Cannon Air Force Base Air Park

Cannon Air Force Base is located in extreme eastern New Mexico, 8 miles west of Clovis. Cannon Air Force Base is named after General John Kenneth Cannon, a World War II Mediterranean combat commander and former chief of U. S. Air Forces in Europe.

Aerial view of Clovis Army Air Field, 1943

History of the Base in Clovis

The history of the base began in the late 1920s, when a civilian passenger facility, Portair Field, was established on the site. Portair Field was used as a terminal for early commercial transcontinental flights, flew passengers in the Ford Trimotor “Tin Goose” by day, and used Pullman trains for night travel. In the 1930s Portair was renamed Clovis Municipal Airport.

After the United States entered World War II, the first military unit to use the facility was a glider detachment. In July of 1942 the base was assigned to the Second Air Force, and in 1943 the Army began to use the facility as a bomber base.

On April 8, 1943, the base was renamed Clovis Army Air Field. The host unit at Clovis AAF was the 16th Bombardment Wing, a training unit for Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber crews for Europe, and later becoming a major training/conversion base for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers heading to the Pacific Theater.

474th TFW Wing Commander's aircraft, North American F-100D-75-NA Super Sabre, S/N 56-3176, Buzz Number FW-176, Cannon AFB

With the end of World War II, Clovis AAF was placed on temporarily inactive status in May of 1947. However, with the establishment of the United States Air Force in September of 1947, Clovis AAF was again reactivated. Its name was changed to Clovis Air Force Base on January 13, 1948.

On June 8, 1957 Clovis AFB was renamed Cannon Air Force Base.

The base has supported a number of different aircraft types over the years, including:

• F-86 Sabre
• F-100 Super Sabre
• F-111 Aardvark
• F-16 Fighting Falcon

Cannon AFB Today

C-130 Combat Talon

Today, Cannon AFB is home to the 27th Special Operations Wing (27th SOW). The missions of the wing include infiltration, exfiltration and re-supply of special operations forces; air refueling of special operations rotary wing and tiltrotor aircraft; and precision fire support.

These capabilities support a variety of special operations missions including direct action, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, personnel recovery, psychological operations and information operations.

The MC-130W Combat Spear, AC-130H Spectre gunship, MQ-1 Predator, MQ-9 Reaper, CV-22 Osprey, and additional light and medium aircraft are currently assigned, or expected to be assigned to Cannon AFB.

Photos of Historic Aircraft Displays at Cannon Air Force Base

Cannon Air Force Base is proud of its heritage, and has maintained a number of historical aircraft on display over the years. Prior to 2013, most of the aircraft were positioned in a circular airpark just to the right of the main gate.

During early 2013, the aircraft were dispersed to other locations around the base. For example, the F-16 was placed along Eagle Claw Boulevard just north of the Housing Office. Also, the EF-111 aircraft was moved to the triangular, grassy area at the entrance of Joe Cannon Estates.

 

 

Static display of aircraft at Cannon AFB, Clovis, New Mexico, prior to move of aircraft to other parts of the base

Republic Aviation F-84F Thunderstreak S/N 51-1810, Buzz Number FS-810, on display at Cannon AFB, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

F-16 Fighting Falcon, AF 790307, 27FW, on display at Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

F-100A Super Sabre, S/N 56141, on static display at Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

EF-111A Raven, S/N 66-0016, on display at Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico ... 27th Special Operations Wing Western Home of America's Air Commandos (photo by Andrew Hersey)

AC-130H Spectre Gunship, S/N 69-6572, on display at Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

Cockpit area of AC-130H Spectre Gunship, S/N 69-6572, on display at Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

Gunship logo on the AC-130H Spectre Gunship, S/N 69-6572, on display at Cannon AFB, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

Plaque about the AC-130H Spectre Gunship, Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

MC-130E Combat Talon I, S/N 64-0523, on display at Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

F-84E Thunderjet, S/N 51-1027, Buzz Number FS-027A, on display at Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

T-33A, S/N 58-0503, on display at Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico (photo by Andrew Hersey)

 

 

Photos of the Cannon Air Force Base Air Show

KC-135R Stratotanker of the 97th Air Mobility Wing on display at the 2014 Cannon AFB Air Show, Clovis, New Mexico

F-16 Aircraft of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds on display at the 2014 Cannon AFB Air Show, Clovis, New Mexico

C-130 Combat Talon on display at the 2014 Cannon AFB Air Show, Clovis, New Mexico

C-130J Super Hercules at the 2014 Cannon AFB Air Show, Clovis, New Mexico

C-17 Globemaster III 0064 at the 2014 Cannon AFB Air Show, Clovis, New Mexico

Special thanks to Andrew Hersey for granting permission to use these original photos from his archives

More Information about Cannon AFB

For more information, we recommend a visit to the official website of Cannon Air Force Base.