100 MXS AGE lithograph

Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight
RAF Station Mildenhall


From the American Civil War to the present day, there are men and women whose purpose is to support the aviation mission of the military. No aerial vehicle can function without the necessary support equipment and the trained personnel who provide and maintain this essential ground equipment. There is no air power without ground power. This lithograph applauds that mission, which so often goes unrecognized and serves as a tribute to AGE personnel the world over. It is drawn and painted by Geoff Pleasance.

The lithograph depicts scenes of daily operations from RAF Station Mildenhall, the home of the 100^th Maintenance Squadron AGE Flight, housed in one of the two oldest hangars on the station. Built in 1933 as part of the RAF base expansion programme, its first use was to provide cover for racing aircraft participating in the Centenary Air Race of October 20, 1934 from Mildenhall, England to Melbourne, Australia, an event as significant for its time as was the landing on the moon in 1969. The winner of that race, the red DH 88 Comet racer, is shown above the hangar.

The scene in the upper left depicts two NF2D Flood Light Sets (Light Carts) of Gold CAT (Combat AGE Team) in support of a KC-135R of the 351^st ARS.

Upper centre: SrA Darby Speakman of Red CAT drills holes to pin the stanchion rails of a B-4 Maintenance Platform (B-4 Stand).

Upper right: SrA “Bud” Cooper of Black CAT drives an MHU-83C/E Lift Truck (Jammer) and behind is a Tow Tractor, Support Equipment (Bobtail) pulling an A/M32A-86D (-86) to an awaiting MC-130P Combat Talon of the 67^th SOS of the 352^nd SOG.

Above the badges on the left, SrA “Trey” Marceaux hoses down SrA Sam Lee, both of Black CAT, in a traditional “wash racking” of a team member as he departs the section embarking on a new assignment. To the right, SrA Darby Speakman replenishes oil to the flight doc scrubber.

Left of the badges: SrA Jorge Garcia, of Red CAT, works on an A/M32A-60, Gas Turbine Generator Set (-60) and A1C Glory Hiles, of Black CAT, attends to a -86 front end assembly.

Right of the badges, SSgt Alex Sanchez, of Red CAT, inspects a Spokane 400G Fuel Bowser and SSgts Edwin Rosario and Hunter Turcotte, of Black CAT, work on a TTU-228E Hydraulic Test Stand (Mule).

Bottom left: An unknown driver from Red CAT dispatches an A/M32A-103 Trilectron Generator Set (Tri) to an awaiting RC-135V/W Rivet Joint of the 45^th RS visiting from Offut AFB, Nebraska

Bottom centre: MSgt Dalton Edwards, the assistant flight chief, accesses a consolidated took kit (CTK) and in Production Support (PC), TSgt Michael Schneider and SrA Greg Fortenberry verify quantities of items in bench stock.

Bottom right: An unidentified driver from Red CAT pulls a 60 Ton Tripod Jack with his Bobtail toward a C-17 Globemaster III in transit from the United States .