Maryland Falcons

Curtiss O-11 Falcons assigned to the Maryland National Guard's 104th Observation Squadron on the flightline on Aug. 3, 1930. The Maryland National Guard flew Falcons from February 1928 until January 1932. (Released)

C-130J flying during a training exercise

C-130J aircraft from the Maryland Air National Guard stationed at Warfield Air National Guard base in Baltimore, Maryland flying during a training exercise. (File Photo, RELEASED)

A-10C flying in formation

A-10C aircraft from the Maryland Air National Guard stationed at Warfield Air National Guard base in Baltimore, Maryland flying in formation during a training exercise. (File Photo, RELEASED)

A-10C flying during training

A-10C aircraft from the Maryland Air National Guard stationed at Warfield Air National Guard Base in Baltimore, Maryland fly during a training flight. (File Photograph, RELEASED)

Maryland Air Commandos

A Maryland Air National Guard C-46D Commando transport belonging to the 135th Air Resupply Group flies over downtown Baltimore. The 135th was equipped with the Commando from 1955 to 1958. (Released)

First to Use the A-10C in Combat

An A-10C Thunderbolt jet taxis in on the flightline at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, after a mission Oct. 27, 2007. The A-10Cs are assigned to the 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, which is made up primarily of members of the Maryland Air National Guard. They are the first unit to use the A-10C in a combat zone. Its upgrades have made air power much more efficient and have streamlined the close air support mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Angelique Perez/Released)

C-130 and Snow

A C-130J assigned to Maryland Air National Guard’s 135th Airlift Group taxis past a mountain of snow at Warfield Air National Guard Base in Baltimore on Feb. 20, 2010. Just weeks after a record breaking snowstorm hit the state members of the 175th Wing continue to clear snow and send planes into the air. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Chris Schepers/Released).

Falcon Pilots

Pilots assigned to the Maryland National Guard's 104th Observation Squadron pose in front of one of the unit's O-11 "Falcon" aircraft Oct. 20, 1930, at the unit's home station, Logan Field in Baltimore. Among them are Charles Masson (second from left), who commanded the squadron from 1929 to 1942, and WIlliam Tipton (fourth from left), who commanded the squadron from 1924 to 1929. (Released)

O-38E

A Douglas O-38E assigned to the Maryland National Guard's 104th Observation Squadron parked on the flightline on Aug. 8, 1933. The 104th was equipped with O-38Es from July 1933 to September 1937.

O-17

A Consolidated O-17 assigned to the Maryland National Guard's 104th Observation Squadron during a mission on Sept. 11, 1931. The 104th was equipped with O-17s from July 1928 to July 1933. (Released)

Ready Set Go all Six!

The sound was deafening as the roar 24 propellers filled the air on April 3 and 4. For the first time in years, the Maryland Air National Guard's 135th Airlift Group was launching a six-ship formation flight. (U.S. Air Force Photo by SMSgt Jim Foard) (RELEASED), Official Photo by SMSgt Jim Foard, 175th Public Affairs, Warfield Air National Guard Base, Maryland, UNITED STATES.

Ready to launch

Airmen look over A-10s from Battle Creek, Mich. and Baltimore before launching them on a mission. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. David Speicher

Maryland C-130J

Maryland C-130J

A-10C V-STAR

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The A-10C, on loan fromt he Maryland Air National Guard, under goes computerized diagnostic measurement in the King Hangar. Using V-STAR, or Virtual Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, technology, the system will generate a three-dimentional image of the aircraft. This will help engineers outfit the A-10 for smart weapons. This is the first time the A-10 has been digitally recorded. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary)

The Black Bird

Aircrew assigned to the Maryland Air National Guard's 135th Air Commando Squadron prepare an HU-16 "Albatross" for flight. The aircraft is painted black to facilitate covert night operations. The Maryland Air National Guard was equipped with HU-16s from 1956 to 1971.

Mustang Mechanics

Maryland Air National Guard mechanics work on an F-51 "Mustang" assigned to the 104th Fighter-Bomber Squadron during the 1954 Summer Encampment at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts. The Maryland National Guard flew F-51s from 1951 to 1955.

A-10s over Maryland

Two A-10C attack jets of the Maryland Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Squadron fly a training mission over Maryland's Eastern Shore, Jun. 14, 2007 (Photo by Senior Master Sgt. Jim Foard).

Air Guard pilots, maintainers make history in Iraq

A 438th Air Expeditionary Group weapons loading team prepares to mount a Joint Direct Attack Munition to an A-10C Thunderbolt II using an MJ-1 “jammer” vehicle here. The Airmen made history in Iraq when their upgraded A-10s successfully employed JDAMs in combat. Because the weapon is guided to targets by pinpoint GPS coordinates, experts here say it is 100 percent more accurate than munitions previously employed on the A-10C Thunderbolt II, dramatically improving precision and reducing fratricide. The Airmen are deployed from the 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard, located in Baltimore, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. D. Clare)

Runway's end home for 'Warthog' launchers

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan -- Tech. Sgt. Mike Milewski, a crew chief, talks to the pilot of an A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack jet here during an end-of-runway check. Milewski is with the Maryland Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Squadron’s end-of-runway crew, which is doing a 30-day tour at the base as part of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Squadron. The crew gives each ground-attack fighter a thorough going over before it departs on a mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Keith Reed)

Thundrbolt sortie

1990's -- BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan -- An A-10 Thunderbolt II assigned to the 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron banks to the right after take off. Coalition forces in Afghanistan launched another offensive, dubbed Operation Valiant Strike, on March 20, aimed at villages and cave complexes east of Kandahar in the Sami Ghar mountains, defense officials said. A-10 pilots provide close air support for Army forces here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Adam Johnston)