Military Model Scene

Title: The Air National Guard
Author: Brig. Gen. Kennard R. Wiggins JR. (DE ANG)
Publisher: Fonthill Media
ISBN: 978-1-78155-932-1

The Early Years 1946-1965, from Fonthill Media. A 159-page soft-cover book, also available in e-book formats.
As WW2 came to an end the US Air Force was established as in independent force, and to go with it, the Air National Guard was also created, as a largely fighter equipped reserve for the Federal Air Force. Set up within all the individual states, we learn how it all began and the senior commanders who cared out their place in the new peacetime US military organisation. Seen as a 'club' for old flyers, it made use of the combat experience that pilots had gained during the war, and at first, much of their equipment made use of older aircraft which were put aside as the first generation of new jet aircraft were coming into service. When the Korean War started, the need to make use of the Air National Guard units demonstrated the value of this valuable reserve. Gradually jets such as the F-80 Shooting Star, along with others including the F-86 Sabre reequipped the various ANG units. The book doesn't really focus on the aircraft types, though of course they are included, but more on the commanders, the personalities and aces who emerged from their service, and after the war in Korea was over, on the publicity they created by plenty of new flight records, inclusion in air races and some display teams who entertained the crowds at the many air shows that were popular in the 1950s and '60s. Just to pick out one of those, I rather liked the colour scheme of the 'Minute Men', a precision display team of the Colorado Air National Guard. They flew the F-86 Sabre in a colourful bare metal and red paint scheme, plus there is a photo of a modern F-16 painted up to celebrate their 50th anniversary. A scheme that I am sure will inspire a modeller or two. The competitive spirit continued into inclusion in events such as the annual William Tell gunnery competitions with the serving Air Force units. A couple of appendices add a list of the ANG units involved in the Korean War, and those who served in Europe, thus releasing front line units to deploy to Korea, and then a list of units who were winners in competitions such as the William Tell meets.
It was interesting to read about the early days of the ANG, and how they not only had to establish themselves and their role, but also how they operated older aircraft before converting to use the more modern jet aircraft that came into service, especially in the 1950s. It is largely the story of the people who helped establish the various ANG units, and some of the personalities who came to the fore, as commanders, display pilots and combat veterans. Well illustrated, there are not only the aircraft they flew over the years, and also images of the pilots and commanders featured in the text, allowing us to put faces to the names.
Thanks to Fonthill Media for the review copy.

Robin