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51st Fighter Wing Founded : Country : US Fate : became 51st Air Base Wing on Nov. 1, 1971 51st FW activated on Aug. 18, 1948 at Naha AFB and absorbed the resources of the 301st FW, to include the 51st FG. The 51st FW became a "fighter-interceptor" wing in 1950. It entered combat service in the Korean War on Sept. 22 of that year, when it moved to Itazuke AB, Japan, to support the breakout of the U.S. Eighth Army from the Pusan Perimeter. For nearly four years thereafter, the 51st FIW played a key role in the defense of South Korea despite moving to four different locations within a year and operating under austere conditions. The 51st FIW's war record was impressive. Wing pilots flew more than 45,000 sorties and shot down 312 MiG-15s; this produced 14 air aces including the top ace of the war, Capt. Joseph McConnell. The ratio of aerial victories to losses was 14 to 1. Unfortunately, the wing lost 32 pilots to enemy action; however, nine that became prisoners of war were repatriated later. On Aug. 1, 1954, the 51st FIW returned to Naha AB to resume air defense coverage of the Ryukyu Islands. At the same time, the wing demonstrated its mobility readiness in response to three regional crises. From August 1958 to January 1959, the 51st FIW deployed eight F-86Ds to Taiwan to fly combat air support missions for Nationalist Chinese forces after mainland Communist Chinese forces shelled the Nationalist-held islands of Quemoy and Matsu. Six years later, the wing deployed 12 F-102s to the Philippines and South Vietnam from August to October 1964 for air defense against possible Communist North Vietnamese air attacks. Finally, on Jan. 23, 1968, North Korean naval forces seized the USS Pueblo. From January to February 1968, the 51st dispatched 12 F-102s to Suwon AB, South Korea. The 51st FIW ended almost 17 years of service in the Pacific from Naha when it inactivated on May 31, 1971. Redesignated and activated as the 51st Air Base Wing on Nov. 1, 1971, the 51st assumed the host responsibilities of the inactivated 6314th Support Wing at Osan AB, to include the Koon-ni range and a variety of remote sites. In the first of many changes in name and combat capability over the next 20 years, the 51st ABW became the 51st Composite Wing (Tactical) on Sept. 30, 1974, when an F-4E fighter squadron and OV-10 tactical air support squadron were assigned. The defining changes of these decades included the addition of a squadron of A-10s on Jan. 1, 1982, then based at Suwon AB; the transition from the F-4E to the F-16 in August 1988; and the assignment of a flight of turboprop C-12Js in August 1992.

51st Fighter Wing

Aces for : 51st Fighter Wing
A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name.
Name	Victories	Info
Francis S Gabreski	28.00	The signature of Francis S Gabreski features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.
James Douglas Lindsay	7.00	The signature of James Douglas Lindsay features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.

Aircraft for : 51st Fighter Wing
A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by 51st Fighter Wing. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Squadron	Info
Sabre Click the name above to see prints featuring Sabre aircraft. Manufacturer : North American Number Built : 11787	Sabre The North American Aviation F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet Fighter. The F-86 Sabre is best known for its role during the Korean War role where it was pitted against the Soviet MIG 15. With speeds often nudging the sound barrier, and performing combat manoeuvres at 600 m.p.h. imposing crushing G-forces, the F-86 pilots ran up a spectacular kill ratio of 8:1 against the MiGs. Although developed in the late 1940s and outdated by the end of the 1950s, the Sabre proved adaptable and continued as a front line fighter in air forces until the last active front line examples were retired by the Bolivian Air Force in 1994. More than 7,800 Sabres aircraft were built between 1949 and 1956, in the United States, Japan and Italy. It was by far the most-produced Western jet fighter, with total production of all variants at 9,860 units.

Signatures for : 51st Fighter Wing
A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
Name	Info
Colonel Robert Baldwin Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Colonel Robert Baldwin Died : 7 / 4 / 1994	Colonel Robert Baldwin Robert Baldwin was born on October 19, 1917, in Los Angeles, California. He entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps on September 28th, 1939, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Kelly Field, Texas, on June 22, 1940. Bob Baldwin took part in 75 combat missions in World War II flying P-38s and P-40s in Europe between 1943-45. After the second World War Col Robert Baldwin in 1948 served as a military observer in Palestine, and then served as Assistant Deputy for Maintenance and Chief of Flight Operations with Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Material Area at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, from December 1948 to July 1949. He attended Air Command & Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, from July to December 1949, and then served as Commander of the 56th Maintenance and Support Group at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, from December 1949 to March 1950. Col Baldwin was Deputy for Operations of the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Selfridge from March 1950 to June 1951, and then served on the staff of Headquarters Air Defense Command at Ent AFB, Colorado, from June 1951 to February 1953. Robert Baldwin joined the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing in Korea and was promoted to Commander after 3 missions. He flew a total of 85 combat missions, and has 800 hours on the F-86 achieving 5 arial victories plus 3 damaged in the Korean conflict. He was Base Commander of Kisarazu AB, Japan, from September 1953 to June 1955, followed by service as Commander of the 4750th Air Defense Group at Vincent AFB, Arizona, from June 1955 to November 1958. Col Baldwin next served with Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Pentagon from November 1958 to June 1962, and then served on the staff of Headquarters Allied Air Forces Southern Europe from June 1962 to July 1965. His final assignment was as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans with Headquarters Air Training Command at Randolph AFB, Texas, from July 1965 He flew many other jet fighters of the era and retired from the Service in June 1966. Robert Baldwin passed away on April 7th, 1994. Citation for the Silver Star : Colonel Robert P. Baldwin distinguished himself by extraordinary meritorious service with the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing on 22 June 1953. Colonel Baldwin while leading four (4) F-86 type aircraft on a fighter sweep along the Manchurian Border sighted four (4) enemy MIG-15 type aircraft pressing an attack against two (2) friendly aircraft and immediately led his flight into the enemy. After successfully breaking up the enemy attack, Colonel Baldwin rolled down on the trailing MIG and fired a short burst into his left wing and fuselage. Colonel Baldwin continued to score numerous hits as heavy smoke poured from both wings and the enemy aircraft went into a steep dive through the clouds. Colonel Baldwin followed him through the cloud layer and pulled up sharply to avoid hitting the ground. Later reports confirmed the destruction of the MIG. By his personal courage and exceptional flying ability in this action, Colonel Baldwin is credited with destroying his fifth (5th) MIG-15 type aircraft. Throughout his tour, Colonel Baldwin's aggressive spirit and mental alertness have brought great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Colonel Gabby Gabreski Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by or with the mounted signature of Colonel Gabby Gabreski Died : 31 / 1 / 2002 Ace : 28.00 Victories	Colonel Gabby Gabreski Gabby Gabreski was the top scoring 8th Air Force fighter Ace in Europe with 28.5 victories in World War II, plus further 6.5 in Korea. Flying P47s with the 56th Fighter Group, his illustrious career in Europe came to a spectacular end, when, strafing an airfield his aircraft touched the ground. He crash landed and was taken prisoner. The story of this American hero from Oil City, Pennsylvania begins in 1942. Gabreski dropped out of his pre-med studies at the University of Notre Dame to become a flyer. Anxious to get into action quickly Francis Gabreski got himself assigned to the 3-1-5 Polish fighter squadron of the RAF in 1942. Although Gabreski flew many combat missions with the Polish fighter squadron he attained no victories. In February of 1943 he was reassigned to the U.S. Army's Eighth Air Force. On August 24, 1943 he got his first victory (a Focke-Wulf 190) over France. Flying the P-47 Thunderbolt or Jug, Gabreski continued to achieve victory after victory. He was officially credited with 28 confirmed aerial victories, and that excludes the scores of aircraft, tanks, and other vehicles destroyed by Gabreski during ground attack missions. For many weeks leading up to and following D-Day in June of 1944 Gabby had been on numerous missions involving the dive bombing and strafing of German trains, bridges, armored convoys, and gun emplacements. On July 20,1944 Gabby was scheduled to depart for a much-deserved leave, during which he planned to marry his girl, Kay Lochran. Shortly before his scheduled departure Gabreski was given the opportunity of leading the 61st Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group on an important mission. This was a challenge this ace could not resist. Near Cologne, Gabby spotted an airdrome and began a high-speed low-level attack. Defying his own axiom to hit them hard, hit them fast, hit them low, but never come around for a second pass, Gabby made an ill-fated second pass over the field. On this second pass his propeller hit the tarmac, and Gabreski was forced to make a crash landing in a wheat field adjacent to the German airfield. For five days he was able to elude the German army, but he was finally captured and sent to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth Germany. In 1945 with the end of the War Gabby was released and he married Kay Cochran on June 11. Not long after the Korean War broke out, Gabby found himself in command of the 51st Fighter Wing, where he flew the F-86 Sabre jet. In Korea Gabreski attained 6.5 more confirmed aerial victories in engagements with Migs, earning the unique distinction of ace status in two different wars. Following his retirement from military service in 1967, Gabby worked for several years for Grumman Aircraft on Long Island. Later he was to become the President and General Manager of the Long Island Railroad. Two of his nine children are Air Force Academy graduates and pilots with the U.S. Air Force. At the time of his retirement from military service in 1967 Gabby is believed to have flown more combat missions than any other American fighter pilot. Gabreski lived in Long Island New York where the American flag proudly flew each day atop the Gabreski family flagpole. Colonel Francis Gabby Gabreski passed away on January 31,2002.
Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Heller Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by or with the mounted signature of Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Heller	Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Heller Ed Heller joined the Service in 1942 and during World War II flew both the P-51 and P-47 in the European Theater with the 352nd Fighter Group, becoming an Ace with 5 1/2 victories. Flying F-86s with the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing in Korea he scored a further 3 1/2 victories before being shot down, resulting in two and a half years as a prisoner of war of the Chinese.
Wing Commander James Lindsay DFC Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Wing Commander James Lindsay DFC Ace : 7.00 Victories	Wing Commander James Lindsay DFC Born in September 1922, James Doug Lindsay joined the RCAF in February 1941, training on Harvards. He was posted to the UK, arriving in March 1943 and joining 403 Sqn in October that year. In his first tour, he claimed 5 Me109s as well as 2 Fw190s, plus another damaged. Of the Me109s he shot down, three of these were in a single minute, earning him a DFC. For his second tour, he rejoined 403 Sqn in April 1945, claiming a probable Fw190 during his short time with this squadron before he moved to 416 squadron until the end of the war in Europe. After the war he stayed with the air force, and in 1952 served during the Korean war with the USAF. He flew F-86 Sabres with the 39th Fighter Squadron of the 51st Fighter Wing, claiming victories over two MiG-15s and damaging 3 others. In 1953, he returned to the UK with No.1 Fighter Wing leading Sabres in formation at the Queen's Coronation. He retired in 1972, having flown more than 30 different types of aircraft (excluding different Mks). These included, Harvard, Anson, Master, Spitfire, Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane, Mustang, Beaufort, Beaufighter, Oxford, Dakota, Tiger Moth, Vampire and Sabre.

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