The US Air Force Thunderbirds are seen rehearsing their persision flying routine, September 18, 2015 in Forestville, Maryland. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) The United States Air Force is celebrating a major milestone this weekend.
Though the country has seen several wars and aircraft flights for more than 100 years, the Air Force as we know it today is only 75 years old.
Benjamin Franklin first considered using air balloons for reconnaissance back in 1783. It wasn’t until 1903 that the Wright brothers took the first flight, leading the world into a decade of innovation.Orville (right) and Wilbur (middle) prepare for take off on July 30, 1909. (Photo by National Archive/Newsmakers via Getty Images) By 1911, Congress had approved $125,000 to expand the use of airplanes in the military.
Later during World War II, between 1939-1945, airplanes were used for observation and surveillance to help expose gaps in German defenses.The nation's air defense was initially under the purview of the U.S.