On August 1, 1907, the US Army Signal Corps established a small Aeronautical Division to take "charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines, and all kindred subjects". In August 1914, the 1st Aero Squadron represented the entire tactical air strength of the US Army. It counted 12 officers, 54 enlisted men, and six aircraft. These numbers grew to 2,253,000 men and women and 63,715 aircraft in 1945.

A War Department letter of March 21, 1946, created two new commands and redesignated an existing one: Continental Air Forces was redesignated Strategic Air Command, and the resources of what had been Continental Air Forces were divided among Strategic Air Command and the two newcomers - Air Defense Command and Tactical Air Command. These three commands and the older Air Transport Command represented respectively the strategic, tactical, defense, and airlift missions that provided the foundation for building the postwar, independent Air Force.

The National Security Act of 1947 became law on July 26, 1947. It created the Department of the Air Force, headed by a Secretary of the Air Force. Under the Department of the Air Force, the act established the United States Air Force, headed by the Chief of Staff, USAF. On September 18, 1947, W. Stuart Symington became Secretary of the Air Force, and on September 26, Gen. Carl A. Spaatz became the USAF's first Chief of Staff.

"The US Air Force"

B-2 STEALTH BOMBER

The B-2 stealth bomber combines revolutionary aerospace technologies for the world's most advanced aircraft. With its unique flying wing configuration, it is a highly versatile multi-role bomber, capable of delivering both nuclear and conventional munitions.

The sleek, lethal-looking bomber is reminiscent of the B-35, developed by Northrop during the 1940s, and uses advanced composites, such as resin-impregnated graphite fiber, rather than metal.

As part of an industry team led by Northrop, Boeing built the outboard portion of the B-2 stealth bomber wing, the aft center fuselage section, landing gears, fuel system and weapons delivery system. At its peak in 1991, the B-2 was the largest military program at Boeing, employing about 10,000 people. The same year, the National Aeronautic Association of the U.S.A. awarded the B-2 design team the Collier Trophy for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, demonstrated in actual use. The first B-2 rolled out of the bomber's final assembly facility in Palmdale, Calif., in November 1988 and it flew for the first time on July 17, 1989.

The first B-2 entered the Air Force's operational fleet at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., on Dec. 17, 1993. On Oct. 29, 1994, the Air Force's fourth operational B-2 was named "Spirit of Washington" in Seattle, Wash., to honor the people of the state who helped make the B-2 a reality. During 2001, the B-2 flew missions to Afghanistan nonstop from Whiteman Air Force Base. In 2004, there were 21 B-2s assigned to the U.S. Air Force 509th Bomb Wing. As part of the Air Force B-2 industry team, Boeing built primary structural components; supplied the bomber's fuel systems, weapons-delivery system and landing gear; worked on the B-2's smart bomb racks; and upgraded the SATCOM radios.

Specifications:

First flight: July 17, 1989
Classification: Bomber
Span: 172 feet
Length: 69 feet
Gross weight: 336,500 pounds
Cruising speed: High subsonic
Range: 6,000 miles plus
Ceiling: 50,000 feet
Power: Four 19,000-pound-thust F118-GE-100 engines
Accommodation: 2 crew
Armament: More than 40,000-pound nuclear or conventional weapon payload