Aircraft – Military History of the Upper Great Lakes

planes, etc.

The Retrofit of USS SableAlex Kelly
The USS Sable was an aircraft carrier that was used to train pilots and carrier personnel in the Great Lakes region during WWII. Before the Sable was an aircraft carrier, it ...
87th Fighter Interceptor SquadronJimmy Roznick
The 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, known by their squadron paint as the “Red Bulls” flew F-106 Delta Darts from their base at KI Sawyer to intercept Soviet ‘Bear’ bombers during ...
The Strategic Air Command K. I. Sawyer Air ForceAaron Scheetz
The Strategic Air Command served as a major part of the nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union and as the striking force for the United States for almost five decades. ...
WWII Glider Museum in Kingsford, MIKevin Edlebeck
The Ford Motor Company plant that was located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was converted to build Gliders that were used in WWII. It was a much need change ...
Major Julian SchusterDan Domitrovich
Julian Schuster was a Major in the US Army Air Corp from 1939 to 1943. He performed trouble-shooting and diagnostic work on aircraft in the Pacific Theater of War up ...
Lake Michigan FM-2 Wildcat RecoveryAdam Flaim
In December 2012, a WWII aircraft,FM-2 Wildcat 57039 was discovered and salvaged in Lake Michigan. Between 1942 and 1945, the U.S. Navy converted two passenger steam ships to act as ...
Willow Run After WWIIRobert Billings
Willow Run was an iconic WWII aircraft Production factory, following the end of the war it began a difficult road into a new age in american history. The plant was passed ...
Lake MI, Corsair Fails to Land on USS WolverineDevon Smith
Carl H. Johnson of the United States Naval Reserve was completing his training to land naval aircraft aboard an aircraft carrier in mid June of 1943. Flying in his F4U-1A ...
Duluth Air National Guard Base-148th Fighter WingAustin Hayes
The Duluth Air National Guard Base is currently home to the 148th Fighter Wing. The 148th Fighter Wing is one of the most decorated Air National Guard fighter units in ...
Calumet Air Force Base 1960-70Thomas Tetzloff
The Air Force Station located in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, called Calumet Air Force Station (or CAFS for short) had an important mission; watch the northern skies for enemy attacks. Between ...
Cone Drive Military Gear SetsJosh Dillon
Cone Drive is a manufacturing facility located in Traverse City, MI specializing in worm gear and precision drive technologies. This facility has produced worm gear sets for all branches of ...
The 410th Bombardment Wing, KI Sawyer AFBJordan Gagnon
The 410th unit of the United States Air Force is designed to be activated and deactivated when the need arises. This began at the outset of the United States involvement ...
484th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronJoseph Vieau
K.I. Sawyer is important in military history not only for the great lakes region of United States of America but also for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. K.I. Sawyer has held many ...
Willow Run – B24 LiberatorRonald Liu
One bomber an hour at Willow Run bomber plant was the production speed of Willow Run bomber plant. Before Willow Run was converted to the airport we know today, during ...
K.I. Sawyer AFB: 473d Fighter GroupSean Hayes
The 473d Fighter Group, which called K.I. Sawyer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula home from early 1956 until late 1959, has been active during the World War II and was even ...