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56-700: The M6 was originally developed in 1946 for the Air Materiel Command of what was then still the United States Army Air Forces by the United States Army Ordnance Corps . Its official designation was Rifle-Shotgun, Survival, Caliber .22/.410 . It was designed to fit into the standard USAAF (later USAF) survival kit issued to all pilots flying over the Arctic and other uninhabited regions. The M6

112-717: A UNIVAC at the AMC headquarters at Wright-Patterson AFB for operation on UNIVAC or IBM computers. An alternative compiler was designed by AMC Programming Services to compile systems on IBM computers for operation on IBM computers. AIMACO, along with FLOW-MATIC and COMTRAN, influenced development of the COBOL programming language. The Atlas program led to the belief that the entire responsibility for deploying new weapons systems – from research, development and testing through procurement and production – should be vested in one command, rather than split between Air Materiel Command (AMC) and ARDC. It

168-463: A field expedient fore-stock. The M6 was a superposed ("over-under") combination gun , with a .22 Hornet rifle barrel located above the .410 bore shotgun barrel. It has 14-inch barrels and folds in half to a minimum size of 15 inches. A storage compartment in the stock held nine rounds of .22 Hornet ammunition with four shotgun shells. A firing pin selector allowed the shooter to choose which barrel would be fired. Because most bomber crews operated in

224-537: A new major command. In the reorganization and re-designation actions of 1961, Air Materiel Command was re-designated Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) while Air Research and Development Command, gaining responsibility for weapon system acquisition, was re-designated Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) under General Bernard Schriever . Under the Kennedy Administration , Secretary McNamara instituted powerful centralization tools in acquisition such as

280-504: A new organization, AAF Materiel and Services. On 31 August 1944, AAF Materiel and Services was redesignated Army Air Forces Technical Service Command. The 4000th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Command) was among units assigned directly to AAF Technical Service Command when it was established at Wright-Patterson Field on 1 April 1944. Chico Army Air Field transferred to the ATSC on 15 October 1944. Army Air Forces Technical Service Command

336-492: A separate research and development command in 1950. It incorporated Air Proving Ground Command in 1957. On 1 July 1992, AFSC and Air Force Logistics Command were merged to form the Air Force Materiel Command , located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio . In the reorganization of 1961, Air Force Systems Command acquired the materiel procurement function from Air Force Logistics Command . It

392-461: A version began to be produced by TPS Arms. While very similar to the Springfield version, it added a cross bolt safety and removed the hammer selector safety. Air Materiel Command Air Materiel Command ( AMC ) was a United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio . In 1961, the command

448-715: Is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command . It was established in April 1951, being split off from Air Materiel Command . The mission of AFSC was Research and Development for new weapons systems. AFSC took on engineering functions which formerly resided in the Air Materiel Command (AMC), the Army Air Forces Technical Service Command (TSC), and the Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) as

504-468: Is made of stamped sheet steel, with a forged steel removable barrel assembly. The barrel assembly is connected to the stock/action group by means of a removable hinge pin. Unlike nearly all other firearms, there is no "furniture" on the M6 like a butt stock or a forearm , the only parts which are not steel are the rubber butt plate and cheek rest. Aircrew were instructed to wrap the barrels with parachute cord as

560-611: The 75th Air Depot Wing which was based at Chinhae Air Base in South Korea during the Korean War . In 1950, research and development were split off into a separate formation, the Air Research and Development Command . From the early 1950s to 1962, the 3079th Aviation Depot Wing under AMC, headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio , was a weapons of mass destruction unit of key strategic importance. It

616-529: The Army Air Forces (AAF) were alarmed by many of the new weapons that would revolutionize air warfare which had emerged from foreign laboratories. Radar, jet aircraft ( Messerschmitt Me 262 , Fieseler Fi 103 (V-1 flying bomb) ) and ballistic missiles ( V-2 rocket ) had all either originated or been perfected outside the United States. Congress greatly increased funds for R&D. Subsequently,

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672-695: The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress intercontinental bomber, the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker jet-powered refueling tanker aircraft, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules turboprop transport and the Lockheed U-2 very high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft. In addition, ARDC played a major contribution in the development of Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which became a priority after

728-655: The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport, the Rockwell B-1 Lancer bomber, and a new generation of orbiting Reconnaissance satellites . These programs were the main activities of AFSC during the 1970s. With the Reagan Administration 's military buildup during the 1980s, the pace and scope of Air Force acquisition again escalated. Now the focus centered on the modernization of strategic systems which had atrophied during

784-659: The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program , Forward Looking Infrared Sensors (FLIR), and Precision-guided munitions all represented significant AFSC contributions to Air Force operations in Southeast Asia. The sustained growth of Soviet power after the Cuban Missile Crisis challenged the entire spectrum of U.S. military capabilities. These factors led to a new wave of Air Force weapons development beginning in

840-668: The National Firearms Act . The later models had large oversized trigger guards and Picatinny rails for mounting a wide range of sights and scopes. In 2010, Chiappa began marketing a version of the Aircrew Survival Weapon called the Chiappa M6 Survival Gun . The Chiappa has a 12 gauge shotgun or 20 gauge barrel over a .22 Long Rifle or .22 Magnum barrel. In addition, it comes with "X Caliber" adapters sleeves that fit inside

896-520: The San Antonio Air Materiel Area in 1946. In 1946 AAF Technical Service Command was redesignated Air Materiel Command, and the air technical service commands were reorganized as Air Materiel Areas: Two further Air Materiel Areas were established in the late 1940s and early 1950s: The functions of research and development and logistics were operated separately during World War II until they were reunited for several years in

952-777: The San Antonio Air Service Command , the San Bernardino Air Service Command , Warner Robins Air Service Command , Warner Robins, as well as five-six others. In 1944 the air service commands were redesignated air technical service commands. The Materiel Division was assumed responsibility for R&D and procurement, and was redesignated Air Corps Materiel Command on 1 April 1942. This became Air Force Materiel Command in April 1942; Materiel Command in April 1943, and AAF Materiel Command on 15 January 1944. On 17 July 1944, Air Service Command and AAF Materiel Command were placed under

1008-738: The Spokane Air Technical Service Command at Spokane Army Air Field , Washington State; and Warner Robins, Georgia. In 1945, planning began for a separate, independent United States Air Force . In January 1946, General of the Army Eisenhower and Army Air Forces General Spaatz agreed on an Air Force organization of seven major commands, including the Air Technical Service Command. ATSC centers were also renamed. For example, San Antonio Air Technical Services Command at Kelly Air Force Base in Texas became

1064-832: The Total Package Procurement concept (TPP). This system shifted many major program management functions to the Pentagon. Stressing computer modeling, concurrency, and paper competitions among the contractors, TPP sharply curtailed the flexibility of Systems Command program managers. Cost overruns and serious technical difficulties in such TPP programs as the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark lead to drastic changes in DoD acquisition practices. In 1970, Deputy Secretary of Defense David Packard revised many McNamara policies. He decentralized

1120-442: The 12 gauge barrel allowing it to fire: .380 ACP , 9mm Luger , .38 Special , .357 Magnum , .40 S&W , .44 Special , .44 Magnum , .45 ACP , .45 Long Colt , .410 bore and 20 gauge ammunition. It has a similar appearance to the original M6, however it's a unique design that uses a skeletonized metal buttstock that surrounds a polypropylene foam insert. It also uses double triggers and an enclosed firing mechanism. In 2019,

1176-724: The 1917 V-12 Liberty engine ) to study and design American versions of foreign aircraft. The division merged in 1926 with the Air Service's Supply Division (formed by 1919) to form the Materiel Division (Air Corps). In 1920, the Engineering Division's Bureau of Aircraft Production completed the design of the Ground Attack, Experimental, (GAX) aircraft built as the Boeing GA-1 , and designed

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1232-568: The Air Age , in January 1948. It set forth a new concept of airpower, i.e., a powerful peacetime force able to counter any enemy air attack. The Finletter Report inspired a group of senior USAF officers with backgrounds in engineering and related fields to analyze the existing R&D organization. Their findings, and the salesmanship of Generals Jimmy Doolittle and Donald Putt , convinced Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt S. Vandenberg to put

1288-586: The Air Service Command now became one of the major AAF commands, with relatively clear lines of responsibility and authority. Four air service area commands (San Antonio, Fairfield, Middletown, and Sacramento?), successors to the maintenance wings (and field service sections, originally activated in 1940?), had been activated in December 1941 to supervise the depots in given geographical areas. The depots, of which there were eleven by April 1942, became

1344-496: The Arctic region during the Cold War , a trigger bar was used that could be depressed while wearing mittens as opposed to a conventional trigger. The M6 was never intended as a weapon with which to engage hostile troops. Instead it was designed so that a downed aircrew could forage for wild game, as well as defend themselves from more hostile wildlife. Its rifle element was considered to be accurate up to 200 yards . Overall weight of

1400-532: The Materiel Division commander on 19 October 1940, with the division employing procurement inspectors at Wright Field the same year. The division had four Field Service Sections: San Antonio, Fairfield, Middletown, and Sacramento. Then-Brigadier General Benjamin Foulois had a year as Chief of the Materiel Division at Wright Field from June 1929 to July 1930. The Air Corps Maintenance Command

1456-610: The Materiel Division of the newly established Army Air Corps in October 1926, it undertook the procurement, supply and maintenance activities of Army aviation. American aviation development fell behind its European rivals after the mid-1930s when Germany started a continental arms race. The threat of war at the decade's end began to change the situation. During the late 1930s American industry spent over $ 100 million annually on aviation research. University grants grew and military personnel enrollment in science courses increased. Leaders of

1512-524: The R&;D mission on a more equal footing with the operational Air Force. Accordingly, and in the face of intense Air Staff opposition, on 23 January 1950, the Research and Development Command (RDC) came into being. Eight months later it was re-designated the Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) as a separate organization devoted strictly to research and development. Research and Development Command

1568-606: The United States. In addition, ASC received responsibility for coordination with the Army technical services in the supply and maintenance of equipment and supplies procured by them for the use of the AAF. The new command was separated from the Materiel Division but remained a part of the Office of the Chief of Air Corps. Between October 1941 and March 1942 the Air Service Command remained under

1624-654: The VCP-1 that won the initial Pulitzer Race in 1920 at Roosevelt Field (the division also designed the TP-1 and TW-1). The Materiel Division was set up near Dayton, Ohio on 15 January 1926. The Materiel Division, controlled by the Office of the Chief of Air Corps (OCAC), possessed many characteristics of a major command. It brought together four major functions performed previously by three organizations: research and development (R&D), procurement, supply, and maintenance. With

1680-491: The Vietnam era and afterward. But increased activity and defense spending brought acquisition reform issues to the forefront. Cost, schedule, and quality problems troubled some major weapons programs. Media stories about spare parts overpricing and questionable contractor overhead charges created a national sensation. This negative publicity, coupled with soaring federal deficits and reductions in domestic spending, contributed by

1736-695: The acquisition system and reemphasized prototyping in weapons development. As the Vietnam War dominated the late 1960s and early 1970s, AFSC focused on quick solutions to the needs of operational units in the Southeast Asia (SEA) war zone. Areas such as Electronic warfare (ECM) ( Douglas EB-66 Destroyer ) were greatly expanded in response to the North Vietnamese Surface-to-air missile (SAM) air defense systems. The modification of transports ( AC-130 Hercules , AC-119 Flying Boxcar ) into gunships, improved reconnaissance sensors,

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1792-517: The centers of depot control areas, which directed the activities of subdepots within defined geographical limits. Unfortunately, the boundaries of some of the depot control areas overlapped those of air service areas, and since the depots were the real focal points of supply and maintenance activities, the air service areas never attained the status of fully functioning ASC subcommands. The air service areas were disbanded on 1 February 1943, to be succeeded by air depot control area commands, which were simply

1848-741: The construction of nearby Wilbur Wright Field , McCook Field was closed on 1 April 1927, and was subsequently demolished after its assets moved to the new Wright Field , the latter serving as the Air Corps', and later the Army Air Forces', principal R&D center from 1927 to 1947, including the Physiological Research Laboratory which opened in 1935. By 22 August 1935, the division operated an Army Aeronautical Museum at Wright Field, and by 22 November 1935, had an "Industrial War Plans Section". F.B. Vose became

1904-570: The defense industrial base. On 26 April 1984 the vice-commander of AFSC, Lieutenant General Robert M. Bond , was killed during a retirement visit to the 6513th Test Squadron at Groom Lake while flying a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 at over Mach 2. During this turbulent period, new and updated weapons systems continued to join the USAF. The B-1B Lancer was delivered to SAC in record time, though with significant problems that would hamper its service career for some time. Stealth technology found its way to

1960-578: The definition of a high level programming language influenced by the UNIVAC Flow-Matic and COMTRAN programming languages. The draft AIMACO language definition was developed by an AMC-chaired committee of industry representatives from IBM , United States Steel , and AMC Programming Services. AIMACO had two compilers specified/designed (never produced), and AMC originally intended all programming for AMC systems would be in AIMACO and compiled on

2016-450: The eleven former depot control areas under a new name. The elimination of the four air service areas was apparently justified by subsequent operations; according to Maj. Gen. Walter H. Frank , commander of the ASC, the step proved "most beneficial." In May 1943 the air depot control area commands were redesignated air service commands with appropriate geographical designations, and from then to

2072-513: The end of the war the ASC conducted its operations in the continental United States through its eleven air service commands, each serving a separate geographical area. These air service commands included the Middletown Air Service Command ( Olmsted Field , Middletown , Pennsylvania), Mobile ASC, Ogden Air Service Command , Oklahoma City Air Service Command , Rome Air Service Command , Sacramento Air Service Command ,

2128-670: The engineering function resided in the Materiel Command, the AAF Technical Service Command, the Air Technical Service Command, and the Air Materiel Command. The war had shown the destructiveness of aerial attack and made Arnold an aggressive advocate for aeronautical research. On 7 November 1944, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold , Commanding General of the Army Air Forces, directed the AAF Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) to study

2184-471: The initial version, including stored ammunition, was around 3 pounds. Being a military firearm, the originals were sold only to the US military. The Springfield Armory M6 Scout is virtually identical to the original M6 and was made in three versions, a .22 Hornet over .410 gauge , a .22 Long Rifle over .410 gauge and a .22 Magnum over .410 gauge. The Scouts were also made with 18.25" barrels to comply with

2240-481: The jurisdiction of the Chief of the Air Corps. Immediately after the beginning of the war it moved its headquarters to Washington, where it began operations on 15 December 1941. But a large portion of the headquarters organization remained at Wright Field, where it carried on the greater part of the command's activities. On 15 December 1942, its headquarters moved back to Dayton, establishing itself at Patterson Field, immediately adjacent to Wright Field. On 9 March 1942,

2296-468: The late 1940s under Air Materiel Command. Among its forces was the Air Materiel Force, European Area, which was transferred from USAFE in on 1 January 1956. Air Materiel Force, European Area, at Chateauroux Air Depot , France, and Air Materiel Force, Pacific Area, at Tachikawa Air Base , Japan, were of Numbered Air Force status. Often these formations supervised Air Depot Wings, for example

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2352-808: The late 1960s. Systems Command found itself managing a broad array of new tactical and strategic programs including the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle , General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ground support aircraft, the LGM-118 Peacekeeper , the AGM-86 (air) and BGM-109 (ground) cruise missiles, the Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System,

2408-406: The limits of the first two echelons of maintenance. The command was directed to compile AAF requirements for Air Corps and other supplies, to procure equipment and supplies needed for the operation and maintenance of AAF units, to prepare and issue all technical orders and instructions regarding Air Corps materiel, and to exercise technical control* over air depots outside of the continental limits of

2464-451: The middle of the decade to a political backlash against Ronald Reagan's military programs. The situation gave enormous political impetus to reductions of defense spending and an overhaul of the nation's military establishment, including its weapons acquisition practices. AFSC led the way for acquisition improvements with greater reliance on multi-year contracting to stabilize weapons programs and increased investment in modernization programs for

2520-733: The ramps in the form of the F-117 Nighthawk fighter-bomber and the B-2 Spirit bomber. After the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster , AFSC helped restore the nation's space launch capability by quickly making available a family of new expendable launch vehicles such as the Delta II . Major gains were made in operational readiness rates through the Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) 2000 program. With

2576-541: The technological achievements of America's wartime allies and provide a blueprint for large-scale research and development of science and advanced technology for the Air Force. However, the Army Air Forces needed to achieve independence, which it did on 18 September 1947, with its transition into an independent United States Air Force . Also, the role of the Air Force in the postwar world had to be defined. The 1948 Finletter Commission published its report, Survival in

2632-646: The world learned that the Soviet Union had detonated a thermonuclear (hydrogen) bomb on 23 August 1953. A crash program was employed which developed America's first ICBM (the SM-65D Atlas ), that became operational in 1959. In terms of importance, resources, and success, the ICBM program was rivaled only by the famed Manhattan Project of World War II. AIMACO , the "Supply Control Command compiler" for Ai r Ma teriel Co mmand, began circa 1959 with

2688-618: Was active until 1962. In 1961, Air Materiel Command became the Air Force Logistics Command , while the Air Research and Development Command gained responsibility for weapon system acquisition and was renamed the Air Force Systems Command . [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Air Force Systems Command The Air Force Systems Command ( AFSC )

2744-775: Was established by the Equipment Division of the U.S. Army Signal Corps in 1917 for World War I experimental engineering. The department had a 1917 Foreign Data Section , and the Airplane Engineering Department was on McCook Field at Dayton, Ohio. McCook Field established the Air School of Application in 1919 and after WW I, the department was renamed the Airplane Engineering Division on 31 August 1918, under Lt Col Jesse G. Vincent ( Packard co-engineer of

2800-442: Was established under the Materiel Division on June 25, 1941 - less than a week after the creation of the USAAF itself on June 20, 1941 - to control supply and maintenance and retained the "Air Corps" designation that remained in effect for the USAAF's training and logistics units. On 11 December 1941, with United States newly engaged in World War II , these four functions were divided between two organizations. Maintenance Command

2856-480: Was re-integrated with Air Force Logistics Command in 1992. The origins of Air Force Systems Command date at least to the establishment of the Airplane Engineering Department by the Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Army, on 13 October 1917 at McCook Field , Ohio. Re-designated the Engineering Division of the U.S. Army Air Service in March 1919, this organization carried out the research, development and testing of military aircraft, engines, airships and accessories. Renamed

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2912-413: Was redesignated Air Service Command and kept responsibility for supply and maintenance functions. The chief of the Air Service Command, Brig. Gen. Henry J. F. Miller , was charged with supervision in the United States of all AAF activities pertaining to storage and issue of supplies procured by the Air Corps and with overhaul, repair, maintenance, and salvage of all Air Corps equipment and supplies beyond

2968-405: Was redesignated Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) on 1 July 1945. By 1945, 14 bases in the United States were home to Air Technical Service Commands: Newark, New Jersey; Fairfield, California; Miami, Florida; Middletown, Pennsylvania; Mobile, Alabama; Ogden, Utah; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Oakland, California; Rome, New York; Sacramento, California; San Antonio, Texas; San Bernardino, California;

3024-414: Was redesignated the Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) on 16 September 1950, and the Arnold Engineering Development Center was dedicated by President Harry S. Truman on 25 June 1951. During the 1950s, the new command began to make its mark. ARDC developed many ambitious aircraft and missile prototypes. Among the successes of this period were the North American F-86 Sabre swept wing fighter,

3080-417: Was redesignated the Air Force Logistics Command with some of its functions transferred to the new Air Force Systems Command . The logistics function can be traced before the earliest days of the Air Service , when the Equipment Division of the U.S. Army Signal Corps established a headquarters for its new Airplane Engineering Department at McCook Field , Dayton, Ohio . The Airplane Engineering Department

3136-418: Was the Soviet Union 's launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957 that greatly influenced HQ USAF and ARDC thinking. The Stever Report , completed in June 1958, which proposed a new Air Force command for weapons acquisition. With this report and a realization of DoD's desire to assign the military space mission to the Air Force, the Air Force won the approval of Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara in 1961 for

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