page_title: 461st Air Control Wing
section_title: Tactical Air Command
hierarchical_section_title: 461st Air Control Wing / History / Tactical Air Command
caption_attribution_description: English: 461st Bombardment Wing Martin B-57B-MA 53-3934 1956 (Photo taken at Andrews AFB, MD)
context_page_description: The 461st Air Control Wing is a joint Air Force/Army unit flying the E-8 J-STARS aircraft. The wing is assigned to Air Combat Command's Ninth Air Force, and is stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It was activated on 1 October 2011.
  Originally activated as a tactical bomber wing by Tactical Air Command in the 1950s, it flew Douglas B-26 Invaders while waiting for delivery of its Martin B-57 Canberras. It was inactivated in 1958, when TAC transferred Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas to Strategic Air Command. The wing was organized as a strategic wing by SAC at Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas in 1963. The wing flew Boeing B-52 Stratofortress heavy strategic bombers and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker heavy air refueling aircraft. It deployed aircraft and crews to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam for combat operations in Southeast Asia. The wing was inactivated in March 1968 with the retirement of older model B-52s and the impending closure of Amarillo.
context_section_description: Prompted by experience in the Korean War, the Air Force decided to increase its air support and air interdiction capabilities to support ground forces.  As part of this increase, it organized the 461st Bombardment Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in December 1953.  The wing was intended to be a Martin B-57 Canberra unit, but these aircraft were not available, so it was initially equipped with Douglas B-26 Invaders. Officer cadre for the squadron was drawn from 4th Tow Target Squadron at George Air Force Base, California.  Facilities at Hill required development and combat readiness training did not begin until July 1954.
  The wing trained in light bomber operations and participated in exercises, including simulated deployments.  On 5 January 1955 the wing received its first B-57B, and was fully equipped by the end of the year.  However, Hill's parking and hangar space was inadequate for the B-57s and even as they began to arrive, the unit anticipated a move to Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas, which was being developed by the Corps of Engineers for reopening in 1955. The wing's first operational squadron moved from Hill to Blytheville in October 1955.  Its last squadron was in place on 1 March 1956, and it was joined by wing headquarters and support units in April.
  The conversion to the Canberra brought a number of changes.  The new aircraft was subject to several periods of grounding (the wing suffered four major accidents while converting to the Canberra), and faced shortfalls in the number of aircrew available.  The wing's mission also underwent changes, with the delivery of tactical nuclear weapons taking priority over conventional weapons delivery, although conventional weapons remained as a secondary mission. The wing's operational squadrons and group inactivated in January 1958 as Tactical Air Command, under budget pressures, prepared to transfer Blytheville to Strategic Air Command (SAC).  Wing headquarters and support elements inactivated on 1 April 1958, turning the base over to SAC's 4229th Air Base Squadron.
caption: 461st Bombardment Wing B-57 Canberra[note 1]
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