The early jets

American jet fighter aviation really got rolling with the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star. This two-seat trainer version, the T-33, was what many fighter pilots learned to fly in.

Here's the guardian at the gate--an RF-84F Thunderflash, made by Republic. This reconnaissance fighter flew with the Michigan Air Guard from 1958 until 1971, both from Selfridge and from Detroit Metro Airport.

And this F-84F Thunderstreak also flew out of Detroit Metro from 1958-1960. It's hard to envision nuclear-capable jet fighters like these flying out of that place today, but it was a different world back then.


Finally, we have the North American F-86A Sabre Jet, a personal favorite of mine. This is the jet that dominated the skies over Korea and helped keep a lid on much of Europe.

Century Series

North American 's F-100 Super Sabre was the first jet fighter capable of breaking the sound barrier in level flight. Though a bit long in the tooth by the time they were deployed, the F-100 fulfilled many roles in the skies over Vietnam, from fighter to bomber to fast-FAC. Here's Selfridge's F-100D, #56-025.




Selfridge also has a two-seat F-100F, a two-seat version of the D-model that was used primarily as a trainer but also as a Misty FAC (Forward Air Controller) and a Wild Weasel (Anti-Aircraft Suppression) aircaft in Vietnam.242 of these aircraft were lost in Vietnam, including 14 from Air Guard units.




McDonnell Douglas RF-101C Voodoo, the first supersonic photo recon jet. It was this type that gave us looks into Cuba during the 1961 Cuban Missile Crisis.
Back end of the Voodoo, with the F-100D in the background.


Convair TF-102A. This is the two-seat version of the Delta Dagger, a bomber interceptor. This one was built as a trainer, and in fact, this one, ##041351, was the very first one so built.

The F-102 was the first jet fighter to be built without guns, relying on missiles alone for aerial combat. Yeah, that worked out well. Guns were eventually put back again in the F-4 Phantoms after it became clear that this had been a really dumb idea.Over 1,000 F-102s were built, and these also flew in Vietnam as fighters and bomber escorts and Forward Air Controllers. 15 were lost there. George W. Bush flew one of these with the Texas Air Guard. He did not get sent to Vietnam, but he could have, and for assuming the risk and doing his part for our country, he earned my respect.


And here's Convair's F-106 Delta Dart. This interceptor, a redesign of the F-102, was the last dedicated interceptor built and they sat on alert, ready to intercept Russian bombers, until they were replaced in 1981 by the F-15C. They served with Air Guard units until 1988, and then the remaining aircraft were converted to target drones, the last of which was destroyed in 1998. It could hit Mach 2 and was also the first aircraft designed with a guidance system that would automatically fly the aircraft to the target, line it up and fire the weapons, then return the aircraft to it's base, in theory only requiring the pilot for take-offs and landings. Pilots reportedly loved this aircraft for the way it flew, and that despite the fact that it was initially delivered with an ejection seat so dangerous that it killed the first twelve pilots to eject from these aircraft.
For some reason I only have one picture of this aircraft, despite it being a favorite of mine. Not sure how that happened. I guess I'll have to go back later and take more.

Classic Attack Aircraft

How do you not love this World War Two-era fighter-bomber? If you're a student of history, a fan of military aviation, or just grew up withing Black Sheep Squadron on TV, you can't fail to appreciate this powerful, rugged and extremely versatile warbird. Most were made by Chance-Vought and designated F4U but this particular model is an FG-1D built by the Goodyear people.The Corsair was retained well into the 1960's because it could carry so much ordnance and deliver it precisely on target, something that jets of that era could not quite do.







And then there's the Douglas A-26.First accepted and flown in World War Two, these incredible bombers were still fighting in Vietnam, retained for the same reason that the Corsair was.They were also flown by the CIA in Africa and over Cuba during the bay of Pigs invasion in the 1960s. This was one attack bird that was just too handy to ever retire and there are still a few flying as forest fire water bombers in Canada even today.Pilots said that the A-26 was a bomber that you flew like a fighter. I'd love to have one of these in my hangar.