Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis Air Force Base
Las Vegas Air Force Base (1948)
Las Vegas Army Airfield (1941)[1]
McCarran Field (c. 1935)[2]
Part of Air Combat Command (1992)
Clark County, Nevada, in the Great Basin physiographic section adjacent to North Las Vegas[3]
Coordinates 36°14′57″N 114°59′46″W / 36.24917°N 114.99611°W / 36.24917; -114.99611 (Nellis AFB (military installation))[4]
Type Air Force Base
Site information
Controlled by United States Air Force
Site history
Built 1941
In use 1941–present
Garrison information
Garrison 99th Air Base Wing

Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada with military schools and more squadrons than any other USAF base. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in "Military Operations Area (MOA) airspace".[5] associated with the nearby Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The base also has the Combined Air and Space Operations Center-Nellis.

Airfield information
Summary
Elevation AMSL 1,867 ft / 569 m
Coordinates 36°14′08″N 115°02′24″W / 36.23556°N 115.04000°W / 36.23556; -115.04000Coordinates: 36°14′08″N 115°02′24″W / 36.23556°N 115.04000°W / 36.23556; -115.04000
Website Nellis Air Force Base
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
03L/21R 10,123 3,085 Concrete
03R/21L 10,055 3,065 Concrete
Sources: [4][6] and the following:

Description

The Nellis AFB mission of advanced combat training for composite strike forces is commonly conducted in conjunction with air and grounds units of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and allied forces. The base also supports operations at the nearby Creech Air Force Base, the Tonopah Test Range and the Nevada National Security Site. Nellis ground systems for range operations (e.g., by callsign "Nellis Control") include the Computer and Computed Subsystem used to receive microwave signals from the NTTR Ground Based Stations of the Tracking and Communications Subsystem (TCS) for presentation on Nellis' Display and Debrief SubSystem (DDS).[7]

Units

Geography

Nellis AFB covers about 11,300 acres (4,600 ha) in the northeast corner of the Las Vegas Valley, an alluvial basin[3] in the Basin and Range Province. Since World War II, Nellis has had areas added, such as Area II in 1969, but still has about 7,000 acres (2,800 ha) of undeveloped space. One World War II runway has been removed.[3] The base has 3 areas (I, II, III). The United States Geological Survey names five different locations for the base: "Nellis Air Force Base", the airfield, the post office, a Community College of Southern Nevada campus, and the census-designated place (CDP).[4]

Nellis Area I has the airfield (2 runways and ramp space for up to 300 aircraft), recreation and shopping facilities, dormitories/temporary lodging, some family housing,[2] "and most of the command and support structures",[3] e.g., Suter Hall for Red Flag.[8] Nellis Area II northeast of the main base "at the foot of Sunrise Mountain"[9] (formerly the U.S. Navy's Lake Mead Base) has the Nellis Gun Club,[10] the 820th Red Horse Squadron and 896th Munitions Squadrons, and the largest aboveground weapons storage complex in the United States.[11] Nellis Area III is west of the main base with family housing, administration and industrial areas, and the Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital,[2] (the base's "unincorporated town [is] Sunrise Manor".)[3] Area III also includes a 23.4 acres (9.5 ha) munitions response area (MRA XU741) which had World War II storage for small arms ammunition, pyrotechnics, and chemical bombs and that now includes 2 remaining World War II buildings (numbers 1039 & 1047), 5 modern igloos, & the RV storage.[3]:5–38

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19706,449—
19806,205−3.8%
19908,37735.0%
20008,8966.2%
20103,187−64.2%
see references [12] & [13]
The Las Vegas Army Airfield had 3 runways in 1942, the year Tonopah Army Airfield opened in August (the Tonopah Bombing Range had been divided in 1941 into the Tonopah and Las Vegas General Ranges.)

Census-designated place

The Nellis Air Force Base CDP is a 3.1 sq mi (8.0 km2) region defined by the United States Census Bureau as of the 2010 United States Census. The CDP area includes military family housing (e.g., in Nellis Areas I & III), dormitories, and lodging as for aircrew temporary quarters during Red Flag exercises. The CDP residents include a portion of the Nellis work force of ~12,000 military and civilian personnel.

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 8,896 people, 2,873 households, and 2,146 families residing in the CDP. Population density was 2,895.9 people per square mile (1,118.8/km²). There were 3,040 housing units at an average density of 989.6/sq mi (382.3/km²). The gender ratio was 4813 males to 4083 females (3290:2637 for those age 18 and over). The median age was 24 years, and distribution by age group was 33.4% under the age of 18, 19.7% from 18 to 24, 38.5% from 25 to 44, 7.1% from 45 to 64, and 1.2% who were 65 years of age or older.

The racial makeup of the base was 68.5% White, 14.3% African American, 1.4% Native American, 5.0% Asian, 0.7% Pacific Islander, 4.9% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.7% of the population.

There were 2,873 households out of which 52.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. Of all households 17.9% were made up of individuals and 1.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.36.

2000 census median incomes were $33,118 (household), $34,307 (family), $25,551 (male), & $19,210 (female); and per capita income was $13,601. About 10.0% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 16.1% of those age 65 or over.[12]

Nellis AFB complex

"Nellis AFB complex" refers to a group of southern Nevada military areas that are predominantly USAF and Bureau of Land Management areas outside of the base (e.g., controlled by military units at Nellis). The complex's land areas include Nellis AFB, the USAF Nevada Test and Training Range, the active portion of the Small Arms Range Annex north of the base, the annex's Formerly Used Defense Site of 5,775 acres (2,337 ha) (cleared in March 1972, returned to the DoI),[3] 13 BLM areas of 5.7 acres (2.3 ha) each leased for Patriot Radar/Communications Exercises, and other BLM sites "under Military Operations Area (MOA) airspace".[5] Nellis AFB also leases space at the former Las Vegas AFS, and environmental sites of the Tonopah Bombing Range (FUDS) are monitored by the EPA. Additional Formerly Used Defense Sites associated with the area's military operations are the Nye County Areas A, G, H, & I; the "Delamar Dry Lake Test Annex"[15] and the "Sunrise Mountain Machine Gun Range".[16]

#1
#2
#3
#5
WWII Nevada military sites included Army Airfields (red) such as Las Vegas AAF (airplane symbol) and Army/Navy ranges (black)[17] such as Aerial Gunnery Range No. 4,[18] Pyramid Torpedo Dropping Range, and the Lovelock Aerial Gunnery Range[19] (yellow indicates Indian Springs auxiliary fields).

History

After World War I, Nevada and other western inland states were surveyed by Capt. Lowell H. Smith and Sgt. William B. Whitefield for landing sites, and by "mid-1925 the Air Service possessed information on nearly thirty-five hundred landing places, including more than twenty-eight hundred emergency landing areas, in the United States."[20] The 1929 airfield (dirt runway, water well, and small operations shack) north of Las Vegas—operated by the 1925 Western Air Express for Contract Air Mail (CAM) Route #4, LA-to-SLC—was used by the Army Air Corps in the 1930s for training flights (the 'WA' aircraft tailcodes reflect Western Air Express). After the Invasion of Poland in 1939, the "western site board" had located a southern Nevada area "near Tonopah, Nev" by April 1940 for a military range,[21] and in October 1940, Air Corps Major David Schlatter surveyed the southwest United States for a military airfield.[8] "The 60 x 90 mile area at Tonopah was transferred to the War Department on 29 October 1940"[21] by Executive Order 8578.[22]

McCarran Field

Renamed to McCarran Field in the mid-1930s,[2] there were "difficulties in securing the use" of the airfield north of Las Vegas for a Nevada World War II Army Airfield.)[21] McCarran Field was bought on 2 January 1941 by the City of Las Vegas, was leased to the Army on 5 January, and was "signed over" to the Quartermaster Corps on 25 January—Army construction began in March 1941.[3]:2-1 The city's Federal Building became the May 1941 location of the 79th Air Base Group detachment (5 staff officers commanded by Lt. Col. Martinus Stenseth), and a month later 5 administrative NCOs plus other support personnel arrived.[2] WPA barracks in Las Vegas were used for enlisted men, and the motor pool with 6 vintage trucks and a semi-trailer was next to the WPA barracks. Vehicle parts were from local service stations and gasoline and oil from the Civilian Conservation Corps (the Block 16 brothels in Las Vegas were closed.)[23] Permanent construction for barracks to house 3,000 people began in mid-1941, and by December 7, 10 AT-6 Texan advanced flight trainers and 17 Martin B-10 bombers were at the airfield.

Las Vegas Army Airfield

Las Vegas Army Airfield was both activated and began flying training on 20 December 1941.[24] Gunnery training began in January 1942, with guntruck platforms being used in January and February.[3].:2–3[8] Many pieces of the destroyed aerial drone targets litter the hillside north of the gunnery range, and can be seen in town when the sun reflects off of them.

The first B-17 Flying Fortresses arrived in 1942 and allowed training of 600 gunnery students and 215 co-pilots from the field every five weeks at the height of the war. More than 45,000 B-17 gunners were trained; the USAAF training movie The Rear Gunner was filmed at the airfield in 1943.[25] The 82d Flying Training Wing (Flexible Gunnery) was activated at the base as one of ten Army Air Forces Flying Training Command wings on 23 August 1943.[26]:18 By 1944, gunnery students utilised B-17, B-24 Liberator and B-40 Flying Fortress gunship aircraft (for example by firing at aircraft-towed targets).

In March 1945, the base switched to B-29 gunnery training which included the manipulation trainer on the ground with camera guns. The subsequent population peaked with nearly 11,000 officers and enlisted personnel including more than 4,700 students. Flexible gunnery training ended in September 1945,[3]:2–3 and the base became a demobilization center for soldiers' separation physicals and final pay. A course of navigator, bombardier, and radar operator training planned for LVAAF was instead begun at Mather Army Airfield in June 1946.[24]:43 AAF Training Command closed LVAAF which went on caretaker status 28 August 1946 ("officially deactivated in January 1947").[3]:2–3 During the planning for a separate air force, the Las Vegas AAF was reactivated "30 Aug 47 as a subinstallation of Mather",[27]:350 and it transferred to the USAF after the branch was created in September.

3595th PTW F-51D c. 1950 at a Nellis hangar

Las Vegas Air Force Base

Renamed Las Vegas Air Force Base on 13 January 1948[24]:63 and assigned as a subinstallation of Williams AFB on 1 April,[27] the 3595th Pilot Training Wing (Advanced Single-Engine) was established on 22 December 1948.[24]:54 Training began at Las Vegas AFB on 1 March 1949 with 5 squadrons[28] using P-51 Mustangs for a 6-month course (3,000 USAF pilots needed trained by 1950).[26] The 3525th Aircraft Gunnery Squadron activated on 11 February 1949, the base hosted the 1st USAF Gunnery Meet on May 2, and ATC opened its LVAFB Aircraft Gunnery School on 15 May 1949.[3]:2–3

Fighter Weapons School F-80As c. 1950 in front of Frenchman Mountain which is east of the valley.[3]:3–6

Nellis AFB

Nellis Air Force Base was named on 30 April 1950, and the 20 May 1950 dedication was attended by Lieutenant Nellis' family.[29] By 1 July the Air Force had directed ATC to accelerate Korean War training for a new 95-wing Air Force. The first school opened at Nellis, and ATC redesignated the 3595th Pilot Training Wing (Advanced Single-Engine) as the 3595th Training Wing (Combat Crew).[26] On 17 July 1950, Nellis began a replacement pilot training program to provide 115 FEAF F-51 Mustang pilots and 92 combat-ready F-80 Shooting Star pilots. Nellis' advanced single-engine pilot training transferred to Alabama on 1 September 1950. Nellis assumed fighter-bomber training, and ATC established its USAF Air Crew School (Fighter) on 14 November 1950, equipped with F-80s and early-model F-84C Thunderjets. On 1 October, Nellis AFB base management functions transferred from Williams AFB.[26] In early 1951, ATC assigned recently graduated airplane and engine mechanics to Nellis to learn jet aircraft maintenance.[26] The airfield was expanded 1951-4 with longer jet-capable runways, reconfigured taxiways and a larger aircraft parking ramp; and World War II wooden structures were replaced with concrete and steel structures (e.g., barracks and base housing for married personnel). The first Wherry houses were completed in 1954, with updated Capehart houses being completed in February 1960.[28]

USAF Fighter Weapons School

The USAF Fighter Weapons School was designated on 1 January 1954 from the squadron when the Air Crew School graduated its last Combat Crew Training Class (the primary Weapons School mission was gunnery instructor training.)[26] In the mid-1950s for Operation Teapot nuclear testing, 1 of the 12 Zone Commanders was based at Nellis AFB for community liaison/public relations[30] (weapons for other atomic tests were stored at Nellis).[11] Air Training Command suspended training at the Nellis fighter weapons school in late 1956 because of the almost total failure of the F-86 Sabre aircraft used at Nellis,[26] and during 1958 ATC discontinued its Flying Training and Technical Training.

Tactical Air Command

Nellis AFB transferred to Tactical Air Command on 1 February 1958,[26] and the Nellis mission transitioned from initial aircraft qualification and gunnery training to advanced, graduate-level weapons training. Soon after the transfer to TAC, the F-100C and F-100D entered the school inventory. The 3595th wing assets were redesignated as the 4520th Combat Crew Training Group by TAC on 1 Jul 1958.

4520th Combat Crew Training Wing

The 4520th Combat Crew Training Wing was designated from the 4520th CCTG on 1 May 1961, and the Combat Crew training squadrons were renumbered.[28] The 4537th Fighter Weapons Squadron had been assigned F-105D Thunderchiefs in March 1961, and the wing taught veteran pilots in all phases of fighter weapon employment: air-to-air gunnery, rocketry, conventional and nuclear bombing, aerial refueling, and combat navigation. The F-4 Phantom II Instructor Course began in mid-1965[31] and during the Vietnam War, experienced combat pilots were used as Fighter Weapons instructors at Nellis. On 1 January 1966 the USAF Fighter Weapons School was activated at Nellis with F-100, F-4, and F-105 divisions and on 1 September 1966, Fighter Weapons School elements and the 4520th CCTW merged to activate the 4525th Fighter Weapons Wing.[28]

The Nellis control tower behind a 4536th F-100D ("WB" tail code). In July 1968 the first tail codes appeared on Nellis-based aircraft:[32] "WC" (4537th F-105), "WD" (4538th F-4C), & "WF" (4539th F-111).
USAF Tactical Fighter Weapons Center

The USAF Tactical Fighter Weapons Center activated at Nellis AFB on 1 January 1966 (USAF Warfare Center after 15 Nov 2005) is the USAF authority for employment of tactical fighter weapons.[6] The center has developed, refined, coordinated, validated and tested fighter concepts, doctrine, tactics, and procedures. The FWC also performed operational test and evaluation and prepared or monitored Air Force publications on employment tactics, aircrew training, and aircrew weapons delivery. It has supervised courses of the US Air Force Fighter Weapons School, adversary tactics training, and Wild Weasel training, and other combat and tactical schools.[6]

The FWC supervised Red Flag operational training and other continuing air exercises, such as Green Flag and Silver Flag Alpha. The center also directed operations of the US Air Force Bomber and Tanker, Employment School since 1992 and the Air Rescue Center since 1993.[6] The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron with the United States Air Force Thunderbirds moved from Arizona to Nellis AFB in June 1956.[6]

474th Tactical Fighter Wing

The 474th Tactical Fighter Wing was reassigned from New Mexico to Nellis AFB on 20 January 1968[28] and was the first USAF operational wing equipped with the General Dynamics F-111[33]—6 of the F-111As departed Nellis for Vietnam on 15 March 1968 (Combat Lancer). Nellis provided replacements for 2 lost F-111s, and the F-111s returned to the USA in November 1968.[33] The wing's 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron reached IOC in spring 1968 with F-111s, and the TFW was fully operational in July 1971.[33] The Lake Mead Base, a 1953-6 United States Navy's weapons storage area of 6,999 acres (2,832 ha), became Area II of the Nellis AFB complex in September 1969.[3]

The 430th TFS returned to the 474th TFW Nellis on 22 March 1973 assuming a replacement training unit mission, while the 428th and 429th were transferred to Mountain Home AFB on 30 July 1973. Post-war the 474th's mission was to train combat-ready force of aircrews and maintained a rapid-reaction capability to execute fighter attacks against enemy forces and facilities in time of crisis.[33] In 1975, the 428th and 429th Tactical Fighter Squadrons were reassigned to the wing with F-111As (transferred to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, in August 1977)[33] and the 474th Wing absorbed the F-4D Phantom II aircraft, crews, and resources of the inactivating provisional 4474th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nellis in April 1977.[28] The wing was inactivated in September 1989, and its F-16As transferred to Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve squadrons.[28]

The Las Vegas Range of mountains is visible beyond a 66th FWS F-4E on the Nellis tarmac.
57th Fighter Weapons Wing

The 57th Fighter Weapons Wing was activated at Nellis on 15 October 1969 to replace the 4525th FWW (its Fighter Weapons Squadrons transferred to the 57th).[28] The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron (the "Thunderbirds") was assigned to the 57th in February 1974, and the wing incorporated intelligence training after March 1980.[28] Redesignated the 57th Tactical Training Wing in 1977, the wing trained tactical fighter aircrews, conducted operational tests and evaluations, demonstrated tactical fighter weapon systems, and developed fighter tactics. The 57th's 4440th Tactical Fighter Training Group (Red Flag) assumed operational control of Red Flag exercises in October 1979; and the 57th developing realistic combat training operations featuring adversary tactics, dissimilar air combat training, and electronic warfare.[28]

Nellis' 4477th Tactical Evaluation Flight ("Red Eagles") operated MiG-17s, MiG-21s and MiG-23s at the Tonopah Test Range Airport (late 1960s-c. 1990) to simulate combat against U.S. combat aircraft.[34] Named Constant Peg in 1980, the operation assessed the Soviet technology and developed adversary tactics for dissimilar air combat training. After completion of training, the Aggressor pilots were assigned to the DACT squadrons, one of which was assigned to Nellis.[35] During the 1970s, a site northwest of Nellis evaluated a Soviet "Barlock" search radar to develop techniques for countering Soviet air defense systems.[36]

The Las Vegas Strip is visible from the Nellis tarmac with an F-16CJ. Operation Ready Switch replaced Nellis' F-4s when the 474th was the 3rd USAF wing to receive F-16s (November 1980).[32]

The USAF Fighter Weapons School reactivated 30 December 1981 in the 57th wing[37] and the 66th, 414th and 433d Fighter Weapons Squadrons became its "A-10", "F-4E" and "F-15A" divisions (the 414th was the "Red Flag Training Squadron" in 1996).[26]:205 The 422d FWS aircraft and personnel became the "F-16 Division" and the squadron heraldry transferred to the 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron.[28] The FWS mission expanded on 15 June 1993 to include all Air Combat Command weapons (B-52 & B-1 Divisions) and in 1995, rescue helicopters (HH-60 Division). RC-135 Rivet Joint and EC-130 Compass Call courses were also added to the CCO Division in 1995, as well as a Space Division in 1996 (UAVs in 2008).[37]

In 1981, the Gunsmoke gunnery meet was first held[8] and the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing was reorganized as part of the establishment of the Fighter Weapons School, e.g., the 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron for aircraft modifications was established on 30 December 1981 from the 422d Fighter Weapons Squadron. In 1990, the 64th and 65th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadrons and the 4440th TFTG were inactivated in 1990 at the end of the Cold War.[32] In November 1991, the 57th implemented the USAF Objective Wing organization which was the most comprehensive USAF reorganization plan since 1947,[38] activating the 57th Operations Group for Nellis airfield operations and establishing the 57th Test Group.[6]

Air Combat Command

Nellis transferred to Air Combat Command on June 1, 1992,[3] at the end of the Cold War when Tactical Air Command was inactivated. The 57th Wing was designated on 15 June 1993 from the 57th Operations Group in conjunction with the introduction of the RQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The USAF Combat Rescue School was also established in 1993 for HH-60 Pave Hawk instructional flying.[38] "In 1996, AETC moved the PJ Advanced Weapons Course from Nellis AFB to Kirtland AFB".[26]:319 The 98th Range Wing was activated at Nellis on 29 October 2001 for Nellis Air Force Range control (previous range control was by the FWC.) After Detachment 13, 372d Training Squadron opened its F/A-22 maintenance training facility on 29 November 2001,[26]:324 on 14 January 2003 Nellis received the first production F-22A Raptor for the F-22 Force Development Evaluation program and Weapons School (12 Raptors had been assigned to the 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron by July 2008.)[6]

"Agressor" training was reactivated under the 57th Operations Group in 2003[6] and in 2006 Nellis had the Air Ground Operations School.[8]:13 On 1 May 2007, the UAV reconnaissance elements assigned to the 57th Operations Group transferred to the 432nd Wing.[6] Detachment 1 of the Space Warfare Center was established at Nellis in 1996 after the "Nellis Combined Air Operations Center",[39] the Warfare Center transferred Nellis Air Force Range control to the 98th Range Wing in 2001,[6] and the annual Aviation Nation airshow began at Nellis in 2002. The Nellis Solar Power Plant constructed 23 April 2007-December 2007 on Nellis' west side was visited by president Barack Obama on 27 May 2009. In 2010, the 505th Operations Squadron operated the Combined Air and Space Operations Center-Nellis.[40]

Major commands to which assigned

Major units assigned

70th Base HQ and Air Base Squadron, c. 14 August 1942
82d Flying Training Wing (Flexible Gunnery) 8 January 1943 – 16 June 1946

See also

Notes

  1. ↑  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada". The Military Standard - Air Force Bases. TechBastard.com. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Comprehensive Site Evaluation Phase II (PDF) (Report). June 2010. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  4. 1 2 3 "Geographic Names Information System" (search page). USGS. Retrieved 2013-06-06.: Nellis AFB "Airport" (2443876, 361408N 1150224W),
    Nellis AFB CDP (2408911, 361448N 1150326W),
    Nellis Air Force Base (2511960, 361457N 1145946W),
    Nellis AFB Post Office (865017, 361432N 1150244W, 01-MAY-1992),
    Community College of Southern Nevada Nellis Air Force Base Center (2087468)
  5. 1 2 3 Huntley, Chris, Proj. Mgr. (August 2008). …Patriot Communications Exercises in Lincoln County, Nevada (Final Environmental Assessment) (Report). AFD-081006-078. Aspen Environmental Group. pp. 3–28. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Nellis AFB Factsheet". 57th Wing/PA.
  7. ↑ "Nellis Based Exercises". DreamLandResort.com.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Rininger, Tyson V. (2006). "History of Nellis Air Force Base". Red Flag: Air Combat for the 21st Century. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  9. ↑ "Nellis AFB, NV". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  10. ↑ http://www.nellis.af.mil/sportsandfitness.asp
  11. 1 2 Knapp, George (7 November 2008). "I-Team: The Road Warriors, Part 2". LasVegasNow.com. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
  12. 1 2 "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Nellis AFB CDP, Nevada". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  13. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing (1790–2000)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  14. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  15. ↑ "List of [FUDS] Sites…" (sorted database query list). CorpsFUDS.org. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  16. ↑ Table C-3 Status of Installations With Response Completed
  17. ↑ Archive Search Report: Dixie Valley Bombing Target No. 21 (Report). World War II Navy pilots at Fallon AAS also used ranges at Black Rock, Sahwave, Lovelock Gunnery Range, Pyramid Lake (torpedo bombing range) and Bravo 19 in the Blow Sand Mountains
  18. ↑ "List of [FUDS] Sites…" (sorted database query list). CorpsFUDS.org. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  19. ↑ Command History: U.S. Naval Auxiliary Air Station Fallon, Nevada (Report). OPNAV Report 5450-5. When World War I1 started, the Navy chose several places in Nevada for the construction of small air fields to be used as part of the western defense program. Some of the places selected were Minden, Winemucca, [sic] Lovelock, and Fallon. Army Engineers began the original work here in June of 1942; constructing the first two runways and connecting taxiways. These were the EW (7/25) and the NE-SW (13/31) strips and each was 5200 feet in length. The work was finished in December 1942. The original cost of the project was $464,000. 438,000 was for the runways and $26,000 for lighting. The land was leased to the C.A.A by the county. ...this station also has the use of the Churchill Flight Strip (Lahontan Dam) built by the Public Roads Administration. ... two large free gunnery areas, on predominantly waste land have been acquired, and requisite rocket bombing and ground-strafing targets have been constructed (included in Archive Summary Report:
  20. ↑ Maurer, Maurer. Aviation in the US Army, 1919–1939 (Report). ISBN 0-912799-38-2.
  21. 1 2 3 Futrell, Robert F. (July 1947). Development of AAF Base Facilities in the United States: 1939-1945 (Report). ARS-69: US Air Force Historical Study No 69 (Copy No. 2). Air Historical Office. Difficulties in securing the use of the gunnery ranges at Las Vegas, Nevada, and Tyndall Field, Florida, delayed the beginning of flexible gunnery training at those stations until December 1941
  22. ↑ Final Inventory Project Report, Tonopah Bombing Range (Report). Project Number - J09NV1114. USACE Sacramento District. September 1999. Executive order 8578 was executed on October 29, 1940 for the withdrawal of 3,560,000 million acres (1.44×1010 km2) of land from the public domain for use by the War Department as an aerial bombing and gmnery range (CE0769).
  23. ↑ "Las Vegas' Past". NetPhilosophy.Com. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 Manning, Thomas A (2005). "Installations". History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. pp. 42-tbd. Retrieved 2013-06-09. INSTALLATIONS   Las Vegas Field, Nevada   Air Training Command inactivated the base on 31 December 1946. From its activation on 20 December 1941, Las Vegas AAF had conducted flying training.
  25. ↑ "The Rear Gunner". Internet Movie Data Base.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Manning, Thomas A (2005). History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002 (Report in Archive.org text format). AETC Office of History and Research. ASIN B000NYX3PC. Retrieved 2013-06-09. Throughout 1944, B-29 gunners received practically the same training as those for other aircraft, but at the end of the year a few of them began to receive training in B-24s modified by the addition of central fire control turrets to make them more like B-29s. Then, as the year progressed, Buckingham Field, Florida; Las Vegas Field. Nevada; and Harlingen Field, Texas, all began offering B-29 gunnery instruction … Among the training devices used in this instruction was the manipulation trainer- 1 2 towers arranged to resemble a formation of planes. The towers ranged in height from 10 to 40 feet, each equipped with 2 nose. 2 tail. 2 ring sighting, and 4 blister positions. As students in these positions faced simulated attacks from PT-13 and PT-17 aircraft, they "fired" camera guns at the attacking fighters. … Two hurricanes, one in September and the other in October, destroyed Boca Raton Field in Florida [which] accelerated the move of the radar school to Keesler
  27. 1 2 Manning, Thomas A (2005). "Appendix C". History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. pp. 350–60. Retrieved 2013-06-09. Activated as Las Vegas AAF 20 Dec 41. Conducted flying training until inactivated 31 Dec 46. Activated 30 Aug 47 as a subinstallation of Mather AFB. Assigned as a subinstallation of Williams AAF 1 Apr 48 to provide advanced training for fighter pilots. Redesignated Nellis AFB and activated 30 Apr 50. Conducted flying and combat crew training until transferred to Tactical Air Command 1 Jul 58.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Mueller, Robert (1989). "Nellis Air Force Base". Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982: Nellis Air Force Base (PDF) (Report). "Reference series". Volume I. Office of Air Force History. pp. 439–445. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  29. ↑ "Lieutenant William Harrell Nellis" (fact sheet). Nellis AFB Public Affairs. Retrieved 2013-06-10. Posted 7/12/2012
  30. ↑ Operation Teapot report
  31. ↑ Wilman, J. Catherene (1997). A Pictorial History of Nellis Air Force Base 1941–1996. Nellis AFB Office of History.
  32. 1 2 3 Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History. ISBN 0-88740-513-4.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 Thornborough, Tony (1993), Osprey Aerospace, 1993. F-111 Aardvark—USAF's Ultimate Strike Aircraft ISBN 1-85532-259-5
  34. ↑ Davies, Steve (2008). Red Eagles. America's Secret MiGs. Osprey Publishing.
  35. ↑ "Constant Peg". Air Force Magazine. 90 (4). April 2007.
  36. ↑ Winkler, David F; Webster, Julie L (June 1997). Searching the Skies: The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program (PDF) (Report). Champaign, IL: U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. LCCN 97020912. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
  37. 1 2 Robertson, Patsy. "USAF Weapons School (ACC)" (AFHRA fact sheet). Retrieved 2013-06-10. Posted 8/19/2009
  38. 1 2 Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
  39. ↑ Lambeth, Benjamin S. Mastering the Ultimate High Ground: Next Steps in the Military Uses of Space. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  40. ↑ "Combined Air and Space Operations Center-Nellis" (fact sheet). Public Affairs, 505th Command and Control Wing. Retrieved 2013-06-06. Posted 3/3/2010
  41. ↑ Kane, Robert B. (20 Jul 2010). "USAF Warfare Center (ACC)" (U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet). AFHRA. Retrieved 2013-06-07.

References

  • Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
  • Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
External media
Images
"LVAFB Operations" building & 1945 aerial image
Bombers & fighters on tarmac
Nellis Spotters photos and videos
2009 E-3 Crash
2013 F-16 Crash
Video
Nellis & Red Flag videos
3004 Nellis F-22 Crash s
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