8th Air Force

February 1944 to June 2008

United States of America

TYPE: USAAF Unit

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: RAF Daws Hill, England (1944-1945), Kadena Field, Okinawa (1945-1946), McDill Field, FL (1946), Fort Worth AAF / Griffiss AFB / Carswell AFB, TX (1946-1955), Westover AFB, MA (1955-1958), Post-Attack Command & Control System Facility, Hadley (1958-1970), Andersen AFB, Guam (1970-1975), Barksdale AFB, LA (since 1975)

FORMER NAME: VIII Bomber Command (1942-1944)

SUBSEQUENT NAME: 8^th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) (since 2008)

Commandos assigned to the 8^th Air Force, merely a paper exercise as they were all subsequently reassigned to the Troop Carrier Groups of the 9^th Air Force upon reaching Europe:

Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando: 44-77470, 44-77472, 44-77473, 44-77474, 44-77507, 44-77512, 44-77513, 44-77516, 44-77517, 44-77518, 44-77519, 44-77520, 44-77524, 44-77525, 44-77526 (NTU), 44-77527, 44-77528, 44-77530, 44-77533, 44-77535, 44-77536 (NTU), 44-77538, 44-77540, 44-77542, 44-77551, 44-77556, 44-77566, 44-77570, 44-77571, 44-77576, 44-77577, 44-77579, 44-77581, 44-77582, 44-77583, 44-77585, 44-77586, 44-77590, 44-77594, 44-77595, 44-77598, 44-77599, 44-77600, 44-77601, 44-77602, 44-77604, 44-77608, 44-77609, 44-77610, 44-77611, 44-77612, 44-77613, 44-77617, 44-77627, 44-77637, 44-77638, 44-77639, 44-77641, 44-77642, 44-77643, 44-77644, 44-77645, 44-77646, 44-77647, 44-77648, 44-77649, 44-77651, 44-77652, 44-77654, 44-77655, 44-77656, 44-77657, 44-77658, 44-77659, 44-77660, 44-77661, 44-77663, 44-77664, 44-77665, 44-77666, 44-77667, 44-77669, 44-77670, 44-77671, 44-77672, 44-77673, 44-77675, 44-77676, 44-77677, 44-77824

The 8th Air Force was established on 22 February 1944 by the redesignation of VIII Bomber Command stationed in England. It was the main USAAF body operating in Europe during WWII, mainly responsible for the strategic bombing of Northern Europe and engaging enemy targets in France, the Netherlands and Germany. It also carried out air-to-air fighter combat operations against enemy aircraft until VE Day. During the Cold War, the 8th Air Force was assigned to USAF's Strategic Air Command (SAC), equipped with strategic bombers and intercontinental missiles. Some elements engaged in combat operations during the Korean War, Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm in Iraq & Kuwait.