 October 1979, with its "atmospheric" resources e.g., its Regular Air Force and Air National Guard F-101, F-102 and F-106 fighter-interceptors; ground-based warning radars; and associated bases and personnel) subsequently transferred to TAC under a sub-entity named Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). ADC's EC-121 Warning Star airborne early warning aircraft had already been retired by 1978 and it never received that aircraft's replacement, the E-3 Sentry AWACS, that began entering the TAC inventory in 1977. As a result of changes in USAF doctrine and tactics, AWACS was always intended as strictly a TAC airframe nominally operating from forward-deployed locations and incorporating many of the lessons learned from employing the EC-121 in its Big Eye, College Eye, Rivet Top and Disco roles with PACAF's 7th Air Force during the Vietnam War. The new command was, essentially, a transition organization between ADC, and the transfer of the continental air defense mission from a combination of the Regular Air Force and the Air National Guard to one totally residing in TAC-gained assets of the Air National Guard by 1990. Red Flag Aggressor training The 57th Fighter Weapons Wing at Nellis AFB, Nevada began giving Regular Air Force units some of the most intense combat training ever achieved through the Red Flag program, beginning in 1976. This would later expand to include the Air Force Reserve, the Air National Guard, aviation squadrons of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps (augmenting their Naval Fighter Weapons School / TOPGUN program), and various NATO and Allied nations. The origin of Red Flag was the unacceptable performance of U.S. Air Force pilots and weapon systems officers in air combat maneuvering (ACM) (air-to-air combat) during the Vietnam War in comparison to previous wars. Air combat over North Vietnam between 1965 and 1973 led to an overall exchange ratio (ratio of enemy aircraft shot down to the number of own aircraft lost to enemy fighters) of 2.2:1. In fact, for a period of time in June and July 1972 during Operation Linebacker, the ratio was less than 1:1. The aggressor units at Red Flag were originally equipped with readily available T-38 Talon aircraft loaned from the Air Training Command (ATC) to simulate the Soviet Union's MiG-21. Northrop F-5 Tiger II fighters, painted in color schemes commonly found on Soviet and Warsaw Pact aircraft, were added shortly thereafter and became the mainstay until the F-16 was introduced in the mid/late 1980s. The Red Flag exercises, conducted in four to six cycles per year by the 414th Combat Training Squadron evolved into very realistic large scale aerial war games, the purpose being to train pilots and navigators/weapon systems officers/electronic warfare officers and air battle managers from the U.S., NATO and other allied countries for real combat situations. This includes the use of "enemy" hardware and live ammunition for bombing exercises within the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). Known TAC units and aircraft deployed in Operation Desert Shield/Storm (1990–1991) South Carolina in March 1991 at King Fahd International Airport Saudi Arabia after the Coalition victory in Operation Desert Storm. • 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron/388 TFW (F-16C/D) Hill AFB, UT • 41st Electronic Combat Squadron /28th Air Division (EC-130H Compass Call) Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ • 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron/363 TFW (F-16C/D) Shaw AFB, SC • 23d Tactical Air Support Squadron/602 TACW (A-10A) Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ • 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron/1 TFW (F-15C/D) Langley AFB, VA • 33d Tactical Fighter Squadron/363 TFW (F-16C/D) Shaw AFB, SC • 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron/33 TFW (F-15C/D) Eglin AFB, FL • 69th Tactical Fighter Squadron/347 TFW (F-16C/D) Moody AFB, GA • 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron/1 TFW (F-15C/D) Langley AFB, VA • 74th Tactical Fighter Squadron/23 TFW (A-10A) England AFB, LA • 76th Tactical Fighter Squadron/23 TFW (A-10A) England AFB, LA • 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron/4 TFW (F-15E) Seymour Johnson AFB, NC • 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron/4 TFW (F-15E) Seymour Johnson AFB, NC • 353d Tactical Fighter Squadron/354 TFW (A-10A) Myrtle Beach AFB, SC • 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron/354 TFW (A-10A) Myrtle Beach AFB, SC • 390th Electronic Combat Squadron/366 TFW (EF-111A) Mountain Home AFB, ID • 415th Tactical Fighter Squadron/37 TFW (F-117A) Tonopah Test Range Airport, NV • 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron/37 TFW (F-117A) Tonopah Test Range Airport, NV • 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron/388 TFW (F-16C/D) Hill AFB, UT • 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron/35 TFW (F-4G) George AFB, CA • 963rd Airborne Warning and Control Squadron/552 ACW (E-3B/C) Tinker AFB, OK • 964th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron/552 ACW (E-3B/C) Tinker AFB, OK • 965th Airborne Warning and Control Squadron/552 ACW (E-3B/C) Tinker AFB, OK • 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron/67 TRW (RF-4C) Bergstrom AFB, TX (Does not include AFRES or ANG tactical flying units deployed from CONUS or USAF tactical flying units deployed from United States Air Forces in Europe) Assignments • HQ, United States Army Air Forces, 21 March 1946 • HQ, United States Air Force, 27 September 1947 • Continental Air Command, 1 December 1948 • HQ, United States Air Force, 1 December 1950 – 1 June 1992 Stations Headquarters • MacDill Field, Florida, 21 March 1946 • Langley AAF (later Langley AFB), Virginia, 26 May 1946 – 1 June 1992 Major components Air Forces • First Air Force, 6 December 1985 – 1 June 1992 • Ninth Air Force, 28 March 1946 – 1 December 1948; 1 December 1950 – 1 June 1992 • Twelfth Air Force, 17 May 1946 – 1 December 1948; 1 January 1958 – 1 June 1992 • Eighteenth Air Force, 28 March 1951 – 1 January 1958 • Nineteenth Air Force, 8 July 1955 – 2 July 1973 • Air Defense, Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1979 – 6 December 1985 Named Units/Air Divisions • Air Forces Panama (830th Air Division), 1 January 1976 – 11 February 1992 • 831st Air Division (1957–1971; 1980–1991) : George AFB (Western United States) • 832d Air Division (1957–1975; 1990–1991) : Cannon AFB (Southwestern United States) • 833d Air Division (1964–1969; 1990–1991) : Seymour Johnson AFB (Mid-Atlantic United States) • 834th Air Division (1957–1959) : England AFB (South Central United States) • 835th Air Division (1964–1971) : McConnell AFB (Midwest United States) • 836th Air Division (1957–1971; 1981–1992) : MacDill AFB (Southeast United States) • 837th Air Division (1958–1963) : Shaw AFB, (Tactical Reconnaissance Wings) • 838th Air Division (1957–1969) : Forbes AFB (Troop Carrier Wings) • 839th Air Division (1957–1974) : Sewart AFB (Troop Carrier/Tactical Airlift Wings) • 840th Air Division (1964–1969) : Lockbourne AFB (Troop Carrier/Tactical Airlift Wings) Major Aircraft • Fighters / Attack / Reconnaissance : Douglas A-1 Skyraider : Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II : Fairchild-Republic A-10/OA-10 Thunderbolt II : Cessna A-37 Dragonfly : McDonnell Douglas F-4/RF-4 Phantom II : Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter : McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle : McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle : General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon : North American P-51/F-51 Mustang : Lockheed P-80/F-80/RF-80 Shooting Star : Republic P-47/F-47 Thunderbolt : Republic Aviation F-84/RF-84 Thunderjet : North American F-82 Twin Mustang : North American F-86 Sabre : North American F-100 Super Sabre : McDonnell F-101/RF-101 Voodoo : Lockheed F-104 Starfighter : Republic F-105 Thunderchief : Convair F-106 Delta Dart : General Dynamics F-111 • Trainers : North American T-6 Texan : North American T-28 Trojan : Convair T-29 : Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star : Northrop T-38 Talon • Observation : Cessna O-1 Bird Dog : Cessna O-2 Skymaster : North American OV-10 Bronco • Cargo/Transports/Attack/Electronic Warfare/Special Mission : de Havilland Canada C-7 Caribou : Douglas C-47/AC-47/EC-47 Skytrain : Fairchild C-82 Packet : Fairchild C-119/AC-119 Flying Boxcar : General Dynamics EF-111 : Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star : Fairchild C-123 Provider : Lockheed C-130/AC-130/EC-130/MC-130 Hercules : Boeing E-3 AWACS : Boeing EC-135 AW&CP : Boeing E-8 Joint STARS • Bombers : Douglas B-29/RB-26/A-26 Invader : Martin B-57/RB-57 Canberra : Douglas B-66/RB-66/EB-66 Destroyer : Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk • Tankers : Boeing KB-29 Superfortress : Boeing KB-50 Superfortress : Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter • Helicopters : Bell UH-1 Huey : Hiller OH-23 Raven : Hughes H-6 : Sikorsky MH-53H/MH-53J/MH-53M Pave Low : Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk : Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw : Sikorsky H-5 : Sikorsky R-4 : Sikorsky S-62 : Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk P-series (Pursuit) designation changed to F-series (Fighter) designation in 1947.Source for lineage, assignments, stations, components, aircraft == See also ==