Specialty Press

United States Air Force

Unit Designations

Since 1978

by Brian Rogers

Reviewed By Jim Pearsall, #2209

MSRP: $44.95 USD

Available from Specialty Press:

39966 Grand Ave, North Branch, MN, 55056

http://www.spcialtypress.com

The basics:  Softbound, 8 ½ X 11 inches, 260 pages, with 50 color photos.

I want to thank Specialty Press for sending this review copy.

The Contents:  the first thing I did when I got this book was open it and find the ANG unit I was with for a long time.  It’s in there. It’s correct.  OK.

But the question came up in my mind, “Why 1978?”  Well, there’s obviously the answer that if it went from 1947, it’d be about 6 inches thick.  But the REAL answers are:

  • 1978 was the last year that Aerospace Defense Command existed as a separate entity.
  • 1978 was when the Air Force went to the Production Oriented Maintenance Organization concept, and the colored bands on the tails actually designated squadrons.
  • The large scale base closings and reorganizations of the mid-70s had settled out, and wings/groups/squadrons were stabilized.
  • There’s already a great book, “Combat Wings of the Air Force” which covers the subject from 1947 to 1977. 

The book is strictly a reference work, laid out with page after page of tabular information (a tabular is a table without a table title, but I digress).  And it’s pretty easy to use.  It has the information, and even I could figure it out in minutes.

How it’s laid out:

  • Section 1, Air Force Wings
  • Section 2, AF Reserve Wings
  • Section 3, Airlift Squadrons
  • Section 4, Air Refueling Squadrons
  • Section 5, Bomb Squadrons
  • Section 6 Fighter Squadrons
  • Section 7, Flight Test Squadrons
  • Section 8, Flying Training Squadrons
  • Section 9, Miscellaneous Squadrons and Organizations
  • Section 10, Reconnaissance and Air Control Squadrons
  • Section 11, Rescue, Special Operations, and Helicopter Squadrons
  • Section 12, Tactical Air Support Squadrons
  • Section 13, AFRES Squadrons
  • Section 14, ANG Squadrons

There are two appendices, one with tail markings, the other with Unit Designator & tail codes.  Since this is the info most of us want to find quickly, it’s very handy.

Conclusion:  This is another of those labors of love.  This information is probably available somewhere, but finding it can be a real chore.  If you’re into USAF grey jets, this book was compiled for you.  It’s a single source for who flies what, where they’re based, what they were called before.  Also, the tail markings and tail codes are something no one else pays much attention to. 

This is definitely a book for the niche enthusiast.  But if you’re in that niche, I suggest you have serious thoughts about how you’re going to get this book.

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