194th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 144th Fighter Interceptor Wing California Air National Guard Looking Back (to my pre-digital camera days) Fresno, California, May 1981

A photo-report using my slides taken during from a brief base visit. In May 1981 I gave the PAO a call at the California Air National Guard at Fresno and she (PAO Janck) said; "Today is a good day", so I was given a tour around the flightline. How times have changed regarding access to airbases in the US. These fantastic 194th FIS F-106A Delta Darts were destined to retire in 1983.

Convair F-106A Delta Dart (59-0146). The 194th FIS, 144th FIW brought the F-106 into service on July 25, 1974, they continued to fly this aircraft until December 31, 1983. 59-0146 is preserved at Fresno.

Left to right: F-106A Delta Dart (59-0011, 59-0146, 59-0038 and 59-0146) with the 194th FIS, 144th FIW.

Left to right: F-106A Delta Darts (58-0774 now at Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill AFB, Utah, 58-0790 and 59-0049) with the 194th FIS, 144th FIW.

Visting Fresno was this wonderful F-104N Starfighter (N811NA). NASA operated 11 F-104 Starfighters for flight testing. Eight transferred from USAF inventory, but this aircraft is the first of three built by Lockheed expressly for NASA in 1963 for use as pilot proficiency aircraft. Designated F-104N, and coded 011, NASA gave it the civilian registration N811NA in 1970. With it's last official NASA research flight on October 23, 1987 after a total of 4,370 flights, it was stored at Edwards AFB until transferred to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona circa 1997.

California ANG, Fresno - Gate Guards

Convair F-102 Delta Dagger (53-1804).

Left to right: North American P-51D Mustang (44-73972) California ANG, Douglas VC-47A Skytrain (43-15579) California ANG, North American F-86L Sabre (53-0642) California ANG, North American F-86A Sabre (49-1272) California ANG.