LUKE AIR FORCE BASE AIR PARK

THE HISTORY OF
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE

 

Luke Air Force Base, located 20 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix, Ariz., was named for 2nd Lt. Frank Luke, Jr., a Phoenix native and World War I   pilot.

Construction of an Army Air Corps advanced training facility for fighter pilots began in March 1941.

The facility officially became Luke Field in June 1941, when 45 students of class 41F arrived for training in the AT-6. The class graduated Aug. 15, 1941.

During WWII, Luke produced 17,231 graduates from advanced single-engine and fighter- training programs.

Student pilots progressed from the AT‑6 trainer to the P-40, practicing aerial combat over the Ajo Auxiliary Airfield, later known as the Gila Bend Gunnery Range and renamed in March 1987 as the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range. By the time the base closed Nov. 30, 1946, pilot production had dropped to only 299 pilots that year.

Reactivated as Luke Air Force Base under Air Training Command Feb. 1, 1951, the base became home to the 127th Pilot Training Wing, which flew F-84 jet fighters. The 127th PTW was defederalized and the 3600th Flying Training Wing was activated as the Luke host wing Nov. 1, 1952.  When Luke was transferred to Tactical Air Command on July 1, 1958, the parent wing became the 4510th Combat Crew Training Wing.

Between 1969 and 1980, Luke saw many changes in designation of the host unit, although the primary mission of training fighter pilots for the combat Air Force remained. Overseeing the mission were the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing, 405th Tactical Training Wing and the 832nd Air Division.

Under a major Air Force reorganization program, the 832nd AD and the 405th TTW were inactivated Oct. 1, 1991, and the redesignated 58th Fighter Wing once again became Luke’s host unit,

 In order to preserve the most historic units and maintain Air Force legacy during the draw- down, the 58th FW was reassigned to Kirtland AFB, N.M., and the 56th Fighter Wing transferred to Luke from MacDill AFB, Florida., on April 1, 1994. During World War II, the 56th destroyed more enemy aircraft and produced more aces than any other unit in the 8th Air Force.

The 56th FW trains pilots in the F‑35A Lightning II and the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Since 1941, Luke has produced over 59,000 graduates from fighter training programs for the US and its allies and is truly: “Fighter Country.”

Tenant units at Luke include the Air Force Reserve’s 944th Fighter Wing, which provides F-16 and F-35 qualification training.

 

Air Park Map

The Air Park is located directly south of Club Five Six.
The Club has room for bus parking.

 

Medal of Honor Memorial

 

The Medal of Honor is the highest U.S. military decoration awarded to individuals who, while serving in the U.S. armed forces, have distinguished themselves by conspicuous gallantry and courage at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty. Each decoration awarded represents an incontestable act of bravery or self-sacrifice involving obvious risk of life. The President of the United States presents the award in the name of Congress. The individuals listed on the Medal of Honor Memorial at Luke called Arizona home.

F-86F Sabre

History

Of the many nicknames the North American F-86 Sabre earned in its long career, the “MiG Killer” gives the best idea of its success as a fighter. This classic swept-wing jet was originally designed as a straight wing carrier plane for the U.S. Navy. The Sabre flew as a prototype (XP-86) in 1947 and the F-86A variant entered USAF service in February 1949. It was the first production jet aircraft to fly supersonic in a dive. Although slightly under powered compared to its chief rival, the Russian MiG-15, its maneuverability, steadiness and better pilots achieved a 14-to-1 ratio over the North Korean aircraft.

The Sabre served in more than two dozen air forces and was manufactured continuously for 13 years with 8,732 being built. An upgraded model, the F-86F, had a more powerful engine and modifications which improved its handling and capabilities. Eventually, 2,500 F

-86Fs were made. With the F-86F, the 4517th Combat Training Squadron at Luke produced more than 100 graduates for foreign air forces and National Guard units from 1960 to 1962.

Luke’s Aircraft

This F-86 displays the colors of the 62nd Fighter Squadron, which is currently assigned to Luke and flew the Sabre. 1st Lt. Charles Goodwin, whose name appears on the aircraft, was a F-86 instructor pilot at Luke. He went on to become the inspector general here. Airman 2nd Class George Logan, whose name also appears on the aircraft, was Goodwin’s crew chief.

F-100C Super Sabre

 
History

In 1949, North American started plans to improve on the successful F-86 and make a true supersonic fighter. Those plans resulted in the F-100 Super Sabre.

The F-100 Super Sabre first flew in May 1953 and was the first USAF aircraft to fly faster than Mach 1 in level flight. In August 1955, it set a world speed record of 822 miles per hour.

The F-100 was the workhorse of tactical air units throughout the 1960s. The F-100A was essentially an air superiority fighter. Its successor, the F-100C, had six external ordnance stations for the fighter bomber mission and was one of the first fighters capable of in-flight refueling. The more sophisticated and versatile F-100D was an even better bomber and the F-model increased the fighter’s capability with the ability to carry AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking missiles.

When production ended in October 1959, North American had delivered 2,294 Super Sabres. The F-100C/D/F served at Luke from October 1957 until August 1971. During that period, eight different squadrons in three wings flew the aircraft.

Their combined efforts produced 3,451 graduates from F-100 training.

Luke’s Aircraft

Capt. Rex Hammock, whose name appears on the aircraft, was an instructor pilot in the F-100 from 1957 to 1967. In the mid-1970s he was the assistant director of F-4 operations here. Staff Sgt. Paul Govin, whose name also appears on the aircraft, was Hammock’s crew chief.

F-4E Phantom II

 
History

The F-4 Phantom II proved its many capabilities in every major conflict from Vietnam to Operation Desert Storm.

The F-4 project was started by the Navy with a request for an all-weather supersonic plane. The F4H-1 flew first in May 1958. The USAF was so impressed with the Navy’s F-4, they ordered their own version, the F-110. It was later renamed the F-4C, which made its prototype flight in May 1963. The F-4 became the Air Force’s primary operation tactical fighter-bomber performing air superiority, interdiction, close air support and suppression of enemy air defenses.

Eight countries adopted standard USAF models with a total of 5,211 Phantom IIs built until May 1981.

Luke instructors used F-4s to train 3,147 F-4 air crew members from 1971 to 1982. A reconnaissance version, the RF-4, replaced the standard armament with photographic equipment.

Luke’s Aircraft

This F-4E destroyed a MiG-21 over North Vietnam in September 1972 while assigned to the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The jet appears in the markings of Luke’s 308th Fighter Squadron. Lt. Col. Hank Canterbury, whose name appears on the aircraft, commanded the 308th FS from 1973 to 1975.

He went on to command the 832nd Air Division at Luke from 1982 to 1984. Capt. Rick Ma- lick, whose name also appears on the aircraft, represents the backseaters who flew as weapons systems officers. Malick was Canterbury’s backseater. Sgt. Gary Martin’s name also appears on the aircraft. He was Canterbury’s crew chief.

F-104C Starfighter

 
History

In 1952, Kelly Johnson and Lockheed’s chief engineer, who later designed the SR-71, began work on a Mach 2 fighter-interceptor.

In February 1954, the XF-104 made its first test flight and production began for almost 200 U.S. F-104s. The small (less than 22 feet), thin wings (less than 2 inches thick) were ideal for supersonic flight; however, they also forced F-104 pilots to land at high speeds (around 200 miles per hour).

In response to West German needs for a modern fighter-bomber, Lockheed strengthened the aircraft structure and installed a more powerful engine and better avionics. The first of 96 Luftwaffe F-104Gs flew in 1960.

The F-104Gs at Luke were owned by Germany, but under USAF control. More than 2,200 F‑104 pilots graduated from 1964 to 1983 in this unique USAF-German training program.

Lockheed sold more than 1,500 F-104s, which flew in more than 15 air forces throughout the world. In 1992, the F-104 was still flying as a frontline fighter in both Italy and Turkey.

Luke’s Aircraft

This jet is actually tail number is 56-892, but is displayed as 13243 because that aircraft was as- signed to Luke. Maj. Gary Blake, whose name is on the aircraft, served as an instructor pilot for Luke in the F-104 from 1966 to 1967, and again from 1968 to 1972. He went on to log 2,960 hours in the cockpit of the F-104 starfighter. Ben McAvoy, whose name also appears on the air- craft, represents the many civilian-contract crew chiefs who worked on the F-104.

F-16A Falcon

 

History

The F-16 is built under an agreement between the United States and four NATO countries. These countries jointly produced an initial 348 F-16s for their air forces. The consortium’s F-16s are assembled from components manufactured in all five countries. The long-term benefits of this program include technology transfer among the nations and a common-use aircraft for the NATO nations.

USAF F-16 multi-mission fighters were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm, where more sorties were flown than with any other aircraft. These fighters were used to attack airfields, military production facilities, Scud missile sites and a variety of other targets.

Luke’s Aircraft

This F-16 Fighting Falcon symbolizes the F-16 fighter training program which began at Luke in 1982. 1st Lt. Brice Simpson, whose name appears on the aircraft, represents all the men and women who flew the jet here, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Simpson began training at Luke in late 1997 and graduated in April 1998. He was then assigned to Misawa Air Base, Japan, where he was involved in an aircraft accident. He died in September 1998. Staff Sgt. Mark D. DeBord, whose name is also on the aircraft, represents all the technicians who maintained the aircraft at Luke. DeBord’s expertise as an F-16 crew chief was recognized when he was named Air Education and Training Command’s 1997 Crew Chief of the Year.

The F-16 display is located one block west of the Air Park. The area has no parking for buses so it is recommended to walk from the Air Park. If necessary, the bus can be parked in the parking lot to the southeast of the display.

Below is a layout of the small park that houses the F-16A Falcon. The semi-circle path in front of the jet are the state flags with the American Flag in the center.

AT-6 Texan