Macdill AFB

Ok, so this is Macdill AFB. You military types may recognize this as the home of Central Command (Centcom) which is in charge of the Middle East area. The base officially began on April 16, 1941 and was named for Col Leslie Macdill, an early aviation pioneer who had been killed. The early missions of the base included anti-submarine patrols, training, and ferrying aircraft overseas. The training mission continued through WW2 and into the Cold War. The base was also a filming location for the Jimmy Stewart movie Strategic Air Command. It also took on refueling operations until it became a Tactical Air Command base in 1962. It fielded combat ready fighter squadrons until 1993, when its fighters were moved to Luke AFB, Arizona. The base was saved from closure by adopting the National Oceanic and Atmospherric Administration, Centcom, and other organizations. These photos are near the Centcom building and include a KB50 refueling plane (above and below) and an F4 Phantom, and F16 Fighting Falcon.