Base History.
Feb 16th 1910, Wilbur Wright opens a flying school in Montgomery, Alabama. A little over a month later his brother, Orville, completes the first aircraft flight at Wright field, Montgomery. In 1918 the Army took over Wright field and used it as an engine repair depot and rename the facility ARDMONT (Aviation Repair Depot Montgomery). In 1922 the base became home to the 22nd Observation Squadron and 4th Photographic Section. ARDMONT is renamed Maxwell Field in honour of 2nd Lt. William C. Maxwell, an Alabama Resident killed in an air crash in the Philippines. In 1945 the Army Air Forces School transfers to Maxwell Field from Orlando, Florida. 2 years later the School is renamed Air University. In 1947 the US Air Force was established as a separate air arm, shortly afterwards Maxwell Field is re-designated Maxwell Air Force Base.

Maxwell AFB Is currently home to the Air University, which deals with officer training for the US Airforce and many foreign nations too. The Fairchild Library and USAF Historical Research Agency. And the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Headquarters (the search for Steve Fosset when he went missing was lead by the team at Maxwell AFB)

The reason for our visit was to view the preserved aircraft in the “Air Park” these aircraft are;
B-25J 253373 9Z (44-30649 N9452Z)

B-52D 55-0057

F-4D 65-0660

F-86A 12760 (49-1301) “The Chris Craft”


F-100D 55-3678

RF-101C 56-0135

F-105D 61-0176


In the centre of the park is a Wright Flyer replica to honour the earliest of all pioneers.


Also within the fence
T-38A 59-1601


Civil Air Patrol HQ building
Cessna O-1 N6258


All aircraft are preserved in absolutely immaculate condition, the only exception being the F-105 which was undergoing a bit of a tidy up. A prominent feature of the Air Park is a statue of 1st Lt. Karl Richter, at 23 Years old, the youngest USAF pilot to shoot down a North Vietnamese MiG. Richter had 200 plus successful missions in the F-105D.


The Team Would like to thank our host for the afternoon Scott Knitson for making sure we saw all that Maxwell had to offer and for providing us with all of the above knowledge.

Other useful sources;
www.maxwell.af.mil/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell_Air_Force_Base
Also our bible for the trip; Andy Mardens' USA-Military Out of Service 2007