The 86th goes heritage

The 86th Flying Training Squadron of the United States Air Force could not stay behind. During a ceremony held at Laughlin Air Force Base on 13 August, a new heritage tail of one of their Raytheon T-1A Jayhawks was unveiled. The paint scheme of the aircraft reaches back to the Douglas B-18 “Bolo” of World War II and honors the Airmen who served aboard, the nose of the aircraft is also inscribed with Capt. Glen Edward’s name in memory of his service to the U.S. Air Force.

The 86th was activated as a light bombardment squadron, flying antisubmarine missions in the B-18 from McChord (WA) in January 1941. One year later the squadron was sent to the North African and European theatre of war, flying the Douglas Boston/Havoc and later the A-26 Invader. After returning to the USA the squadron saw a transition to the B-45 Tornado jet bomber but was inactivated in 1949.

Reactivated in 1954 during the early days of the Cold War, the 86th took on their North American B-45 Tornadoes again and later the Douglas B-66 Destroyer aircraft and served as a bomber unit, primarily stationed at RAF Sculthorpe and RAF Alconbury (England) until June 1960.

In March 1972, the 86th was redesignated the 86th Flying Training Squadron, based at Laughlin Air Force Base. It provided undergraduate pilot training in the T-38 Talon until 1992. Reactivated in 1994 it now utilizes the T-1A Jay Hawk for Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training.

U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Larsen