Dow Air Force Base
Home of the 4038th Strategic Wing, 397th Bomb Wing, 397th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron Closed in 1968
Dow AFB - Named after 2nd Lieutenant James Frederick Dow of Oakfield, Maine who was killed in a training flight in 1940
Dow Air Field, Bangor Maine, was closed shortly after the end of World War II. It was then reactivated for the Korean War, and finally closed in 1968. Dow Air Force Base was a primary employer in Bangor area until its closure. Bangor International Airport is located on the former Dow Air Force Base.
The 341st Bomb Squadron operated the B-52G from May of 1960 to February of 1963 while assigned to the 4038th Strategic Wing at Dow AFB, Maine. The 596th Bomb Squadron operated the B-52G from February 1963 to April 1968 while assigned to the 397th Bomb Wing at Dow, and subsequently moved to Barksdale AFB in 1968.
The 174th Fighter Squadron was called to Active Duty on April 1, 1951 and assigned to the Strategic Air Command. The unit was processed through mobility and transported to Dow AFB. While at Dow, the unit experienced snowstorms that dumped more than 27-inches at a time. Drifts of more than ten feet were not uncommon.
The 49th Pursuit Squadron and was activated on Jan. 15, 1941. During this time, primary squadron aircraft consisted of P-40s, P-43s and P-66s. In early 1942, the squadron was sent to Europe for participation in World War II and given P-38s, flying the twin-engine aircraft on bomber escort missions alongside B-17s and B-24s. Upon returning stateside, the 49th was reformed as a National Guard unit and assigned to Dow AFB, Maine, on Nov. 20, 1946. On Oct. 2, 1949, the squadron was deactivated with all of its assets being assigned to the 2264th Standby Squadron Headquarters, 14th Fighter Group.
In Nov. 1952, the 49th was reactivated as the 49th Interceptor Squadron and again assigned to Dow AFB under the command of the 4711th Defense Wing. During this time, the 49th formed its first alert detachment located at Limestone AFB and Preque Isle AFB, Maine. While at Dow AFB, the squadron flew F-80Cs, F-86D/Fs, T-33As, T-6Gs and one C-47 aircraft. In June 1968, the 49th received the F-106 Delta Dart, which flew for the next 19 years, until it inactivated in July 1987.
The BOMARC missile was huge: each one stood 45 feet tall & weighed 16,000 pounds. More than 40 years after its deployment, it still holds the record for the longest range of any surface-to-air missile ever developed: 440 miles. It also had a maximum speed of nearly Mach 4.
The Bomarc name was derived directly from its creators. Boeing designed the vehicle in association with the University of Michigan Aeronautical Research Center. Hence, the "BOeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center" entry into SAM development was born.
Classification: Surface-to-Air Cruise Missile Length: 43 feet, 9 inches Diameter: 2 feet, 11 inches Wingspan: 18 feet, 2 inches Range: 440 miles
The Air Force Base covered much more area than most people think. From Rt.2 all the way out here and beyond. Boasting a runway of 11,437 feet it is one of the longest on the east coast, and is the 3rd choice for emergency landing locations for the space shuttle.