McConnell Air Force Base

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McConnell Air Force Base
Wichita, Kansas in the United States of America
Several KC-135R Stratotankers on the apron at McConnell AFB during 2013.
McConnell AFB Show map of Kansas McConnell AFB Show map of the United States McConnell AFB Show map of North America
Coordinates	37°37′23″N 097°16′02″W / 37.62306°N 97.26722°W / 37.62306; -97.26722
Type	US Air Force base
Site information
Owner	Department of Defense
Operator	US Air Force
Controlled by	Air Mobility Command (AMC)
Condition	Operational
Website	www.mcconnell.af.mil
Site history
Built	1929 (1929) (as Wichita Municipal Airport)
In use	1941 – present
Garrison information
Current commander	Colonel Cory M. Damon
Garrison	22nd Air Refueling Wing (Host)
Airfield information
Identifiers	AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 01L/19R 3,657.6 metres (12,000 ft) Concrete 01R/19L 3,659.7 metres (12,007 ft) Asphalt and concrete
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

McConnell Air Force Base (

(184 W).

McConnell's primary mission is to provide global reach by conducting

where and when needed.

History

McConnell Air Force Base was known during the first part of its existence as the Wichita Municipal Airport. Although the field was designed originally to serve only municipal civil airport needs, it had an Air Force connection almost from the beginning.

Origins

McConnell's history began in October 1924, when the city of Wichita hosted more than 100,000 people for the National Air Congress. The event was used by city planners to raise funds for a proposed Wichita Municipal Airport. The event was a success and ground-breaking ceremonies for the airport were held on 28 June 1929.

In August 1941, the Kansas

127th Observation Squadron was activated as the first military unit assigned to the Wichita airport. The unit's limited equipment included one BC-1A, one C-47, and four L-1 aircraft. This was the start of a cooperative relationship between the people of Wichita and military aviation.

B-29 Superfortress production

On 6 October 1941, the unit was ordered to extended active duty and remained an integral part of the

. The airport, at that time, was located about six miles from the city of Wichita and comprised some 1,337 acres. The runways were adequate; five runways were each 150 feet wide; two were 7,500 feet, one 7,100 feet, one 6,000 feet, and one 4,500 feet in length. All had a wheel load capacity of 60,000 pounds. A parking apron with dimensions of 8,373 by 931 feet, and seven taxi strips were provided.

Other facilities at the airport, however, were meager. The field could boast of only one hangar and three small warehouses. No facilities were available either for troop housing or troop messing. No fuel storage facilities existed, and all such supplies were handled by commercial contract.

A lease between the federal government and the city was concluded and on 1 March 1942, the AAF Materiel Center,

's 4156th AAF Base Unit (Air Base) was organized. The new base unit had the mission of servicing, dispatching, and maintaining transient and locally based aircraft. The working personnel were entirely civilian, with a few officers in supervisory capacities.

On 11 October 1946, the 4156th AAF Base Unit was ordered to cease operations by the 30th of the month. Consequently, the remainder of October was spent in closing down operations and transferring property to

, Oklahoma.

On 15 November the field was officially transferred to the District Engineer,

(the successor of the Oklahoma City Air Technical Service Command).

Wichita Airport was returned to civilian jurisdiction, and it remained so until 1951.

Cold War

The Boeing

facility was already heavily committed to the

B-29

bombers to aerial tankers, it was decided that the production Stratojets were to be built at Boeing's factory in Wichita.

B-47 Stratojet training

By the summer of 1950, Boeing was ready to turn out the first production models of the B-47, and the

bomber at Boeing made the airport a desirable location for the Air Force to conduct B-47 combat crew training.

On 31 May 1951, the USAF took title to Wichita Municipal Airport, and on 4 June the Air Training Command 3520th Combat Crew Training Wing was activated at the facility. To perform the training, the 3520th Combat Crew Training Wing was activated, and an ambitious building program totaling some $22,000,000 was begun.

In spite of the difficulty of building an installation and initiating an entirely new program simultaneously, the base developed into a highly specialized training center. There were two principal parts to the mission of the training center: aircrew training in B-47's and transition training in the same aircraft. A subsequent fluctuation of emphasis from one of those functions to the other reflected the varying demands of the Strategic Air Command. A more inclusive functional title was given the wing in June 1952 when it was redesignated the 3520th Flying Training Wing (M Bomb).

The Air Force was not the sole occupant during this period. In 1952 Wing Headquarters shared the Wichita Municipal Airport Terminal Building with four commercial airlines, Braniff Airlines, Central Airlines, Trans World Airlines, and Continental Airlines, and also one private flying service: "Executive Airways". These air lines were located in the terminal building at the time of government occupation, and they were permitted to operate on a temporary basis pending completion of the new municipal airport for Wichita.

Up through 1 April 1952, the Wichita Municipal Airport was under the jurisdiction of the Flying Training Air Force. On that date it was transferred to the Crew Training Air Force, another division of the Air Training Command.

By 1952, the Air Force had decided to make a permanent airbase of the municipal airport. The Federal Government took over the property by federal court action during the first half of 1952, thus becoming the owner and no longer a lessee. Reflecting official government ownership, Wichita Municipal Airport was redesignated as the Wichita Air Force Base on 15 May 1953.

However, the name was changed to McConnell Air Force Base after less than a year in honor of Wichita brothers Fred and Thomas McConnell, both Air Force pilots and World War II veterans. Fred was killed in a private plane crash in 1945, while Thomas died in a bombing raid on Bougainville Island in the South Pacific.

Air Training Command was host at the base from 1951 through 1958, training B-47 aircrews. Strategic Air Command took control over the base on 1 July 1958 and the B-47 training mission. The 4347th Combat Crew Training Wing replaced the 3520th and the 42d Strategic Aerospace Division was activated on 15 July 1959. B-47 crew training continued at McConnell until 1 March 1963 when the 4347th CCTW was inactivated.

Titan II ballistic missiles

On 1 March 1962, Strategic Air Command stood up the

missile silos formed a ring from the northeast around to the south and the west on an irregular radius of 20 to 50 miles from the base. This mission of deterrence dominated base activity for the next twenty-four years until 1986 when the 381st Strategic Missile Wing was inactivated. The removal of the missiles and of all Titan II ICBM systems began in July 1982 and was completed in June 1987. All of the missile silos in Kansas and Arkansas were demolished, and all but one of them in Arizona.

Tactical fighter aircraft

In October 1962, the

became responsible for the base with the 388 TFW as host unit.

On 21 July 1964, the

Korat RTAFB

, where its F-105 squadrons had been on a rotational deployment for the past two years.

On 8 February 1964 the

was reactivated at McConnell initially with three F-105 (561st, 562d, 563d) squadrons. The 4519th Combat Crew Training Squadron was activated on 1 August 1967 with F-105B/D/F/G aircraft, then was inactivated on 16 October 1969, being replaced by the 419th TFS.

Squadron markings on the natural metal / silver lacquered aircraft included the following: 561 TFS – black/yellow checkerboarding on rudder; 562 TFS – a red, white and black "sharkmouth" on the nose of the aircraft; 563 TFS red and white stripes on the rudder, wingtips and stabilizers with a white band on the top of the vertical fin. When the finish on tactical jets was replaced by Southeast Asian Camouflaged, the squadrons carried the following tail codes: 561 TFS "MD"; 562 TFS "ME"; 563 TFS "MF", and the 4519th, (later 419th TFS).TFTS "MG".

The mission of the 23 TFW at McConnell was to provide training for F-105 pilots prior to their deployment to Southeast Asia. The 560th acted as a combat training squadron, while the other three squadrons began rotational TDY deployments to Southeast Asia beginning in November 1964.

In February 1965, when the 23 TFW deployed three squadrons to Southeast Asia for combat, these units were initially under the control of the 2d Air Division. Later, the 6441 TFW (P) was activated at

.

On 1 August 1967, the 4519th Combat Crew Training squadron was added to the 23 TFW, and the 560 TFS was inactivated on 25 September 1968.

The wing maintained proficiency in tactical fighter operations, and later also functioned as an F-105 replacement training unit and assisted

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

. In 1970, the "Wild Weasel" F-105G model replaced the F-105D/F models in the 561st and 419th TFSs.

On 1 July 1972, the 23d TFW was transferred to

George AFB

, California.

The administrative organization in command of these wings was the 835th Air Division, activated on 24 June 1964. This AD was inactivated 30 June 1971, leaving the 23d TFW as the main air unit at McConnell until its departure a year later.

Strategic bomber/air refueling

McConnell received a new mission in April 1971 with the arrival of the

384th Air Refueling Wing

(ARW) began its tour at McConnell AFB in December 1972 and took control of the 91st ARS. On 30 September 1973, a second KC-135A refueling squadron, the 384th ARS was activated on the base, making McConnell an air refueling hub for SAC.

In early 1983, the 384 ARW's leadership learned that it would be the first wing to receive the upgraded

KC-135R

. The 91st and 384th ARW were both upgraded to the new model in 1984. The "R" model had upgraded engines which produced much greater fuel efficiency than the older models, as well as having a higher on-board fuel storage capacity. The initial aircraft marking for both squadrons was a light blue/navy blue diamond checkerboard fin flash.

On 2 October 1981, President

North American-Rockwell B-1B bombers

. The first production models entered the USAF inventory in March 1985. It was announced by the Air Force that McConnell would be equipped with the B-1B in 1987. The 384th was redesignated as the 384th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 1 July 1987, and the 28th Bombardment Squadron was activated that date to fly the 25 bombers assigned to the wing.

With the arrival of the B-1s, the 91st ARS was inactivated, leaving the wing with one KC-135 tanker squadron. The 91st was later reactivated in July 1988 with the new 301st ARW at

Malmstrom AFB

, Montana with KC-135R aircraft.

In January 1987, the Kansas

General Dynamics F-16A/B Fighting Falcon

and conducted conversion and upgrade training in the F-16. On 8 July 1987, the 161st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron was established as the third flying squadron at McConnell. Formal activation ceremonies for the 161st occurred on 12 September 1987, with the unit flying 10 F-16s and conducting its first student training class.

In August 1990, Iraq invaded neighboring Kuwait and McConnell personnel and aircraft were deployed throughout the Middle East, performing refueling missions of Coalition aircraft in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm to help eject the invaders from the small kingdom of Kuwait.

1991 Tornado

On 26 April 1991, an F5 tornado devastated McConnell during the

Post Cold War

With the end of the Cold War, the Air Force went through many changes. One of these changes was the Objective Wing concept, which created "Operations Groups" (OG) to place operational aircraft squadrons under organizationally. The 38th engaged this change on 1 September 1991 and was redesignated simply as the 384th Wing, with the 28th Bomb Squadron (B-1B) and the 384th Air Refueling Squadron (KC-135R) as its operational units.

In 1992, additional changes were made at McConnell. In March, the 184th Tactical Fighter Group was designated as the 184th Fighter Group. On 1 June Strategic Air Command was inactivated as part of a massive re-alignment of the Air Force command structure. The 384th was assigned to the newly established

, Georgia. The 184th FG also became part of ACC.

In July 1993, the 184th Fighter Group changed gaining commands and became part of the new

.

As a result of a

was reassigned to McConnell without personnel or equipment on 1 January 1994. As a result, on 1 January, the 384th was redesignated as the 384th Bomb Group, as a unit under the 22d ARW.

The USAF planned to return McConnell to being an air refueling hub, and as a result the B-1 equipped 28th Bomb Squadron was reassigned without equipment or personnel to the 7th OG at

, Texas on 1 October 1994. Its B-1 aircraft were transferred across the runway to the Kansas Air National Guard 127th Bomb Squadron and the 384th BG was inactivated on 30 September 1994. Throughout 1994, various KC-135R air refueling squadrons were reassigned from other units to the 22d ARW as follows:

• 344 ARS from 68th ARW, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC (29 April 1994)
• 349 ARS was reactivated at McConnell (1 January 1994)
• 350 ARS from 43d ARW, Beale AFB, CA (1 July 1994)
• 384 ARS from the 19th ARW, Robins AFB, GA (1 January 1994)

On 1 April 1994, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) selected McConnell as its training base for its KC-135 crews and maintenance personnel. The RSAF stationed two of their Stratotankers with the 22 ARW, naming the organization the Peace Guardian Detachment

On 1 January 1995, the Air Force Reserve

(ARG) joined Team McConnell. The Air Force Reserve associate unit provides aircrews while the 22d furnishes the maintenance crews and aircraft.

Since 1996, McConnell served as the test site for the PACER CRAG avionics modernization program. The next year, the base became the test unit for the multi-point refueling.

During the 1990s, the 22d ARW deployed crews and aircraft to support no-fly missions over northern and southern

.

Global war on terror

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the 22d initially deployed jets in support of Operation Noble Eagle. Before the end of the year, McConnell tankers were sent to Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Southwest Asia and other locations to support Operation Enduring Freedom.

In 2002, in order to save money, the USAF agreed to reduce its active fleet of B-1Bs from 92 to 60 aircraft. All B-1 aircraft built in FY 1983 and most of the FY 1984 B-1 aircraft, which primarily resided in the Kansas Air National Guard and the Georgia Air National Guard, were retired beginning in August 2002, leaving only the more recently built B-1 aircraft in the Regular Air Force still flying. As a result, the 184th Bomb Wing's aircraft were transferred to 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG). Initially they were retained in "active storage" which means that they could be quickly returned to service should circumstances dictate. In fact, the older aircraft were scavenged for parts to keep the active-duty aircraft flying.

With the retirement of their B-1s, in September 2002, the 184th took on a new mission flying KC-135s and was officially designated the

supported the same mission together in a pure "Mirror Force" concept.

The Base Realignment and Closure Committee in 2005 said that the 184th Air Refueling Wing would become the

, a non-flying organization, and their KC-135R aircraft transferred to other Regular Air Force air refueling and air mobility wings. They converted to that designation in 2007.

On 23 April 2014, the USAF announced that the

Major Commands to which assigned

Materiel Command, 1 March 1942 – 17 July 1944 AAF Materiel and Services, 17 July 1944 – 31 August 1944 Redesignated: AAF Technical Service Comd, 31 August 1944 – 1 July 1945 Redesignated: Air Technical Service Comd, 1 July 1945 – 9 March 1946 Air Materiel Command, 9 March 1946 – 15 November 1946 Air Training Command, 7 June 1951 – 1 July 1958

Strategic Air Command, 1 July 1958 – 1 July 1963 Tactical Air Command, 1 July 1963 – 1 July 1972 Strategic Air Command, 1 July 1972 – 1 June 1992 Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992 – 31 December 1993 Air Mobility Command, 31 December 1993–present

Major units assigned

Midwestern Procurement District Gp, 1 March 1942 – 7 September 1945 724th AAF Base Unit, 1 April 1944 – 31 July 1945 4156th AAF Base Unit, 7 September 1945 – 15 November 1946 3520th Combat Crew Training Wing 5 June 1951 – 15 June 1963 4347th Air Base Group, 1 July 1958 – 1 January 1959 Redesignated: 4347th Combat Support Group, 1 January 1959 – 1 March 1962 42d Air Division , 15 June 1959 – 1 July 1963 381st Strategic Missile Wing , 1 March 1962 – 8 August 1986

388th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 October 1962 – 8 February 1964 23d Tactical Fighter Wing , 8 February 1964 – 27 April 1972 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 21 July 1964 – 4 August 1966 835th Air Division, 1 July 1964 – 8 June 1969 91st Air Refueling Squadron, 7 April 1971 – 30 November 1971 384th Air Refueling Wing, 1 December 1971 – 31 December 1993 22nd Air Refueling Wing, 1 January 1994–present

References for major commands and major units[7]

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at McConnell Air Force Base.^[8][9][10]

United States Air Force

Accidents and incidents

• On 28 March 1956, a B-47 exploded near Wichita, Kansas, with an instructor and two student pilots on board.^[11] It crashed four miles northeast of the city, killing its crew of three. The office of information services at McConnell Air Force Base said the explosion occurred after takeoff, probably at about 2,000 feet altitude. Wreckage was strewn along the countryside for several miles as the wings sheared off and the fuselage tumbled to earth.^[12]
• On 16 January 1965, USAF KC-135A 57-1442, crashed after an engine failure shortly after takeoff from McConnell Air Force Base in north Wichita, Kansas.^[13] The fuel-laden plane crashed at a residential street intersection and caused a considerable fire. A total of 30 were killed, including 23 on the ground and the seven member crew.^[14]
• 13 January 1992, an F-16 84-1267 of the 184th TFG out of McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas Air National Guard was returning from a practice firing sortie of a M61A1 20mm cannon. Major David Ternes of the 127th Fighter Squadron was bringing the aircraft into McConnell AFB when he experienced trouble at 11:06 hours. Ternes was forced to eject at 150 feet and two miles from base and the aircraft hit the side of a house and exploded. Both the pilot and the home's occupant survived uninjured. The cause was determined to be a lack of engine response.^[15]
• On 20 November 2013 at approximately 9:30 pm CST, a
  NTSB opened an investigation about the wrong landing.^[20]

See also

• Kansas World War II Army Airfields
• April 26, 1991 tornado outbreak
• Wichita, Kansas

Other airports in Wichita

• Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport
• Colonel James Jabara Airport
• List of airports in Kansas

Notes

•  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
•  This article incorporates public domain material from March Air Reserve Base. United States Air Force.
• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History,
  ISBN 0-912799-02-1
  ).
• Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977.
  ISBN 0-912799-12-9
  .
• Mueller, Robert, Air Force Bases Volume I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982, Office of Air Force History, 1989
• Larsen, Steve A. (2006), Heritage and Legacy: A Brief History of the 22d Air Refueling Wing and McConnell Air Force Base. Office of History, 22d ARS, McConnel AFB, Kansas.
• Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History.
  ISBN 0-88740-513-4
  .
• Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications.
  ISBN 1-85780-197-0
  .
• Aircraft Serial Numbers – 1908 to present[21]
• Heritage and Legacy: A Brief History of the 22d Air Refueling Wing and McConnell Air Force Base^[22]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to McConnell Air Force Base.

• McConnell Air Force Base
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective April 18, 2024
• FAA Terminal Procedures for IAB, effective April 18, 2024
• Resources for this U.S. military airport:
  • FAA airport information for IAB
  • AirNav airport information for KIAB
  • ASN accident history for IAB
  • NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KIAB