On April 24, 2010 Torpedo Squadron 8 hit the highway to go to Davis-Monthan AFB in Tuscon, AZ to visit the 214th Reconnaissance Group of the Arizona Air National Guard. The 214th is comprised mostly of the 214th Reconnaissance Squadron, one of the few National Guard Units in the country to fly the unmanned MQ-1 Predator Drone. The Squadron also going to visited the Pima Air Museum, the largest non-government funded air museum in the world, maintaining over 300 aircraft from all eras of flying history.
Colonel Pearson of the 214th gave us a very informative briefing of the MQ-1 Predator’s capabilites and history. The Colonel also gave us a walkaround tour of an F-16C Fighting Falcon, operated by the Arizona Air National Guard. Lastly, he gave a driving tour of Davis-Monthan’s famous ‘Boneyard’, where the DoD keeps over 5000 decommissioned airplanes as well as storage for fighters that can be brought online in a week or less. Many thanks go to Col. Pearson!
After spending time on the Air Force Base, TS8 went to the Pima Air Museum to see a restored TBM/TBF Avenger, one of the two kinds of aircraft flown by TS8 in World War Two. The docents of the Pima Air Museum gave very detailed breifings to the squadron about the B-29 Super Fortress, as well as the SR-71 Black Bird.
