Happy Natal Day to Air Force! Hope you have many more years to Fly-Fight-Win wherein you Aim High. Although the US military bought the first aircraft in the year 1909, the United States Air Force didn’t exist as an independent and a separate branch until 18th of September, 1947. Reference:https://allinlist.com/2022/09/16/the-10-historic-aircrafts-of-the-usa/