498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Emblem of the 498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Active	1942–1968
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force

Convair F-106A Delta Darts 57-2481, 57-2470 and 57-2462 while stationed at Geiger Field, Washington.

Aircraft and support crews of the 498th FIS, 78th Fighter Group, McChord AFB, Washington, 1963

The 498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on September 30, 1968.

History

Operations history

Established in early 1942 as a III Fighter Command Operational Training Unit (OTU), equipped with a mixture of second-line single engine training aircraft. Upgraded in 1943 with P-47 Thunderbolts for Replacement Crew Training (RTU). Inactivated in April 1944.

Reactivated in August 1955 as a United States Air Force Air Defense Command interceptor squadron, assigned to Geiger Field, Washington. Mission was to provide air defense for the Pacific Northwest. Initially equipped with F-86D Sabres. Upgraded to F-102s in 1957 and then to F-106s in 1959, the first operational squadron to receive the Delta Dart. Moved to McChord AFB, 1963, Paine Field 1966.

Moved to Hamilton AFB, California in 1968 and inactivated the same day, aircraft reassigned to the 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.

Lineage

• Constituted 303d Bombardment Squadron (Light) on January 13, 1942.

Activated on February 10, 1942

Redesignated: 303d Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on July 27, 1942

Redesignated: 498th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on August 10, 1943.

Disbanded on April 1, 1944

• Reconstituted, and redesignated 498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, on June 20, 1955.

Activated on August 18, 1955.

Inactivated on September 30, 1968.

Assignments

• 84th Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber) Group, February 10, 1942 – April 1, 1944
• 84th Fighter Group (Air Defense), 18 August 1955
• 325th Fighter Wing (Air Defense), 1 July 1963
• 57th Fighter Group (Air Defense), 25 January 1966
• 78th Fighter Group, September 30, 1968*

* Squadron inactivated on September 30, 1968 and assets immediately reassigned to 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.

Stations

• Savannah AAB, Georgia, February 10, 1942
• Drew Field, Florida, February 8, 1943
• Harding AAF, Louisiana, October 4, 1943
• Hammond AAF, Louisiana, c. October 11, 1943
• Abilene AAF, Texas, February 11 – April 1, 1944
• Geiger Field, Washington, August 18, 1955
• McChord AFB, Washington, July 1, 1963
• Paine Field, Washington, June 14, 1966
• Hamilton AFB California, September 30, 1968*

Aircraft

• V-72 Vengeance, 1942
• A-24 Banshee, 1942–1943
• P-39 Airacobra, 1943
• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944
• F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1955–1957
• F-102A Delta Dagger, 1957–1959
• F-106A Delta Dart, 1959–1968

References

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

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
• USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).