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RF-80As deployed to USAFE in 1953; operated until 1955, last returned to United States in 1956. Remained in second-line service until 1958. RF-80C. Photographic reconnaissance version of F-80C. [37] F-84F Thunderstreak; RF-84F known as Thunderflash; replacement for RF-80 introduced in 1954. Most were replaced by McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo aircraft ...
On 1 November the Mustangs were transferred to other units and the 160th was re-equipped with RF-80A Shooting Star photo-reconnaissance jets and transferred to Lawson AFB, Georgia. At Lawson, the wartime group was formed as the 160th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, the 157th TRS (South Carolina ANG) (RF-80) and 112th TRS (Ohio ANG) (RB-26).
The roots of the 187th Fighter Wing date back to 1952 when the Alabama Air National Guard organized the 160th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron in Birmingham, Alabama equipped with the RF-51 Mustang. The squadron moved to Dannelly Field on January 1, 1953, and entered the jet age with the arrival of the RF-80 Shooting Star in 1955.
RF-80 of the 160th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. The 160th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron deployed to Neubiberg from Toul-Rosieres Air Base France. The 160th was part of the Alabama Air National Guard 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing which had been activated during the Korean War. In 1952, Toul Air Base was unfinished and not yet ready ...
It was issued with the RF-80A Shooting Star aircraft, and trained for daylight reconnaissance missions. The squadron, however, was stationed at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base in West Germany due to the uncompleted facilities at Toul-Rosières Air Base. Weather conditions in Germany severely restricted the training operations of the assigned RF-80As.
The squadron was redesignated the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and activated on 26 September 1950 at Itazuke Air Base, Japan.When the Korean War erupted in late June 1950, the USAF's standard fighter in the Far East was the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star, however the F-80 and its reconnaissance version, the RF-80, were very short-legged.
The RF-80s were responsible for the daylight operations; the RB-26s for night photography. In June 1952, the 117th was involved in Exercise 'June Primer'. This exercise took place in an area bordered by a line drawn from Cherbourg to Geneva in the east and in the west by this Swiss, Austrian and Russian occupation zone borders.
In March 1954 the unit moved back to Japan and in August 1956, moved to Okinawa. The unit transitioned to Republic RF-84F Thunderflashes from 1956-1958 and then to McDonnell RF-101 Voodoos, continuing its long history of photographic reconnaissance. During the Vietnam era the 15th Squadron was based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, flying the RF ...