1950s

In honor of the countdown to the U.S. Air Force’s 75th Anniversary in September, we’re showcasing pieces of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base history and highlighting how far it’s come over the years through innovation, accelerating change and thriving through the decades.

Until 1960, DM was the home of the 43rd Bomber Wing, and was the Strategic Air Command’s first Supersonic Bomber Wing. The wing employed the B-50 Superfortress and B-47 Stratojet.

As the 43rd BW switched from B-50s to B-47s in 1953, they named one of the B-47s “City of Tucson II” after the B-50 called “City of Tucson.”

For the past 75 years, DM has been modernizing our force to maintain the competitive edge of tomorrow.