THE A TEAM: AIR FORCE RESERVE AND AIR

The Air Reserve Forces, comprised of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, account for better than fifty percent of the total flying sorties conducted by the Air Force as a whole. The Reserve Forces used to be known as the "Hand-me-down Roses" of the Department of the Air Force. This painting was done to emphasize the fact that since 1974, with the enactment of the "Total Force Concept" these forces have been receiving brand new, state of the air aircraft. The painting depicts the newest Reserve/ANG aircraft in the inventory; F-16s from the Hill unit and ANG F-16s from the 169th Tac Fighter Group at McEntire ANG Base, South Carolina. Also center stage is the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender. The KC-10 is the most effective tool the Air Force has to implement Strategic Power and project the U.S. force around the world. Capable of 13 hour flights while refueling fighters, the range of the Extender is unsurpassed. "The painting shows a KC-10 from the Reserve's outstanding unit for the past 5 years, the 452nd Air Refueling Wing, at March AFB, California. This is an associate unit, not owning the aircraft but providing reserve crews to man the airplanes. The artist is an Aircraft Commander on this airplane, belonging to the 79th Air Refueling Squadron. We see the moment when the F-16 is just about to make contact with the boom and start taking fuel. The KC-10 has started a slight left turn and the formation is at just that moment when the tanker is turning into it."