Editing Fairchild Air Force Base (section)

===B-52 Stratofortress and KC-135 Stratotanker===
In 1956, the wing began a conversion that brought the first of 45 [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52 Stratofortress]] bombers on 26 March 1957 to Fairchild, followed by first of twenty [[Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker|KC-135 Stratotanker]] on 21 February 1958. In 1961, the 92d became the first "aerospace" wing in the nation with the acquisition of the [[SM-65E Atlas|Atlas]]-E intercontinental ballistic missile, operated by the [[567th Strategic Missile Squadron]].<ref name=mftsadp>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_qASAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GvcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6840%2C5900918 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington)|title=Missile fortress takes shape at Deer Park |date=27 January 1960 |page=12 }}</ref><ref name=mstsh>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2ShYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IfcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5336%2C3012058  |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington)|title=Missile sites take shape |last=Petty |first=Robert W. |date=12 April 1960 |page=8 }}</ref><ref name=samsnc>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ywJYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OPcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6917%2C2310444 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington)|title=Spokane area missile sites near completion |date=9 December 1960 |page=12 }}</ref><ref name=atlgtes>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EqASAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OvcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5455%2C748674 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington)|title=Atlas gear tested|date=5 January 1961 |page=3 }}</ref> With the new role and the addition of missiles, the 92d Bomb Wing was re-designated the 92d Strategic Aerospace Wing. However, the designation remained longer than the missiles, as the Atlas missiles were soon obsolete and removed in 1965.<ref name=atmovr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5lZYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ofcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5366%2C8112 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|title=Atlas missile era is ended |last=Petty |first=Robert W. |date=1 July 1965 |page=1 }}</ref><ref name=lamssfsl>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XWZYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yPcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7230%2C4384978 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington)|title=Last Atlas sites sold for salvage |date=31 May 1967 |page=b3 }}</ref>

The weapons storage area (WSA) for the bombers was located south of the runway at Deep Creek Air Force Station, a separate installation constructed from 1950 to 1953 by the [[United States Atomic Energy Commission|Atomic Energy Commission]] (AEC) and operated by the [[Air Materiel Command]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Arkin |first1=William |last2=Norris |first2=Robert |last3=Handler |first3=Joshua |title=Taking Stock: Worldwide Nuclear Deployments 1998 |url=http://www.nrdc.org/nuclear/tkstock/tssum.asp |access-date=26 May 2013 |year=1998 |publisher=[[Natural Resources Defense Council]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |page=71}}</ref> The facility was one of the thirteen original sites built for storage, maintenance, and operational readiness of the nuclear stockpile. Deep Creek became part of Fairchild AFB on 1 July 1962, with operations transferred to SAC.<ref>{{cite news |title=Shift Planned at Deep Creek |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xzJYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SPcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3844%2C2444351 |newspaper=[[Spokane Daily Chronicle]]|date=10 May 1962 |access-date=26 May 2013}}</ref>

On 15 March 1966, the 336th Combat Crew Training Group was established at Fairchild. In 1971, the group became a wing and assumed control over all Air Force survival schools. Later reduced to a group level command, the unit, now known as the [[336th Training Group]], continues this mission for the [[Air Education and Training Command]] (AETC).

To provide air defense of the base, U.S. Army [[MIM-14 Nike Hercules|Nike-Hercules]] surface-to-air missile sites were constructed during 1956/1957.  Sites were located near Cheney (F-37) {{Coord|47|32|30|N|117|32|46|W}}; Deep Creek (F-87) {{Coord|47|39|29|N|117|42|55|W}}; Medical Lake (F-45) {{Coord|47|35|10|N|117|40|32|W}}, and Spokane (F-07) {{Coord|47|40|50|N|117|36|28|W}}.  The Cheney site was active between 1957 – June 1960; Deep Creek Sep 1958 – March 1966; Medical Lake 1957 – March 1966 and the Spokane site between 1957 and June 1960.

On 16 October 1984, an unarmed B-52G (57-6479)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/48381 |publisher=Aviation Safety Network |title=ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48381 |date=16 October 1984 |accessdate=22 November 2021}}</ref> from Fairchild crashed in northeast [[Arizona]] during a nighttime low-level training flight, with five survivors and two fatalities: the gunner and a colonel in the observer jump seat.<ref name=fcapic>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f1hWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Bu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4543%2C960285 |work=Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |title=Fairchild airplane in crash |date=17 October 1984 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=slcmsg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sS5TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-IIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6068%2C290125 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |agency=Associated Press |title=1 dead, 1 missing in B-52 crash |date=17 October 1984 |page=A2}}</ref><ref name=srffc>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gFhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Bu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5473%2C1203863 |work=Spokesman-Review |agency=staff and wire reports |title=Searchers fail to find colonel, five rescued |date=18 October 1984 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=cbfiw>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gVhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Bu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7101%2C1672071 |work=Spokesman-Review |last=Goffredo |first=Theresa |title=Colonel's body found in wreckage |date=19 October 1984 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=bbefr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oYRTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oYYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6577%2C1634025 |work=The Bulletin |location=(Bend, Oregon) |agency=UPI |title=Colonel's death confirmed |date=19 October 1984 |page=A2}}</ref>

In 1985, Fairchild's fifteen B-52G aircraft were replaced with nineteen [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress#Variants|B-52H]]; a slightly newer version with more powerful [[turbofan]] engines.<ref name=fttrbom>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3v1LAAAAIBAJ&sjid=m_kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5819%2C777508 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |last=Ripley |first=Richard  |title=Fairchild to trade bombers |date=5 February 1985 |page=A3}}</ref>