page_title: Tinker Air Force Base
section_title: 25 March 1948 Tornadoes
hierarchical_section_title: Tinker Air Force Base / History / 25 March 1948 Tornadoes
caption_attribution_description: English: A large airplane destroyed by the second Tinker Air Force Base tornado, just 5 days after the first. This tornado was preceded by the first tornado warning ever issued.
context_page_description: Tinker Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, surrounded by Del City, Oklahoma City, and Midwest City.
  The base, originally known as the Midwest Air Depot, is named in honor of Oklahoma native Major General Clarence L. Tinker, the first Native American Major General.
  Tinker is the headquarters of the Air Force Materiel Command's Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, which is the worldwide manager for a wide range of aircraft, engines, missiles, software and avionics and accessories components. The commander of Air Force Sustainment Center is Lieutenant General Donald Kirkland and the commander of the OC-ALC is Brigadier General Christopher Hill. The host unit at Tinker is the 72d Air Base Wing which provides services and support for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and its tenant organizations. The Wing and Installation Commander of Tinker Air Force Base is Colonel Paul Filcek.
context_section_description: Two large tornadoes struck Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, damaging or destroying a large number of aircraft including at least two Douglas C-54 Skymasters, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain, and many Boeing B-29 Superfortresses stored from World War II. In the first storm, "54 aircraft were destroyed, including 17 C-54 transports valued at $500,000 apiece. Also destroyed were 15 P-47 fighters and two B-29 bombers. About 50 other planes were damaged and about 100 vehicles were damaged or destroyed." In the second tornado, "84 planes were hit, 35 of which were destroyed. These included 18 B-29s, 8 P-47s, 20 B-17s, and 3 C-47s. Hangars and other buildings were destroyed." Other types destroyed included Beechcraft AT-11s and Fairchild PT-19s and PT-26 Cornells. Damage from the second tornado was estimated at $6,100,000. Total damages for both storms was estimated at $16,350,000.
caption: Damage to airplanes and cars from the 25 March tornado at Tinker Air Force Base.
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