Owned by the State of Connecticut, Brainard Airport (formally Brainard Field) has played a role in fighting the Cold War.
In September 1946, the 103rd Aircraft Control and Warning (AC&W) Squadron was founded at Hartford's Brainard Field and by 1951 the unit was activated to establish an AC&W squadron in Iceland.
In 1956 the Flying Yankees were assigned to Air Defense Command and redesignated the 103rd Fighter Interceptor Wing. The unit stood 24-hour runway alert flying F-84, F-86, F100A and the F-102. In 1962 the Squadron moved to its new and present home in Orange, Conn.
