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#1788 18 FIS, F-16C Fighting Falcon print

18 FIS, F-16C Fighting Falcon print
Purchased products will not feature the Squadron Prints watermark
£10.00 €11.47 $13.61
43.8 cm x 29.2 cm
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Print
F-16C Fighting Falcon
87-0235
18 FIS, 354 Wg
Eielson AFB, Alaska
US - Air Force
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Description

Squadron Prints Lithograph No. 1788 - 87-0235 '18 FIS', F-16C Fighting Falcon, 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 354th Wing, Eielson AFB, Alaska.

he 18th Fighter Squadron “Blue Foxes” were originally constituted as the 18th Pursuit Squadron on December 22, 1939, and officially activated on February 1, 1940 at Moffet Field, California. The squadron moved to Elmendorf Field, Alaska, on February 21, 1941, and began flying P-36s. Redesignated the 18th Fighter Squadron on May 15, 1942, the 18 FS participated in combat operations in the northern Pacific, as well as aiding in the defense of Alaska during World War II. Throughout World War II, the 18th FS flew the P-40, P-39, P-38 and P-51 Mustang. Redesignated the 18th Fighter Intercept Squadron in 1952, the squadron began operations at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as part of Air Defense Command’s Continental Defense Force. There, the 18 FS flew F-51s and later F-86s. In July 1954, the 18 FS moved back to Alaska, this time to Ladd AFB, where for three years it flew the F-89 Scorpion and carried out air defense operations within Alaskan Air Command. In August of 1957, the 18 FS was transferred to Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, where it transitioned to F-102s. From May 1960 until its inactivation in 1971, the 18 FS operated from Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, as integral part of the interceptor force of Air (later Aerospace) Defense Command. There, the 18 FS flew the F-101 Voodoo. The 18 FS reactivated in 1977 at Elmendorf AFB and was redesigned the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Its mission: provide tactical air and defense operations using the F-4E. On January 1, 1982, the squadron moved to Eielson AFB, Alaska, and transitioned to the A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately called the “Warthog” by its pilots. On March 7, 1991, the 18 TFS received its first F-16C and shortly thereafter was redesignated the 18th Fighter Squadron.  Notably, between 1991 and 2007, the squadron deployed in support of multiple named operations in the Middle East, including Operation Northern Watch, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Anaconda.  Then, on August 24, 2007, the 18 FS was officially redesignated the 18th Aggressor Squadron (AGRS) with the mission of replicating adversary aircraft to provide realistic training for participants of large-force exercises. Formed from an initial Cadre of experienced 18 FS pilots and 64th Aggressors from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, the 18 AGRS pilots were experts in adversary weapons systems and tactics.  The squadron’s F-16s were painted in distinctive camouflage paint schemes which were representative of those displayed on the adversary aircraft they simulated.  The AGRS pilots and F-16s were returned to their operational role on February 2, 2024, when the squadron was once-again re-designated as the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Now tasked with homeland defense, airspace control and alert operations for the Alaska Theater of Operations, the F-16s which the “Blue Foxes” fly are re-painted in traditional F-16 gray paint schemes. However, the jets retain their connection to the characteristic colors they used to display in the camouflage band painted at the top of the vertical tail.  HAVE AT YOU!

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