#FLAT SPIN AIR COMBAT MANEUVER PATCH#

At any given time, the 87th maintained two interceptors fully fueled and loaded with weapons, in addition to pilots who slept mere feet from their planes with their parachutes already in the aircraft and their helmets on the seat, ready to be in the air within 5 minutes. One of the squadron’s essential functions was its ability to be ready at a moment’s notice. Despite advances in early warning technology, squadrons such as the 87th did not have the luxury of time to respond to a threat. The squadron’s mission at KI Sawyer was to maintain all-weather readiness in interceptor tactics, aerial refueling, and aerial combat. Prior to their move, they had already earned a reputation as the “Flyingest F-106 Squadron in ADC” due to their pilots logging an average of 35 flight hours per month. The 87th had been flying F-106A Delta Darts since 1968 when they replaced the F-101s equipped by the 62nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron which had previously occupied KI Sawyer. In May 1971, the 87th moved from their previous home in Duluth, Minnesota to KI Sawyer AFB in Marquette, Michigan.

#FLAT SPIN AIR COMBAT MANEUVER PATCH#

Upon retirement, service members are presented with a patch of the 87th FIS surrounded by the signatures of their peers. To counter this threat, the Air Defense Command (ADC) established fighter interceptor bases across the nation’s northern border, one of which became home to the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. The range of the Soviet TU-95 ‘Bear’ bombers allowed them to attack the United States through the shortest route by flying over the North Pole and Canada, leaving mainland cities such as Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis as vulnerable targets.

Not only did the USSR have nuclear weapons, but it also had the aircraft necessary to deploy them. However, the realities of the Cold War begged to differ. Upon first inspection, it may not seem like a logical decision to place a fighter interceptor squadron in the middle of the Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. These competitions produced combat-ready pilots and kept squadrons performing at the best of their ability while promoting squadron pride and rivalry. Pilots and crews honed their skills through aerial competitions such as the William Tell Air-To-Air Weapons Meet. The Soviet bombers seemed to test American reaction times above all else and the Americans were well prepared to react. Although these bombers never approached the key urban centers that they threatened, the role of fighter interceptors and squadrons in air defense against the Soviet threat was crucial. The ability of advanced early warning systems to detect Soviet bombers and scramble fighters effectively prevented any Soviet attacks on American soil. The 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, known by their squadron paint as the “Red Bulls” flew F-106 Delta Darts from their base at KI Sawyer to intercept Soviet ‘Bear’ bombers during the Cold War. 87th FIS F-106 “The City of Marquette” (From F-106 Delta Dart)

Flat spin air combat maneuver