page_title: 136th Attack Squadron
section_title: New York Air National Guard
hierarchical_section_title: 136th Attack Squadron / History / New York Air National Guard
caption_attribution_description: A U.S. Air Force Republic F-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt (s/n 44-33849) from the 136th Fighter Squadron, 107th Fighter Group, New York Air National Guard. The 136th FS flew the F-47D from 1948 to 1952.
context_page_description: The 136th Airlift Squadron is a unit of the New York Air National Guard 107th Airlift Wing located at Niagara Falls Joint Air Reserve Station, New York. The 136th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command.
context_section_description: The wartime 503d Fighter Squadron was redesignated as the 136th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the New York Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, New York, and was extended federal recognition on 8 December 1948.  The squadron was equipped with F-47D Thunderbolts and was assigned to the 107th Fighter Group, operationally gained by Continental Air Command.
  The mission of the 136th Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Western New York. Aircraft parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were World War II veterans so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts. In some ways, the postwar Air National Guard was almost like a flying country club and a pilot could often show up at the field, check out an aircraft and go flying. However, the unit also had regular military exercises that kept up proficiency and in gunnery and bombing contests they would often score at least as well or better than active-duty USAF units, given the fact that most Guard pilots were World War II combat veterans.
caption: F-47D, 136th Fighter Squadron
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