 Air National Guards, paint facility completes black snake livery, on Indiana A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. 185th Air Refueling Wing, I-1 Air National Guard, story by senior Master Sergeant Vincent DeGroote, Friday, July 9, 2021. A black and gray, U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from the Indiana Air National Guard's 122nd Fighter Wing was recently turned out at the Air National Guard paint facility in Sioux City, Iowa. In a departure from standard tactical two-ton gray, the black snakes of the 122nd Fighter Wing conceptualized the sleek design in order to commemorate 100 years of aviation in the Indiana National Guard. Indiana's two Air National Guard units, the 122nd F.W.N. Fort Wayne and 181st Intelligence Wing and Tarot both have a long history of flying single-seat fighter aircraft in the Hoosier State. The creators of the design venerated both the black snakes of the 122nd F.W.N. the racers of the 181st U.S. part of the A-10 paint scheme. The paint scheme on the A-10 is a mixture of black and dark gray with colors breaking along standard A-10 paint lines on the wings, engines and fuselage. The nose of the aircraft is wreathed with a distinctive 122nd F.W. green-eyed snake, complete with fangs, surrounding the aircraft's 30mm rotary cannon. One side of the aircraft has a 122nd F.W. tail flash with the text, Fort Wayne embossed in yellow over Indiana State flag blue background. The opposite tail flash shows racers checkered flag with the text Tarot of the dispended 181st F.W.N. now the 181st Intelligence Wing. The distinctive A-10 twin engines are embossed with an Indiana A&G Centennial logo displaying the text Indiana Air National Guard under a large number 100, along with the years 1921 to 2021. Although the Air National Guard was not officially established as a separate service until after the Second World War in 1946, some A&G units like the 122nd can trace their beginnings to the interwar period. Following the First World War, the War Department recognized the necessity of including aviation and national defense. The Indiana National Guard began their flying mission in 1921 with the establishment of the 137th Observation Squadron that was initially based at Fagley Field and Kokomu, Indiana just north of Indianapolis. Now located in Fort Wayne, the 122nd F.W. has been flying single-seat fighter aircraft for most of its history. Today the black snakes are equipped with the U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II, which is used primarily for close air support. Master Sergeant William Hopper, 122nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs Superintendent, said the 122nd adopted the black snake moniker from Revolutionary War figure Anthony Wayne who is also the namesake of the city of Fort Wayne. Also known as Mad Anthony Wayne, Native Americans gave Wayne the title Black Snake. Wayne was known for a methodical fighting style where he instructed his soldiers to lie and wait for the right moment to strike, similar to the actions of a North American black snake. The black snakes are proud of the names historical significance and connection that gives us to our local community and hometown of Fort Wayne, said Hopper. The uniquely painted A-10 may soon begin showing up at air shows, where it will be fulfilling its purpose in promoting the mission and heritage of the Air National Guard. Units of the Air Force and Air National Guard can get permission to temporarily paint non-standard markings on aircraft as part of unit heritage and moral programs. The 122nd A-10 paint scheme is one of several commemorative liveries recently painted by the ANG paint facility as many Air Guard units have been celebrating significant anniversaries. The Air National Guard paint facility is part of the Iowa Air National Guard's 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City and has been painting small fighter aircraft since the 1990s. Editors note, for our readers who are aviation modelers or enthusiasts, the two-tone colors on the Centennial Indiana ANG A10 are gray 118 and black O-38.