Members of the Oregon Air National Guard are proud of the unit’s past, and have celebrated a major milestone in its history by applying special markings to one of their Eagles.
OREGON AIR NATIONAL GUARD
“The 75th only happens once, so you can go ‘big’ on this one”
HERITAGE AND history play a big part in the psyche of fighter units – the link to the past builds camaraderie and pride in the unit’s achievements. It’s perhaps little wonder then that Oregon Air National Guard’s (ANG) 173rd Fighter Wing (FW) wanted to mark its parent unit’s 75th anniversary in style by adorning one of its F-15C Eagles with special markings. The unit’s incoming commander, Col Jeff Smith, then asked if anyone had ideas for an appropriate paint scheme.
Master Sergeant Paul Allen submitted an eye-catching design for the aircraft’s tail, but the OC-to-be had bigger plans. He said: “The 75th only happens once, so you can go ‘big’ on this one”. Armed with the boss’s backing, Allen created plans for an ambitious tip-to-tail scheme and soon received the green light to apply it to F-15C 79-0041.
Countless volunteer hours went into making the paint scheme a reality, and there were numerous obstacles to overcome. Perhaps the biggest head…
