“General Gilmore & Staff”, 1930

General Gilmore was Chief of the Air Corp’s Material Division where, naturally, he had a trusty staff to make things easier. That staff included Captains Frank Andrews and Laurence Kuter, and Major Henry Arnold. These men would achieve three, four, and five-star rank in the coming years. All of the men in this photo are wearing mourning bands but I am unable to ascertain who it was that died. The location of the photo is Wright Field, the aircraft, a Curtiss B-2 Condor of the 96th Bomb Squadron.

124th Fighter Squadron, Iowa Air National Guard, 1951

“To minimize risk, only the fewest number of men required should refuel an aircraft” ~ Air Force Technical Order on the Refueling of Aircraft

Men of the 124th Fighter Squadron

Air Policemen defy anyone to touch the squadron’s C-47.

Iowa Air Guard F-51s and a lone AT-6

Working hard for the Guard.

The year 1951 was busy for the Iowa Air National Guard at Des Moines Airport. At the beginning of that year the boys had been flying F-84 Thunderjets, but with the Korean War now in full-swing those F-84s went to active duty units while Iowa reverted to the F-51. Having flown them from 1946-1949, the 124th and the Mustang were old friends. This state of affairs continued until the war ended thus making jets available once again.

113th Observation Squadron

Pilots and observers of the Indiana National Guard at Stout Field in the late 20s – early 30s. The Douglas BT-1 was their aircraft and it was a familiar sight in the skies over the Hoosier State during this era.

Mitchel Field, NY – 1940

Men of the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron say cheese on October 12, 1940. Their B-18 does likewise. Although Mitchel Field shut down eons ago, the hangars seen still stand today.

B-18A in the field

Judging by the pastoral setting, the highway in the background, and the fact the aircraft is roped off, it is safe to say that this B-18 is not on its home turf.

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F-86 meets its fate in Fresno

Although there was an F-86 squadron at Fresno, Ca. during the 1950’s, this is not one of theirs. The date is July 19, 1958, and this F-86E (51-12994) of the Van Nuys Airport based 195th Fighter Interceptor Squadron has met its fate away from home. Mechanical difficulties brought about this mishap which was sufficient enough to write-off the aircraft.