FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE – Fairchild Air Force Base officials kicked off their 100 years of military aviation in Spokane with the unveiling of a new paint scheme Friday, Feb. 2.
The 141st Air Refueling Wing painted the tail on its flagship KC-135 aircraft (59-1471) in a heritage paint scheme, which was unveiled at the event.
The heritage design is inspired by the markings that were proudly displayed on the unit’s observation aircraft flown in the 1930s, base officials said.
The squadron insignia, the Ace of Spades with a dagger driven through the center of the card scripted “Caveat Hostis,” — Latin for “Let the Enemy Beware” — was adopted in 1931 and is still in use today. The unit was organized as 116th Aero Squadron on Aug. 29, 1917, and redesignated as the 116th Aero Squadron (Service) on Sept. 1, 1917.
On Feb. 1, 1918, it was redesignated as the 637th Aero Squadron (Supply) and then demobilized on May 20, 1919.
The squadron was reconstituted with 116th Observation Squadron, 41st Division Air Service which, having been allotted to Washington National Guard, was federally recognized Aug. 6, 1924.
The 116th Air Refueling Squadron is one of the oldest Air National Guard units in the nation, and one of the 12 original Air Guard units in the country.
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