Fifty years of Heritage (edition 9) Published March 31, 2011 By Eric M. White 910 AW/PA YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- Each Thursday in 2011, the 910th AW/PA office will republish a historic article or highlight from the archive along with a brief commentary. In the case of articles, we will publish exact copies of the originals, so any grammatical or typographical errors are intentional reproductions. Each week will feature a different year in Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS) history, beginning with 1957 and ending with 2007. Article 9: Air power then and now The US Air Force publishes an annual edition of Airman magazine called "The Book." The edition provides an overview of the Active Duty Air Force and Reserve component, listing top leadership, organizations and their missions; aircraft inventory; weapons systems, missiles, launch vehicles and communications systems; and an appendix of Air Force information on badges, grades insignias, etc. The 2011 edition of "The Book" features an impressive inventory of aircraft with even more impressive capabilities. The F-22 Raptor can fly at speeds above Mach 2. The MQ-9 Reaper unmanned hunter can engage and destroy enemy forces with pinpoint accuracy while being controlled from another continent. The LC-130H tactical airlifter can land and take off in polar-regions to transfer cargo at a range of 2,500 miles without refueling. The Air Force inventory is a showcase of technology and innovation in air travel and power. Since the first flight of the Wright brothers in 1903, we have expanded our ability to explore and control the endless blue skies with capabilities once thought impossible. This week's 50 Years of Heritage article, from the November 1961 edition of the Blue Tiger Rag, highlights an inventory of aircraft that hurtled the Airmen of history into the wild blue yonder. From the November, 1961 Blue Tiger Rag TACTICAL AIR COMMAND AIRCRAFT F-100 "Super Sabre" ...first U.S. Air Force operational fighter capable supersonic speeds in level flight. Produces by North American Aviation, Inc., the F-100C holds a distance record of nearly 7,000 miles; London to Los Angeles, non-stop in slightly more than 14 hours. F-104 "Starfighter" ...the world's altitude record of 103, 395.f feet was captured by this aircraft which is air-refuelable and has global mobility. The Lockheed-built tactical fighter can deliver the entire gamut of non-nuclear weapons and it Vulcan six-barrelled 200mm cannon can fire 6,000 rounds per minute. F-105 "Thunderchief" ... this aircraft is a supersonic, single-seat fighter with long range capability. It can deliver nuclear bombs as well as heavier loads of napalm, high explosive bombs and rockets. Its inflight refueling capability gives it global range. RF-101 "Voodoo" ...McDonnell Aircraft Corporation's RF-101, a reconnaissance version of the "Voodoo long range fighter, is the first supersonic photo reconnaissance aircraft ever assigned to operational units and is now in use with TAC's 363d Tactical Recon Wing at Shaw AFB, S.C. RB-66 "Destroyer" ...TAC's Douglas RB-66 is a reconnaissance version of the 600-700 mph tactical bomber, the B-66. Carrying a three man crew, the RB performs visual, photographic, electronic and weather reconnaissance in tactical air operations. C-130 "Hercules" ...Considered the world's most efficient transport engine, one of the Hercules four Allison T-56 engines has the power to pull a 40-car freight train. It is capable of cruising speeds up to 70 per cent faster than most current transports. Features include up to 20-ton load capacity. C-123 "Provider" ...Designed as an assault transport, the Fairchild C-123 provides troop carrier units of TAC with a capability for conducting airborne and transport operations from rough semi-prepared surfaces. KB-50J Tanker ...The tanker, with two jet engines augmenting four piston engines, is the backbone of TAC's mobility. This Boeing tanker uses the "probe-drogue" refueling system to completely refuel three aircraft simultaneously in the time it formerly took to refuel one. TM-76A "Mace" guided missile ...Manufactured by the martin Company, the "Mace" is characterized by its ability to fly subsonic at low altitudes. It is a tactical weapon designed to strike the enemy behind his lines at a low, difficult-to-detect altitude.