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After World War II, the 445th Bomb Group underwent a series of
re-activations and de-activations to meet the needs of the newly formed United
States Air Force. The following information was provided by the 445th
Public Affairs Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
With the
European war coming to a close, the 445th redeployed to Ft.
Dix, New Jersey, where it was inactivated on September 12, 1945, and its planes
sent to storage.
After World War II, the 445th Operations Group trained in the
Reserve as a very heavy bombardment group flying the B-29, AT-6 and AT-11 at
McChord Field in Washington state from 1947 to 1949.
The group deactivated in June of 1949 and was then redesignated as a
fighter-bomber wing in Buffalo, New York in 1952. The unit flew the F-51
Mustang, T-6 Texan, F-80 and T-33 Shooting Star, T-28 Trojan, and C-46 Commando.
By 1955, the unit moved to Niagara Falls, New York and flew the Republic F-84
Thunderjet, North American F-86 Sabre, Beech C-45 Expeditor, and Douglas TC-47
Skytrain, in addition to the aircraft flown at Buffalo.
In 1957, the 445th was designated a troop carrier wing
(medium), entered into the airlifter business, and moved to Dobbins Air Force
Base, Georgia. While at Dobbins, the wing flew the C-119 Flying Boxcar, C-123
Provider, C-45, C-46, and C-47 in several versions as the VC-47, C-117, and
VC-117. Later, the 445th flew the C-124 Globemaster II. The wing also flew the
U-3, T/VT-29 and the HU-16 during late 1960s and early 1970s. The 445th was
called to active duty for two months during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October
1962. The unit moved military personnel and equipment to forward operating
locations in the southeastern United States.
The 445th was never activated for the Vietnam War; however, it
was activated when the U.S.S. Pueblo, an intelligence ship, was seized off the
coast of North Korea. In January 1968, the 445th was activated
at Dobbins for 17 months until released from active service in June 1969. The
445th was deactivated again in 1971.
In 1973, the 445th was activated in the Reserve and
redesignated the 445th Military Airlift Wing (Associate) at Norton AFB,
California. The 445th was co-located at Norton with the 63rd
Military Airlift Wing of the active Air Force. The wing flew the C-141A
Starlifter, then in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the stretched –B model.
In 1989, the 445th was involved in Operation Just Cause,
joining airlift missions to Panama when General Manuel Noriega was ousted. In
1990 and 1991, elements of the 445th were activated for
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, flying missions to and from Europe,
the Middle East and the Saudi Arabian Peninsula.
In 1992, the wing was redesignated 445th Airlift Wing
(Associate), dropping the “military” in its name. The 445th
had C-130 Hercules aircraft assigned to it through the 943rd
Airlift Group at Norton AFB, flying rescue and fire fighting missions. With the
impending closure of Norton, the 445th moved to nearby March
AFB in July 1993. The wing became unit equipped, dropping the associate in its
name. The unit had its own fleet of C-141s in the Air Force Reserve versus
sharing them with their active-duty counterparts. In 1993, the 445th
was located at March AFB with the 452nd Air Refueling Wing, as
the two wings operated separate mission specialties. On May 1, 1994, the wings
were combined and the 452nd Air Mobility Wing designation
survived, and the 445th was inactivated once more.
The 445th Airlift Wing was reactivated on October 1, 1994, and
relocated to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, flying the same airplane it flew at
March and Norton, the C-141B Starlifter. The newly formed 445th
Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson was mainly composed of personnel from two
former units: the 906th Fighter Group, and the 907th
Airlift Group, which merged to become the 445th Airlift Wing
at Wright-Patterson.
The 445th continued to fly global airlift missions in support
of Department of Defense requirements. These included airland, air refueling and
aeromedical evacuation missions. In the late 1990s, the unit upgraded its C-141B
airplanes to the “C” standard, with new avionics to improve mission reliability.
The C-141 was continuing to draw down from the active Air Force and in 2001, the
C-141 training mission at Altus AFB, Oklahoma was closed. The requirement to
train C-141 crews was transferred to the Air Force Reserve when the command
announced that the 445th Airlift Wing would conduct all formal
training in the C-141 Starlifter. The 445th Formal Training
Unit (FTU), C-141 Schoolhouse, opened in January 2002 and trained crews at
Wright-Patterson until its formal closure in October 2004. The 445th
was responsible for training crews from five other Guard and Reserve wings, as
well as two flying squadrons from the 445th. This was
historic, in that it was the first time that the Air Force Reserve was solely
responsible for training all active, Guard and Reserve crews in a weapon system,
and served as a model for later formal schools training by the Reserve in other
units.
Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the 445th
flew missions supporting the transport of Taliban and Al-Qaeda detainees to
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba.
In February 2003, elements of the 445th Airlift Wing were
activated for a full two years in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi
Freedom. The 445th became the C-141 staging point for airlift
and aeromedical evacuation flights from Wright-Patterson to and from the Middle
East, in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
In 2005, as the unit demobilized, the Air Force Reserve Command announced that
the 445th Airlift Wing would be converting to the C-5A Galaxy.
The unit’s 89th Airlift Squadron started conversion in 2005.
The wing’s other flying squadron, the 356th Airlift Squadron,
had the distinction of flying the very last C-141 Starlifter to its retirement
at the National Museum of the United States Air Force May 6, 2006.
In October 2005, the 445th received the first of 10 C-5A
Galaxy aircraft, as the wing continued its strategic airlift mission, supporting
the Global War on Terrorism. Operations were still very busy as the wing
supported global Air Force and Department of Defense missions, notably in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
In the spring of 2010, the 445th was partially mobilized to
support an ongoing surge operation in Afghanistan for six months.
In March 2010, the Air Force Reserve Command announced that the 445th
Airlift Wing would transition to the C-17 Globemaster III. The wing would be
scheduled to receive four C-17s in Fiscal Year 2011, and another four in Fiscal
Year 2012. The unit’s C-5s would be gradually phased out.
The arrival of the C-17 represents a new era of flying operations, as the C-17
is the U.S. Air Force’s newest airlifter, assuring that the 445th Airlift Wing
will continue its legacy of airlift operations in the Air Force Reserve for many
years to come.
The following
gallery has pictures of the various aircraft flown by the 445th
Airlift Wing and it's predecessors.
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Planes of the 445th |
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The B-24 represented the second of the major heavy
bombers of the US Army Air Corps and carried a heavier bomb load and had
a longer range than the more famous B-17. However, the B-24 was somewhat
harder to handle and had more complicated systems. The Liberator was
used in every theater of operation during the war and had the largest
production run in US Military history with 18,031 produced for the Army
Air Corps and more than 1,800 for the US Navy and Royal Air Force.
Powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 twin WASP radial engines each
producing 1,200 HP. The B-24 had a length of 67 feet, a wing span of 110
feet, and a height of 18 feet. The Liberator had a maximum gross weight
of over 60,000 pounds with a bomb capacity of 8,000 pounds. Cruising
speed was 175 MPH with a maximum speed of 290 MPH. The B-24’s range was
approximately 3200 miles and had a service ceiling of 28,000 feet.
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The B-29 was originally designed as a replacement for the
B-17. Being designated a “very heavy” the B-17 and B-24 were considered
“heavy”. The B-29 was the first bomber for the Army Air Corps that was
pressurized and had remotely controlled gun turrets. Its great range
made it ideal for operations in the pacific and in 1943 it was decided
not to use the B-29 in Europe the most notable achievement for the B-29
was the dropping of the two atomic bombs on Japan by the “Enola Gay” and
“Bocks Car” – thus effectively ending World War II. Powered by four
Wright Cyclone R-3350 radial engines each producing 2,200 HP, the B-29
had a length of 99 feet a wingspan of 141 feet and a height of 27 feet.
The Superfortress had a maximum gross weight of over 130,000 pounds with
a bomb load of 20,000 pounds. Cruising speed was 220 MPH with a maximum
speed of 360 MPH. Range was over 3,200 miles with a service ceiling of
over 33,000 Feet. |
The North American T-6 Texan was a single engine advanced
trainer aircraft used to train fighter pilots of the United States Army
Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of
the British Commonwealth during World War II. First flown in 1935 The
T-6 was known as the “pilot maker” as the Texan filled the need for a
basic combat trainer during WWII and beyond. Powered by one Pratt &
Whitney R-1340 radial piston engine producing 550 HP, the T-6 had a
length of 29 feet, a wingspan of 42 feet, and a height of almost 12
feet. The Texans maximum gross weight was approximately 5,300 pounds.
Cruising speed was about 200 MPH. Range was 750 miles with a service
ceiling of 21,000 feet. |
In 1947 the 445th flew the Beechcraft AT-11. The unit
flew the AT-11 Kansan which was a military variant of the famous
Beechcraft model 18 commercial light transport. Beechcraft produced over
4,500 of these aircraft for the Army Air Forces between 1939 and 1945 in
four versions; the AT-7 navigator trainer, the AT-11 Kansan
bombing-gunnery trainer, the C-45 Expeditor utility transport, and the
F-2 aerial photography and mapping aircraft. During the 1950’s, Beech
completely rebuilt 900 C-45’s for the Air Force and were redesignated
C-45G’s and –H’s. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engines
each producing 450 HP, the C-45 had a length 34 feet, a wingspan of 47
feet, and a height of 9 feet. The Expeditor’s maximum gross weight was
9,300 pounds. Cruising speed was 150 MPH with a maximum speed of 219
MPH. Range was 1,140 miles with a service ceiling of 18,000 feet. |
Originally developed from a British request in 1940,
North American built the prototype from the first metal cut to factory
roll-out in just over 100 days! Mustangs served in every theater of
combat and from 1941-1945 the AAF ordered 14,855 – many of which went on
to serve in the Korean conflict and in the Reserve and Air National
Guard. Later U.S. versions were powered by a Packard-built Merlin V-1650
in-line piston engine producing over 1,600 HP. The P-51 had a length of
32 feet, a wingspan of 37 feet, and a height of nearly 14 feet. The
Mustang’s maximum gross weight was about 12,000 pounds. Armament
included six .50 Cal guns, and a bomb load of about 2,000 pounds, or 10
five inch rockets. Cruising speed was 275 MPH with a maximum speed of
437 MPH. Range was over 1,000 miles with a service ceiling of 41,000
feet. |
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In 1943, the P-80 was designed from the drawing board to
finished product in 180 days, headed by Lockheed’s chief design engineer
Clarence L. “Kelley” Johnson. Powered by an Allison J-33 turbo-jet
engine producing 5,400 pounds of thrust, the F-80 had a length of 34
feet, a wingspan of 39 feet, and a height of over 11 feet. The Shooting
Star’s maximum gross weight was over 15,000 pounds. Armament included
six .50 caliber machine guns plus 2,000 pounds of bombs or ten 5 inch
rockets. Cruising speed was over 455 MPH with a maximum speed of 580
MPH. Range was 1,300 miles with a service ceiling of over 42,000 feet.
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Developed from the single-seat P-80 fighter by
lengthening the fuselage three feet to allow room for a second cockpit,
the T-33 was originally designated the TF-80. The T-33 first flew in
March of 1948. Production continued until August 1959 with 5,691 built.
Powered by an Allison J-33 turbo-jet engine producing 5,400 pounds of
thrust, the T-33 had a length of 37 feet, a wingspan of 38 feet, and a
height of over 11 feet. The Shooting Star’s maximum gross weight was
15,000 pounds. Cruising speed was 455 MPH, with a maximum speed of 525
MPH. Range was over 1,000 miles with a service ceiling of over 42,000
feet. |
North American produced the T-28 to meet a more modern
successor to the T-6 Texan with a large frameless canopy and tricycle
landing gear. First flown in 1949, North American delivered 1,194 to the
U.S. Air Force, Navy and other Allied Nations. They were used during the
Vietnam War as light attack, close air support, and forward air control.
Powered by one Wright R-1820 radial engine producing 1,425 HP. The T-28
had a length of 33 feet, a wing span of 40 feet, and height of 12 feet.
Cruising speed was 207 MPH. Range was over 1,000 miles with a service
ceiling of 24,000 feet. |
The C-46 was a variant of the commercial Curtiss-Wright
CW-20. Over 3,100 were built for the Army Air Forces. The C-46 gained
its greatest fame in the China-Burma-India Theater known as the “Hump”,
flying needed supplies as the Japanese closed the Burma Road. The
commando was not as famous as the C-47, but offered better performance
at higher altitudes and could carry more cargo- however, required more
maintenance and had a higher loss rate. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney
R-2800 twin wasp radial engines each producing 2,000 HP, the C-46 had a
length of 76 feet, a wingspan of 108 feet, and a height of 22 feet. The
Commando’s maximum gross weight was 51,000 pounds with a load capacity
of 12,000 pounds. Cruising speed was 175 MPH with a maximum speed of 245
MPH. Range was 1,200 miles with a service ceiling of 27,000 feet. |
The Republic F-84 first flew in 1946 and became
operational in 1949. Republic built over 7,000 F-84’s. The last F-84 was
retired from the Air National Guard in 1971. Primarily used as a strike
aircraft during the Korean War the F-84 was the first aircraft to fly
with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds in 1953. The F-84 was the first
production fighter aircraft to utilize in-flight refueling and the first
fighter capable of carrying a nuclear weapon. Powered by one Allison J35
turbojet engine producing approximately 5,000 pounds of thrust, the F-84
had a length of 38 feet, a wing span of 36 feet, and a height of over 12
feet. Cruising speed was 475 MPH and range was over 1,000 miles with a
service ceiling of over 40,000 feet. |
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Developed in the late 1940’s by North American Aviation
the F-86 Sabre was the first American fighter aircraft to be designed
with swept back wings and tail and was the first American swept back
wing jet to go into combat. Performance requirements were met by
incorporating a 35 degree swept-back wing with automatic slats into the
design, using the Me 262 wing profile. First flown in 1947, North
American built over 9,000 F-86 variances for the U.S. Air Force and
several other allied nations. The F-86 was made famous during the Korean
War, where the F-86 had a 10 to 1 kill ratio against the Russian made
MiG-15. Powered by one General Electric J-47 engine producing 5,200
pounds of thrust, the F-86 had a length of 37 feet, a wing span of
39feet, and a height of over 14 feet. The Sabre’s maximum gross weight
was over 11,000 pounds. Cruising speed was over 600 MPH. Range was 850
miles with a service ceiling of 50,000 feet. |
The C-45 Expeditor was a military variant of the famous
Beechcraft model 18 commercial light transport. Beechcraft produced over
4,500 of these aircraft for the Army Air Forces between 1939 and 1945 in
four versions; the AT-7 navigator trainer, the AT-11 Kansan
bombing-gunnery trainer, the C-45 Expeditor utility transport, and the
F-2 aerial photography and mapping aircraft. During the 1950’s, Beech
completely rebuilt 900 C-45’s for the Air Force and were redesignated
C-45G’s and –H’s. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engines
each producing 450 HP, the C-45 had a length 34 feet, a wingspan of 47
feet, and a height of 9 feet. The Expeditor’s maximum gross weight was
9,300 pounds. Cruising speed was 150 MPH with a maximum speed of 219
MPH. Range was 1,140 miles with a service ceiling of 18,000 feet. |
In 1940 Douglas delivered the first of over 10,000 C-47’s
for the U.S. Army Air Corps and Navy. The C-47 was developed from the
commercial DC-3 and is one of the most famous airplanes in aviation
history. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 twin wasp radial engines
each producing 1,200 HP, the C-47 had a length of 64 feet, a wingspan of
95 feet, and a height of 17 feet. The Skytrain’s maximum gross weight
was 33,000 pounds with a load capacity of 6,000 pounds. Cruising speed
was 175 MPH with a maximum speed of 230 MPH. Range was over 1,500 miles
with a service ceiling of 24,000 feet. |
The C-119 was a unique twin-boomed transport developed
from the earlier C-82 Packet, and allowed loading through the rear of
the aircraft. The C-119 production ran from 1947 to 1955, with 946 made
for U.S. forces and over 200 for friendly nations. The C-119 differed
from the C-82 in that it had a new nose, and the flight deck was moved
to the front of the cargo area rather than on top. The C-119G was
powered by two Wright R-3350 twin-row radial engines each producing
3,000 HP. The C-119 had a length of 86 feet, a wingspan of over 109
feet, and a height of 27 feet. The Flying Boxcar had a maximum gross
weight of over 72,000 pounds with a cargo capacity of 26,000 pounds.
Cruising speed was 200 MPH with a maximum speed of 290 MPH. Range was
over 2,000 miles with a service ceiling of 22,000 feet. |
Originally designed an assault glider, the C-123 has the
distinction of being the only airframe to have flown in four different
modes: unpowered glider, piston-engine powered, turbo-jet powered, and
finally turbo-prop powered. In all, more than 300 Providers were
produced in various versions for the U.S. and foreign nations. Being
originally designed as a glider, the C-123 had no fuel internally in its
wings, and had to carry external tanks located underneath the wings and
behind the engines. It also had two external tanks under the outside
portion of the wings for added range. The provider gained its greatest
publicity during the Vietnam War when it was used for aerial spray
missions using a jungle defoliant. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-2800
radial engines each producing 2,500 HP, the C-123K also had two General
Electric J-85 turbo-jets underneath the outboard wings producing an
additional 2,850 pounds of thrust each. The C-123 had a length of 76
feet, a wingspan of 110 feet and a height of 34 feet. The Provider had a
maximum gross weight of 60,000 pounds with a cargo capacity of 21,000
pounds. Cruising speed was 170 MPH with a maximum speed of 240 MPH. The
C-123’s range was about 1,400 miles and had a service ceiling of over
25,000 feet. |
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In 1957 the Air Force selected the Cessna 310 for service
as a light utility aircraft for transport and administrative support.
The USAF purchases 160 unmodified 310A aircraft with the designation
L-27A and unofficially nicknamed Blue Canoe, later changed to U-3A in
1962. Powered by two Continental 260 HP piston engines, the U-3 had a
length of 27 feet, a wing span of 36 feet, and a height of over 10 feet.
The U-3’s maximum gross weight was 4,600 pounds. Cruising speed was 205
MPH. Range was 1,000 miles with a service ceiling of 20,000 feet. |
First flown in 1947 the Grumman HU-16 Albatross entered
Military service in July 1949. More than 450 were built. The HU-16 was
built for the USAF for search and rescue duties. Versions of the
Albatross were also flown by the US Navy and US Coast Guard. Powered by
two Wright R-1820 radial engines each producing 1425 HP, the HU-16 had a
length of 62 feet, a wing span of 96 feet, and a height of 25 feet. The
Albatross’ maximum gross weight was 37,500 pounds. Cruising speed was
124 MPH. Range was 2,850 miles with a service ceiling of 21,500 feet. |
The T-29 was developed from the Convair Liner model 240
as the first post WWII commercial transport designed by Consolidated
Vultee as a DC-3 replacement. The Convair T-29 was used to instruct USAF
Navigators and bombardiers. First flown in 1947 the USAF and the US Navy
operated T-29s in separate units at separate locations until 1976. The
445th Airlift Wing also operated the VT-29 which was a VIP version for
staff transport. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines
each producing 2,100 HP, the T-29 had a length of 74 feet, a wing of
span of 91 feet, and a height of 27 feet. The T-29 had a maximum gross
weight of 42,500 pounds. Cruising speed was 280 MPH. Range was 1,200
miles with a service ceiling of 16,000 feet. |
The C-124 was developed by Douglas from the earlier C-74
Globemaster. The C-124 featured 2 large clamshell doors and a
hydraulically actuated ramp in the nose as well as a cargo elevator
under the aft fuselage. The C-124 was capable of carrying 68,000 pounds
of cargo. First flown in 1949, Douglas built 446 Globemasters. The last
C-124 was retired in 1974. It was the only aircraft of it’s time capable
of transporting heavy equipment such as tanks and bulldozers without
prior disassembly. C-124 was the primary heavy-lift transport for the
United States Air Force Military Air Transport Service (MATS) during the
1950s and early 1960s. Powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial
engines each producing 3,800 HP, the Globemaster had a length of 130
feet, a wing span of 174 feet, and a height of 48 feet. The
Globemaster’s maximum gross weight was 175,000 pounds. Cruising speed
was 230 MPH. Range was 6,800 miles with a ceiling of 21,000 feet. |
Lockheed originally built 285 C-141A model Starlifter’s
from 1963-1967. In the late 1970’s through the mid 1980’s Lockheed
“stretched” the airplane by 23 feet and added in-flight refueling
capabilities resulting in the C-141B model. In the mid 1990’s the “C”
model was introduced with the addition of advanced “glass cockpit”
avionics to 64 airframes in the Guard and Reserve. The 445th Airlift
Wings 356th Airlift Squadron was the last operator of the C-141 as it
was retired to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in May
2006. The C-141 was powered by four Pratt and Whitney TF-33 turbo-fan
engines each producing 20,250 pounds of thrust. The C-141B/C had a
length of 168 feet, a wingspan of 160 feet, and a height of about 42
feet. The Starlifter’s had a maximum gross weight of 325,000 pounds,
with a cargo capacity of over 70,000 pounds. Cruising speed was .74/767
Mach with a maximum speed of .825 Mach. Range was over 4,200 miles with
a service ceiling of 41,000 feet. |
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First flown in 1955, with thousands produced over the
years, most numbers were the –B, -E, and -H models. The Hercules has
been produced in more variants and flown by more countries’ armed forces
than just about any other airplane. A testament to the airframe is that
it is still in production today in the form of the C-130J model. The
C-130E was powered by four Allison T-56-A-7 engines each producing 4,050
shaft HP. The C-130 has a length of 97 feet, a wingspan of 132 feet, and
a height of 38 feet. The Hercules has a maximum gross weight of 155,000
pounds with a cargo capacity of over 40,000 pounds. Cruising speed is
about 300 knots with a maximum speed of over 330 knots. Range is over
2,000 miles with a service ceiling of nearly 30,000 feet. |
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In 2005, the 445th Airlift Wing converted to the Lockheed
C-5 Galaxy. Lockheed originally built 77 C-5A’s from 1968-1973. In the
1980’s an additional 50 C-5B’s were built. The C-5 is currently powered
by four General Electric TF-39 high-bypass turbo-fan engines each
producing 43,000 pounds of thrust, with a length of 247 feet, a wingspan
of 222 feet, and a height of 65 feet. The Galaxy has a maximum gross
weight of 772,000 pounds, with a cargo capacity of approximately 260,000
pounds. Cruising speed is .77 Mach with a maximum speed of .825 Mach.
Range is over 4,300 miles with a service ceiling of 41,000 feet.
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Originally developed by McDonnell Douglas in the 1980s
the C-17 has become the core jet airlifter for the USAF. The C-17 is
used for strategic airlift, tactical airlift, medical evacuation, and
air drop missions. Developed from the McDonnell Douglas YC-15, the
Globemaster III gradually replaced the C-141 while retaining some
capabilities of the C-130 and the C-5 Galaxy. First flown in 1991, the
Air Force originally requested 210 aircraft. The C-17 has become the
most versatile airlifter in the Air Force inventory with capabilities to
land on short austere airfields, fly for long range, and deliver a pay
load of 160,000 pounds with in-flight refueling capability. Powered by
four Pratt & Whitney F-117-PW-100 engines each producing 40,440 pounds
of thrust, the C-17 has a length of 174 feet, a wing span of 170 feet,
and a height of 55 feet. The Globemaster’s maximum gross weight is
585,000 pounds. Cruising speed is .76 Mach. Range is 2,785 miles with a
service ceiling of 45,000 feet. |
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