The last RC-26B made its final flight on 16FEB2023. For more than 30 years, beginning in 1991 (tail end of the Cold War), the RC-26B Condor not only worked anti-drug missions, but international warzone counter-insurgency flights, domestic homeland security missions, wild-fire fighting and disaster relief efforts: “This aircraft is kind of like a chameleon. It could morph in to just about anything you could imagine, as far as hurricane support, counter-drug, the border or wildfire support. It was like a Swiss Air National Guard Knife.”-Major Luis Flores, RC-26 pilot, Texas Air National Guard
The RC-26B is a modified C-26B, which began service in the last decade of the non-declared Cold War as the C-26A. At one point it was known as the ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance).
National Guard report about combat use of RC-26B, somewhere in South West Asia (Middle East), 18JUL2013:
During those 30 plus years the Condor (modified Fairchild Metro 23) was flown by units in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington.
CALIFORNIA:
California Air National Guard photo, 30JUL2014.
FLORIDA:
Florida Air National Guard photo by Sergeant Lalita Laksbergs, 22FEB2011.
Florida Air National Guard photo by Sergeant Lalita Laksbergs, 22FEB2011.
Florida Air National Guard photo by Sergeant Lalita Laksbergs, 22FEB2011.
Video by Master Sergeant Megan Hunter, 22FEB2011:
IOWA:
Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Robert Shepherd, 27JAN2023.
On 27JAN2023, the Iowa Air National Guard conducted its final flight of the RC-26B. The Condor began operations at the Des Moines Airbase only recently, in 2015, providing counter-narcotics, and domestic natural disaster support, for law enforcement and emergency management.
Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Robert Shepherd, 27JAN2023.
MISSISSIPPI: USAF video (by Staff Sergeant Aaron Richardson) RC-26B during exercise Southern Strike, October 2015:
TEXAS:
RC-26 cockpit view of New York City, on its way to its final resting place in Maryland. Texas Air National Guard photo by Sean Cowher, 16FEB2023.
Delivering the 147th Attack Wing’s RC-26 to Hagerstown Aviation Museum, Maryland. Texas Air National Guard photo by Sean Cowher, 16FEB2023.
On 15FEB2023, the 147th Attack Wing of the Texas Air National Guard retired its RC-26 Condor, but the final flight was when the aircraft was put out to pasture at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, in Maryland, on 16FEB2023.
An early Condor of the Texas Air National Guard, with a surveillance pod, 13SEP2005. Photo by Staff Sergeant Cheryl Hackley.
The first Texas Air National Guard RC-26 crew, in 1991!
WEST VIRGINIA:
West Virginia National Guard photo by Edwin L. Wriston, 06JAN2023.
On 06JAN2023, the West Virginia National Guard retired their RC-26 Condor (# 94-0260). RC-26 #94-0260 was one of the last of 11 such aircraft operated by the U.S. Air Force and National Guard.
Final crew for the Final Flight. West Virginia National Guard photo by Edwin L. Wriston, 06JAN2023.
WASHINGTON:
Final start-up of an RC-26, for its final flight from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, 06JAN2023. Washington Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Kayleigh Phillips.
On 06JAN2023, Washington joined West Virginia in retiring its Condor. Evergreen State C-26B operations began from Fairchild Air Force Base in 1991, then in 1995 the Condor was reconfigured as an RC-26B.
Washington Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Kayleigh Phillips, 06JAN2023.
“We provide the necessary information to the USDA FS and NWICC, such as, where is the fire? In one instance with the Crescent Mountain fire, the fire behavior and visibility had been erratic. We showed up at 0700, had the RC-26 overhead at 0800, and by 0930 evacuation orders were sent out based on the video feed provided to the incident commander.”-Lieutenant Colonel Rich Cullen, October 2018
Washington National Guard video, RC-26B surveillance of wildfire in Oregon, August 2018:
Inside an RC-26 assigned to the141st Operations Group, Washington Air National Guard, mapping the Chetco Bar fire in southern Oregon 02SEP2017. USAF photo by Senior Airman Sean Campbell.
WISCONSIN: The RC-26B began service with the Air National Guard in January 1992, assigned anti-drugs duty in 1996, final flight 28DEC2022.
Wisconsin Air National Guard’s RC-26B reconnaissance aircraft after its final flight 28DEC2022. Wisconsin Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paul Gorman.
Wisconsin Air National Guard’s RC-26B reconnaissance aircraft after its final flight 28DEC2022. Wisconsin Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paul Gorman.
Vehicle I-D: 
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SUPER IMPRESSIVE E-F-V?
Cold War Vehicle I-D: 
VULCAN, 70 YEARS LATER!
