415th Flight Test Flight: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Bwmoll3 (talk | contribs)
137,292 edits
reformatted and expanded
Bwmoll3 (talk | contribs)
137,292 edits
edited and expanded
Line 34: Line 34:


==History==
==History==
Established as a B-24 Liberator reconnaissance squadron in early 1942. Engaged initially in antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; redesignated as a heavy bomb squadron and trained by Third Air Force. Deployed to Egypt in June 1942 over South Atlantic Transport Route transiting from Florida though the Carriebean to Braail; performed trans-Atlantic crossing from Brazil to Liberia, then deployed east accross central Africa to Sudan. Lastly the group reformed with the ground echelon which traveled by ship around the Cape of Good Hope, joining with air echelon in British Palestine.

Assigned to the newly-formed IX Bomber Command, the squadron operated from airfields in Egypt; Libya and Tunisa supporting the British Eighth Army in the Western Desert Campaign. Also staged long-range strategic bombardment of enemy military and industrial targets in Sicily; Italy and the Southern Balkans, including attacking the Nazi-Controlled oilfields at Polesti, Romania.

Re-assigned to Fifteenth Air Force in southern Italy; continuing strategic bombardment raids on Occupied France; Southern Germany; Austria and targets in the Balkans. In the summer of 1944, the squadron participated in the invasion of southern France, assisted in the Soviet advance into the Balkans, and supported the partisans and guerrillas in Yugoslavia and neighboring countries.

The squadron returned to the United States in May 1945; being redesignated as a B-29 Superfortress heavy bomb squadron and began training for deployment to the Central Pacific Area and conduct strategic bombardment raids over the Japanese Home Islands. Training continued until the unit was inactivated at the end of July, it's equipment and personnel being merged into the other three squadrons of its host group.

Reactivated in 1958 as a [[Strategic Air Command]] [[B-47 Stratojet]] training squadron after [[Air Training Command]] discontinued Combat Crew Training. Trained pilots and aircrews on the B-47, its graduates being reassigned to operational squadrons of the parent wing. Inactivated in 1962 with the end of B-47 crew training prior to the phaseout of the weapons system in the mid-1960s.

Reactivated in 1992 as a flight test squadron at Edwards; inactivated in 1994. Reactivated and reduced from a squadron to a flight organization in 2001.

===Lineage===
===Lineage===
* Organized as the '''25th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy)''' on 28 January 1942.
* Organized as the '''25th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy)''' on 28 January 1942.
Line 64: Line 76:
* Page Field, FL, 31 Mar 1942
* Page Field, FL, 31 Mar 1942
* Drane Field, FL, 15 May-3 Jul 1942
* Drane Field, FL, 15 May-3 Jul 1942
* RAF Ramad David, Palestine
* RAF Ramad David, Palestine, 31 Jul 1942
* RAF Fayid, Egypt, 12 Nov 1942
* RAF Fayid, Egypt, 12 Nov 1942
* Tobruk, Libya, 26 Jan 1943
* Tobruk, Libya, 26 Jan 1943

Revision as of 20:42, 26 May 2010

415th Flight Test Flight [1]
415th Flight Training Flight Patch
Active3 February 1942 - 3 July 1945
1 September 1958 - 1 January 1962
10 March 1989 - 1 October 1994
1 October 2001 - Present
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
TypeFlight Test
Part ofAir Force Reserve Command, 622d Flight Test Group
Garrison/HQRandolph Air Force Base
EngagementsWorld War II
Decorations DUC

The 415th Flight Test Flight (415 FLTF) is a squadron of the United States Air Force Reserves. It has been stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, since 1 October 2001. [1]

The squadron has been active periodically throughout the 20th century, initially as a reconnaissance squadron, then later as a bombardment squadron, and finally as a flight test squadron. During World War II, the 415th Bombardment Squadron flew combat missions in the Mediterranean and the European theaters of operations as part of the 98th Bombardment Group.

History

Established as a B-24 Liberator reconnaissance squadron in early 1942. Engaged initially in antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; redesignated as a heavy bomb squadron and trained by Third Air Force. Deployed to Egypt in June 1942 over South Atlantic Transport Route transiting from Florida though the Carriebean to Braail; performed trans-Atlantic crossing from Brazil to Liberia, then deployed east accross central Africa to Sudan. Lastly the group reformed with the ground echelon which traveled by ship around the Cape of Good Hope, joining with air echelon in British Palestine.

Assigned to the newly-formed IX Bomber Command, the squadron operated from airfields in Egypt; Libya and Tunisa supporting the British Eighth Army in the Western Desert Campaign. Also staged long-range strategic bombardment of enemy military and industrial targets in Sicily; Italy and the Southern Balkans, including attacking the Nazi-Controlled oilfields at Polesti, Romania.

Re-assigned to Fifteenth Air Force in southern Italy; continuing strategic bombardment raids on Occupied France; Southern Germany; Austria and targets in the Balkans. In the summer of 1944, the squadron participated in the invasion of southern France, assisted in the Soviet advance into the Balkans, and supported the partisans and guerrillas in Yugoslavia and neighboring countries.

The squadron returned to the United States in May 1945; being redesignated as a B-29 Superfortress heavy bomb squadron and began training for deployment to the Central Pacific Area and conduct strategic bombardment raids over the Japanese Home Islands. Training continued until the unit was inactivated at the end of July, it's equipment and personnel being merged into the other three squadrons of its host group.

Reactivated in 1958 as a Strategic Air Command B-47 Stratojet training squadron after Air Training Command discontinued Combat Crew Training. Trained pilots and aircrews on the B-47, its graduates being reassigned to operational squadrons of the parent wing. Inactivated in 1962 with the end of B-47 crew training prior to the phaseout of the weapons system in the mid-1960s.

Reactivated in 1992 as a flight test squadron at Edwards; inactivated in 1994. Reactivated and reduced from a squadron to a flight organization in 2001.

Lineage

  • Organized as the 25th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942.
Activated on 3 February 1942.
Redesignated 415th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942.
Redesignated 415th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 1 July 1943.
Deactivated on 3 July 1945.
  • Redesignated 415th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 11 August 1958.
Reactivated on 1 September 1958.
Deactivated and discontinued on 1 January 1962.
  • Consolidated with the 6515th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992.
Redesignated 415th Test Squadron on 2 October 1992.
Redesignated 415th Flight Test Squadron on 1 March 1994.
Deactivated 1 October 1994.
  • Redesignated 415th Flight Test Flight on 24 September 2001.
Activated in the Reserve on 1 October 2001.

Assignments

  • 98 Bombardment Group, 3 Feb 1942-3 Jul 1945
  • 98 Bombardment Wing, 1 Sep 1958-1 Jan 1962
  • 6510 (later, 412) Test Wing, 10 Mar 1989
  • 412 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1993-1 Oct 1994
  • 622 Flight Test Group, 1 Oct 2001-.

Stations

Aircraft

  • B-24, 1942-1945
  • B-47, 1958-1961
  • F-15, 1989-1994.

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ a b AFHRA 415 FLTF Page
  • Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN: 0892010975

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=415th_Flight_Test_Flight&oldid=364363647"