67 Amazing Air Force Facts That Will Blow Your Mind Away
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The United States Air Force came into being on September 18, 1947, through the National Security Act.
An independent air force for the last 74 years, there are many air force history facts that people don't usually know of. Did you know, it was the Aeronautical Division of the U.S. Army Signal Corps that formed the United States Air Force.
You may have known that a pilot of the United States Air Force is applauded when they bring down an enemy aircraft, but did you know that on shooting down five or more aircraft, they are called an ace? The top jet ace is triple ace Joseph C. McConnell, who shot down 16 enemy aircraft.
Keep reading to learn more!
If you enjoyed reading this article, why not also check out Air Force One facts and US Army facts here on Kidadl!
Different Divisions Of Military
In modern times, the maintenance of a functional and highly equipped military has become very important for all the countries of the world. Not only does the military help in reinforcing peace and order when the nation goes through a crisis, but also makes sure of the nation's safety in case of a clash with any external forces.
The United States of America, being such a large and powerful country, has the need to maintain a very strong military for the same reasons. It is believed that a large portion of the power that a country holds at the present day and age is due to its military, which is true for the U.S.
In the present day, the U.S. military has six divisions.
Each of these divisions has its own purpose and task. It may be because of how well the responsibilities of each division are devised that the U.S. military has the ability to protect itself so well and also maintain its installations and foreign missions.
The six divisions of the U.S. military are Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, and Space Force. As the names suggest, each of these individual units has its own missions and are all answerable to the commander in chief of the military, that is, the President of the United States of America.
The current commander in chief is President Joe Biden.
The president is the one who has to approve of all decisions before they make it through. Understandably, the office of the president also comes with a lot of pressure and responsibilities!
The U.S. Army is responsible largely for land-based operations. This involves guarding the borders of the nation and also being deployed for foreign missions.
The U.S Air Force and Air Force Reserve are responsible for the handling of the planes, helicopters, and satellites of the nation in case of an emergency. They are responsible for the handling of the fighter aircraft and other highly technical planes both for internal and external affairs as and when the need arises.
The Coast Guard is responsible for keeping a close watch on the domestic waterways. They help in the prevention of any unlawful activities such as the smuggling of illegal substances.
The U.S. Marine Corps is also known as the 'rapid-reaction force'. The marines are known to be some of the fiercest fighters and are the first ones to be on the ground (or sea) in case of an emergency.
The U.S. Navy primarily acts in a way to protect the oceans and seas. They ensure that peace is maintained and that the waterways are clear for trade and commerce to be carried out without any hindrance.
The Space Force is a division that was recently outlined and therefore, their responsibilities are still being outlined.
Fun Facts About Air Force
Previously a part of the U.S. Army, the Aie Force was declared as an individual unit through the National Security Act. It was on September 18, 1947, that the Air Force history began, and it continues to be held together strongly.
The US Air Force, in addition to having some of the best combat pilots in the nation, is also responsible for many other important tasks.
One of the fun facts about the U.S. Air Force is that the Air Force Research Lab built a supercomputer from Playstations! This supercomputer is called the Condor Cluster and is used for high-definition satellite imagery!
The weathermen that work at the U.S. Air Force and Army Special Operations Forces are special forces that go through intense training at multiple schools such as Special Tactics Training at the Hurlbert Field, Combat Control School, and Air Force Basic Survival School.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command is responsible for one of the most important tasks, which is tracking Santa. Children from around 200 countries call or visit the website to know where Santa is.
The US Air Force Space Command was created for the management of the space operations of the military.
The average monthly salary for an E1 airman is $1,733.
Any Air Force aircraft that the president is on would be called Air Force One.
Unlike what we may assume, only a small percentage of the Air Force Personnel actually work as pilots!
The Air Force Song mentions 'Live in Fame', which ex airmen such as singer, Johnny Cash and actor Morgan Freeman, took to heart!
Airmen grow their mustaches throughout the month of March to honor Air Force legend and Vietnam veteran triple ace Brigadier General Robin Olds.
When a pilot shoots down five or more enemy aircraft, he is named an ace. The record in the Air Force is held by triple ace Joseph C. McConnell who shot down 16 enemy aircraft during the Korean War, three of which were during the last combat mission of the war.
The Air Force tradition of stomping on the new commander's roof and banging on the doors and windows till the airmen and airwomen are invited for refreshments still holds strong.
Ranking Hierarchy In Air Force
One of the Air Force fun facts is that the Secretary of the forces is a civilian and not someone from the military. Next in authority is the Chief of Staff, who is from a military background. The civilian Secretary is appointed by the president.
The Chief of Staff is appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate for a tenure of four years.
Both the Secretary and Chief of Staff are answerable to the president. The Secretary takes decisions of war and maintains connections with the Congress, while the Chief of Staff is responsible for air education, training, management of elements such as Pacific Air Forces, Air Combat Command, and Air Mobility Command.
Different Fighter Planes Used In Air Force
The US Air Force uses many fighter aircrafts such as F22-Raptor, F-15 Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15EX Eagle II, F-35 Lightning, F-117, and F-16 Lightning Falcon.
The letters at the beginning of the name of the aircraft refer to its purpose. B is used for Bomber planes, C for Cargo planes, and F for Fighter planes.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for air force facts then why not take a look at facts about the army, or airplane facts.
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With a degree in English from Amity University, Noida, Shirin has won awards for oratory, acting, and creative writing. She has a wealth of experience as an English teacher, editor, and writer, having previously worked at Quizzy and Big Books Publishing. Her expertise lies in editing study guides for children and creating engaging content.
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With a background in digital marketing, Niyati brings her expertise to ensure accuracy and authenticity in every piece of content. She has previously written articles for MuseumFacts, a history web magazine, while also handling its digital marketing. In addition to her marketing skills, Niyati is fluent in six languages and has a Commerce degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University. She has also been recognized for her public speaking abilities, holding the position of Vice President of Education at the Toastmasters Club of Pune, where she won several awards and represented the club in writing and speech contests at the area level.
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