Portal:United States Air Force

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Air Force One is the call sign for any USAF aircraft carrying the President of the United States (POTUS). The first aircraft dedicated to presidential airlift was a specially outfitted C-54 Skymaster nicknamed Sacred Cow served Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. The name 'Air Force One' was first used in 1953 after an incident in which Dwight D. Eisenhower's aircraft shared a call sign with a commercial flight. A number of different airframes have been used for presidential transport, including a C-118 Liftmaster, C-121 Constellation, and a C-137 Stratoliner. Currently Air Force One is most commonly a modified Boeing 747-200B designated as VC-25 by the Air Force.

USAF News

A C-130J of the California Air National Guard with its Rolls-Royce AE 2100 turboprop engines.

Service considering retrofitting late-model C-130's with new engines

Aerospace Vehicle Spotlight

The C-130 Hercules is a multi-role transport aircraft. First introduced in 1956 the airframe has proven to be incredibly versatile. The aircraft was designed by the Lockheed corporation and initially designed to carry up to 92 passengers, have a range of 1,100 nautical miles (2,000 km), and have the capability to take off and land at short and unprepared strips. Testing for the aircraft was conducted from 1954-1956 with the first production models being delivered to the 463d Troop Carrier Wing at Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma and the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Sewart AFB, Tennessee in December 1956.

Since that time the C-130 has performed admirably. The aircraft has been employed extensively in major combat operations and military operations other than war (such as humanitarian aid missions) since first being deployed. It continues to perform airlift, airdrop, aerial refueling, electronic warfare, close air support, and reconnaissance missions worldwide.

To date 2,262 C-130s have been produced. There are more than 50 military and civilian variants of the aircraft operated by 89 countries. The newest version, the C-130J Super Hercules, includes major upgrades to the avionics and engines, increases the speed and range of the aircraft while reducing the crew requirements.

Biography Spotlight

Captain Eddie Rickenbacker (1890-1973) is the highest scoring American ace of World War I. He was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1890 and at an early age began undertaking high-risk activities. His formal schooling ended when his father died in 1902. However, Rickenbacker had an aptitude for engineering leading him into the automotive field. He became a race car driver and participated in four Indianapolis 500 races.

Rickenbacker was in England when the United States joined World War I. He enlisted in the army and fought to get into flight training. After training he was assigned to the 94th Aero Squadron. Rickenbacker claimed his first aerial victory on 29 April 1918. A month later, on 28 May he claimed his fifth, making him an ace. In all Rickenbacker achieved 26 aerial victories and was awarded a Medal of Honor, seven Distinguished Service Crosses, a French Legion of Honor, and a French Croix de Guerre.

After the war Rickenbacker briefly ran his own car company, ran the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Eastern Air Lines. During World War II he supported the war effort by touring military facilities in the United States and abroad and even traveled to the Soviet Union to help improve their aerial capabilities. Rickenbacker died in 1973 at the age of 82 in Zürich, Switzerland. He is buried at the Green Lawn Cemetery in his home town of Columbus.

Did You Know...

... that the United States Air Force Marathon is held annually at Wright Patterson Air Force Base on the Saturday nearest to the Air Force's birthday of 18 September. Events include a 26.2 mile marathon, a half marathon, a wheelchair race, a four-person relay, and a 5k race.

Quotes

"Recommitting to our own high standards is the foundation for our success in every mission area, not just our nuclear enterprise. To this end, I charge the Air Force to:

- Continue leaning forward in every respect in support of Joint operations
- Ensure that our core values of Integrity First, Service before Self, and Excellence in All We Do underpin every action, by every Airman, at all times
- Commit to individual and organizational accountability
- Critically examine our internal processes, restore discipline, identify weaknesses, and aggressively solve problems
- Overcome any challenge that impinges on our credibility, readiness, or the trust placed in us by others - Do our mission for the Nation, and do it well "

— Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley, June 30, 2008

Donley, Michael B. (June 30, 2008). "Letter to Airman". Senior Leaders Viewpoints. United States Air Force. Retrieved February 19, 2009. 

USAF Topics

• The United States Air National Guard
• The United States Air Force Reserves
• The United States Air Force Auxiliary: The United States Civil Air Patrol
• United States Unified Combatant Command
• Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) past and present decisions

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