(Photo visual: USAF John S. Swanson)
Most of the US ANG units nowadays operate the F-16, amongst which the Michigan ANG is no exception. AviaMagazine.com looks into the 107th fighter squadron (Red Devils) located at Selfridge ANGB, Michigan.
Organized at Kelly Field, TX, on 27 August 1917, as the 107th Aero Squadron. The unit moved to France in January 1918. On 1 February 1918 it was redesignated as 801st Aero Squadron. The unit assembled, serviced and repaired aircraft and was demobilized at Garden City, NY, on 18 March 1919.
In 1936, its lineage and honors were consolidated with those of the 107th OS which had been activated as a Michigan National Guard unit in May 1926.
| Unit: | 107th Fighter Squadron |
| Nickname: | "Red Devils" |
| Wing: | 127th Fighter Wing (8th AF) |
| Location: | Selfridge ANGB, MI |
| Aircraft: | F-16C/D ('MI') |
History
| 7 May 1926 | 107 th OS extended federal recognition at Wayne County Airport, Romulus, as the aviation unit in the 32nd Division, Michigan NG, and initially equipped with Consolidated PT-1's.
1926-1940: Remaining based in Romulus, the 107th OS was equipped over the years with the mix of aircraft typical of prewar Guard units, including Consolidated PT-1's, Douglas BT-1's, O-2's and O-38's, North American O-47's and BC-1's. |
| 15 Oct 1940 | Called to active duty, assigned to the Fourth Corps Area, and moved 13 days later to Camp
Beauregard, LA. On 31 December 1940 it had one BC-1A, two O-38E's and nine O-47A/B's .
W.O.II: Before being shipped to England in August 1942, the federalized Michigan unit moved twice, was redesignated on two occasions, and briefly flew ASW patrols along the Carolinas and Georgia coasts. Trained on Spitfire V's but re-equipped with North American P-51/F-6's before being redesignated 107th TRS, the squadron was assigned to the 67th TRG, 9th Air Force, and flew tactical reconnaissance missions in the European Theatre between December 1943 and VE-Day. Inactivated at Drew Field, FL, in November 1945, the squadron was redesignated 107th BS before being allotted back to the Michigan National Guard on 24 May 1946. |
| 26 Sep 1946 | 107th BS (Light) extende federal recognition at Wayne City Airport, Detroit, and soon
equipped with Douglas A-26B/C's (plus support aircraft). |
| Spring 1950 | Converted from B-26B/C's to Republic F-84B's |
| 1 July 1950 | Redesignated 107th FS (Jet) |
| 1 Feb 1951 | Called to active duty as part of the Korean War call-up and transferred to Luke AFB, AZ to serve as a component of the 127th Pilot Training Wing (with F-84E/G's later supllementing and finally supplanting the initially assigned F-84B/C's. |
| 1 Nov 1952 | Returned to state control at the Detroit-Wayne Metro Airport to be reorganized as the 107th FBS and equipped with North American F-51H's . |
| Nov 1953 | Converted from F-51H's to North American F-86E's |
| Jun 1955 | Converted from F-86E 's to Northrop F-89C's |
| 1 July 1955 | Redesignated 107th FIS |
| Spring 1958 | Converted from F-89C's to Republic RF-84F Thunderflash |
| 12 Apr 1958 | Redesignated 107th TRS |
| 1 Jul 1960 | Became TAC gained upon implementation of gaining command concept |
| 1 Oct 1962 | Reached group status with federal recognition of 127th TRG |
| Jan 1971 | Moved to Selfridge AFB and converted from RF-85F's to McDonnell RF-101A/C's |
| July 1971 | Selfridge AFB inactivated and transferred to Michigan ANG as Selfridge ANGB |
| Summer 1972 | Converted from RF-101A/C's to North American F-100D/F Super Sabre. |
| 1 Jul 1972 | Redesignated 107th TFS |
| 9 Dec 1974 | 127th TFG inactivated and 107th TFS placed directly under 127th TFW |
| Summer 1978 | Converted from F-100D/F's to LTV A-7D Corsair II's. 'MI'tailcode applied with red/black fincap (checks) |
| 1 April 1990 | Completed conversion from A-7D/K's to General Dynamics F-16A/B's; role off the F-16's was CAS (Combat Air Support) |
| 15 Mar 1992 | Unit designation changed to 107th Fighter Squadron and 127th Fighter Wing (Tactical was deleted) |
| 1 Jun 1992 | As part of the Air Force resteructuring program, gaining command changed to ACC. |
| 1994 | converted from F-16A and B to F-16C and D. Most of the vipers are former 432 FW/MJ.
 85-1504 F-16C  85-1573 F-16D
|
| 1996 | With the 171 AS (former 171 FIS) with C-130E's the designation changed to 127 Wg |
| 2004 | Combat operations Iraq. An unknown numbers of F-16's from the 107thFS Michigan ANG has arrived at Kirkuk AB in March. They replaced the A-10's from the 354thEFS from Davis Monthan. |
| May 2009 | Converted to the A-10
 79-0193 OA-10A
|
Former Vipers with 107th
| Tailcode: | MI |
| Tailmarkings: | horizontal fintip from top to below: red/ yellow, blue and green containing the name 'Michigan'.
Later changed to dark grey/light grey checks on the top of the fin and a bird's head middle of the fin. The tailcode 'MI'was skipped. |
| F-16A: | 78-0001, 78-0003, 78-0011, 78-0014, 78-0017, 78-0018, 78-0020, 78-0049,
78-0058, 78-0059, 79-0307, 79-0328, 79-0333, 79-0342, 79-0347, 79-0359,
79-0360, 79-0361, 79-0368, 79-0369, 79-0379, 79-0387, 80-0485, 80-0494,
80-0495, 80-0501, 80-0503, 80-0505, 80-0568, 80-0571,
81-0701, 81-0792. |
| F-16B: | 78-0079, 78-0084, 79-0432, 80-0626 |
| Losses: | 79-0307 21 April 1993 -> became GF-16A with the 82 TRW/ST (Sheppard AFB),
79-0379 21 April 1993 near Selfridge ANGB. |
78-0011 F-16A
78-0059 F-16A
78-0011 (FG0059), 78-0014 (FG0060), 78-0017 (FG0206), 78-0018 (FG0153), 78-0020 (FG0161), 78-0049 (FG0112), 78-0049 (FG0240), 79-0328 (FG0086), 79-0333 (FG0162), 79-0342 (FG0152), 79-0347 (FG0165), 79-0361(FG0121), 79-0369 (FG0140), 80-0485(FG0139), 80-0494 (FG0084) and 80-0503 (FG0160).
Most of these are with 'MI' tailcode and the colored fintip with 'Michigan'in it. 78-0011 was first Viper of the 107 FS that arrived on AMARC at 27 January 1994 (FG059). Some of the former Michigan F-16's are operational at the moment with the Israelian Air Force (IDAF).
Active Vipers Operations (until 2009)
| Tailcode: | MI |
| Tailmarkings: | dark grey/light grey checks on the top of the fin and a bird's head middle of the fin. No tailcode.
Later changed to red line with 'Michigan'and 'Red Devils' with a red devilvork underside of the fin. 'MI' tailcode back on the fin. |
| F-16C: | 85-1493, 85-1494, 85-1498, 85-1499, 85-1500
(to 113 FS/TH), 85-1501, 85-1502 (to 150 DSE/NM),
85-1503, 85-1504 (127 Wg), 86-0207, 86-0208,
86-0221, 86-0233, 86-0234, 86-0235 |
| F-16D: | 85-1573 |
| Remarks: | The F-16C's and the F-16D were former 432 FW/PACAF 'MJ' planes and were delivered in 1994. |
| Losses: | None |