26th Air Refueling Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 26th Air Refueling Squadron (26 AREFS) was a squadron of the United States Air Force
that flew the KC-97
E/F/G Stratofreighter.
, Great Britain during a non-stop 4,485 mile trip. During the second phase of Operation Longstride in October 1953, the 26th helped refuel eight F-84s of the 31st Strategic Fighter Wing from Turner AFB, Georgia to Nouasseur Air Base
, French Morocco. The aircraft covered 3,800 miles in 10 hours and 20 minutes, thanks to in-flight refueling by brand-new SAC KC-97s in the vicinity of Bermuda and the Azores. Crews and aircraft from the 26th deployed to Lajes AB Portugal in September 1954 for 45 days to refuel RB-47 reconnaissance aircraft.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
that flew the KC-97
KC-97 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
E/F/G Stratofreighter.
History
The 26 AREFS flew worldwide air refueling operations from 1952-61. The 26th AREFS's KC-97s refueled F-84G fighters from the 506th Strategic Fighter Wing participating in the Operation Longstride in Aug 1953. They refueled seveteen F-84Gs from Turner AFB, Georgia to RAF LakenheathRAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, Great Britain during a non-stop 4,485 mile trip. During the second phase of Operation Longstride in October 1953, the 26th helped refuel eight F-84s of the 31st Strategic Fighter Wing from Turner AFB, Georgia to Nouasseur Air Base
Nouasseur Air Base
Nouasseur Air Base near Casablanca, French Morocco is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base. It was designed for B-36 and B-47 bombers.Today, Nouasseur AB is known as Mohammed V International Airport.-Origins:...
, French Morocco. The aircraft covered 3,800 miles in 10 hours and 20 minutes, thanks to in-flight refueling by brand-new SAC KC-97s in the vicinity of Bermuda and the Azores. Crews and aircraft from the 26th deployed to Lajes AB Portugal in September 1954 for 45 days to refuel RB-47 reconnaissance aircraft.
Assignments
- 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (Medium) (28 May 1952-1 Apr 1955)
- 4050th Air Refueling Wing (1 Apr 1955-7 Aug 1957)
- 380th Bombardment Wing380th Air Expeditionary WingThe 380th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is attached to the United States Air Forces Central component of ACC and is stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates....
(Medium) (7 Aug 1957-1 Jan 1961)- Attached: (07 Aug 1957-31 Jul 1959)
- Assigned: (01 Aug 1959-01 Jan 1961)
- 4108th Air Refueling Wing (Medium) (1 Jan 1961-1 Jan 1963)
- 497th Air Refueling Wing497th Air Refueling WingThe 497th Air Refueling Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was assigned to Strategic Air Command, based at Plattsburgh AFB, New York. The unit was inactivated on 15 September 1964...
(Medium) (1 Jan 1963-15 September 1964)
Bases stationed
- Lockbourne Air Force Base, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(28 May 1952-1 Apr 1955) - Westover Air Force Base, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
(1 Apr 1955-7 Aug 1957) - Plattsburgh Air Force BasePlattsburgh Air Force BasePlattsburgh Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base covering 3,447 acres in the extreme northeast corner of New York, 20 miles south of the Canadian border...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(7 Aug 1957-15 September 1964)
Aircraft operated
- KC-97EKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
Stratofreighter (1952–1957) - KC-97FKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
Stratofreighter (1953–1961) - KC-97GKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
Stratofreighter (1954–1964)