Boeing TC-18E 81-0893 552nd Air Control Wing Tinker AFB

These are 1/72 scale decals for Boeing TC-18E 81-0893, assigned to the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, wearing overall Boeing Gray (FS 16015) with natural metal engine nacelles, bold "U.S. AIR FORCE" fuselage titling, "USAF" tail lettering, and tail code OK/26893.

The TC-18E was a military conversion of the Boeing 707-320C commercial airliner, modified to serve as a dedicated aircrew trainer for the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) — one of the most important command and control aircraft in the USAF inventory. Rather than using the expensive, radar-equipped E-3 itself for initial crew training, the Air Force operated the TC-18E as a surrogate trainer, allowing AWACS mission crew members to develop their skills in a representative airframe at significantly lower cost. The TC-18E retained the basic 707 airframe but was fitted with representative mission crew stations and systems to simulate the E-3 operating environment.

The 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker AFB was the USAF's primary AWACS operator, responsible for training, equipping, and deploying E-3 Sentry crews worldwide. The overall Boeing Gray scheme with the 552nd ACW shield and the bold "U.S. AIR FORCE" titling give this converted airliner a purposeful military appearance that belies its commercial origins. The 552nd Air Control Wing shield and USAF roundel are included on the decal sheet. Includes two serial and tail code size options: 81-0893 and OK/26893.

A fascinating Cold War special mission subject — a commercial 707 in military gray training the crews who would operate America's airborne early warning fleet. Please allow some time for decal printing and shipping.