29th Test and Evaluation Squadron

29th Training Systems Squadron
Emblem of the 29th Training Systems Squadron
Active	1918-1968, 2002 - present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Engagements	World War I World War II

Curtiss P-40C Warhawk, May 1942, Madden Field, Panama. Squadron ID #42

Bell P-39K-1-BE Airacobra 42-4251, Madden Field, Panama.

Emblem of the 29th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

29th FIS F-94C Scorpion 51-3584 about 1955

29th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron McDonnell F-101B-110-MC Voodoo Great Falls AFB, Montana March 1964

The 29th Training Systems Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. Its assignment is with the 53d Test Management Group, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Overview

The 29th Training Systems Squadron has personnel located at Eglin AFB and 11 geographically separated units around the nation: Barksdale, Beale, Creech, Dyess, Hill, Offutt, Robins, Tinker, Tyndall, and Whiteman AFBs as well as an operating location in Mesa, Ariz.

The squadron serves as the Combat Air Force's center of expertise for Aircrew Training Devices (ATD). Squadron personnel provide technical expertise on all aspects of ATD life-cycle management, including acquisition, modification, acceptance testing and certification testing for all A-10, B-1, B-2, B-52, E-3, E-4, E-8, EC-130, F-15C/E, F-16, F-22, F-35, HH-60, HC-130, MQ-1/9, RC-135, RQ-4 and U-2 ATDs.

Unit personnel also manage the CAF Simulator Certification Program. The squadron's efforts incorporate ATD oversight and management from concept development and preliminary design review through sustainment and program deactivation. By keeping training devices concurrent, cost effective and viable, the 29th TSS guarantees training systems meet present and future warfighters' needs while supporting evolving training demands with modern technology.

History

Formed during World War I, served in the Untied States as the aerial arm of field artillery brigade firing center at Camp Knox, Kentucky, 1918–1919. Demobilized on 12 September 1919,

Reactivated in the Panama Canal Zone at Albrook Field on 1 October 1933. On 6 December 1939, it was redesignated as the 29th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) and, between 1933 and 1939, had operated, in series, the Boeing P-12, P-26A and Curtiss P-36A. In fact, the 29th PS inherited all of the 24th Pursuit Squadron's old Boeing P-26A's in early 1940, although these were eventually supplemented by a few P-36A's. During this period, at no time did the Squadron have more than 10 aircraft operational at any one time, and usually far fewer. While operating the P-36A's, the Squadron color within the 16th Pursuit Group was white.

World War II

After the Pearl Harbor Attack, the Squadron had nine new Curtiss P-40E's, one of the very first Canal Zone units to receive the new fighters, although at least one P-40C was also on hand. The Squadron was placed on General Alert at 15:00, 7 December 1941, at which time all 10 P¬40E's on hand were basically combat ready. Still at Albrook at the time, the unit later was the first to move to Casa Largas, Panama (later named Madden Field). While there, the unit labored to complete what were termed "Oznaburg" revetments to protect its aircraft. Two period reports (January and February 1942) reported the unit with between 19 and 23 Curtiss P-400's, but this is in error, as no P-40D's served in Panama at any time. The unit was redesignated as the 29th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942.

On 29 August 1942, Flight "C" of the Squadron was transferred from Madden to remote Talara, Peru, to provide aerodrome defense for the installations there and was relieved there by "E" Flight by December (although this was redesignated as "0" Flight, 51st Fighter Squadron concurrently that month). In September 1942, the Squadron was awarded the 16th Pursuit Group's trophy for all-round tactical efficiency, an award that the Squadron held for a five month period. Proficiency was aided by the assignment to the Squadron of North American BC-1. By January 1943, with the main body still at Madden Field with 18 aircraft, the unit was starting conversion to Bell P-39K's.

Navigation skills were vital to the Panama-based fighter squadrons, and had been found, generally, to be somewhat below what was considered safe for flying over the trackless jungles of the re¬gion. Thus, in April 1943, the Squadron was one of the first to receive a Vultee BT-13A. By July-August 1943, the Squadron had started converting to Bell P-39Q's. By October 1943, still at Madden Field, the Squadron also had a flight detached to Aguadulce.

Effective 1 November 1943, with the dissolution of the 16th Fighter Group, the Squadron was subordinated directly to the XXVI Fighter Command. At the end of 1943, the Squadron had a total of 20 P-39Q's and one "hack" Curtiss P-40, although a single Piper L-4A had been operated in late 1943 and early 1944. The Squadron continued on at Madden Field until 25 March 1944, when the unit was officially transferred to Lincoln Army Airfield, Nebraska and being assigned to IV Fighter Command as a replacement training unit (RTU), flying predominantly P-38 Lightnings.

The squadron was later assigned to California where it was assigned to perform testing of the Bell P-59 Airacomet and P-80 Shooting Star jet aircraft based at Muroc Dry Lake (later Edwards AFB). The early jets provided USAAF pilots and ground crews with valuable data about the difficulties and pitfalls involved in converting to jet aircraft. This information proved quite useful when more advanced jet fighters finally became available in quantity. The squadron later moved to several other airfields in California providing transisiton training to new jet pilots until being inactivated in July 1946.

Air Defense Command

Reactivated in 1953 as part of Air Defense Command as an air defense squadron, initially equipped with F-94C Starfire day interceptors, being assigned to Great Falls AFB, Montana with a mission for the air defense of the Upper Midwest region. Re-equipped in 1957 with F-89H Scorpion Interceptor and later with the F-89J.

Received the new McDonnell F-101B Voodoo supersonic interceptor, and the F-101F operational and conversion trainer in 1960. The two-seat trainer version was equipped with dual controls, but carried the same armament as the F-101B and were fully combat-capable. Inactivated in July 1968 as part of the drawdown of ADC interceptor bases, the aircraft being passed along to the Air National Guard.

Lineage

• Organized as 29th Aero Squadron on 10 October 1918

Demobilized on 12 September 1919

• Reconstituted and consolidated (1935) with 29th Pursuit Squadron which was constituted on 24 March 1923.

Activated on 1 October 1933.

Redesignated: 29th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 6 December 1939

Redesignated: 29th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942

Redesignated:

Inactivated on 25 May 1944

• Activated on 21 July 1944

Inactivated on 3 July 1946

• Redesignated 29th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 23 March 1953

Activated on 8 November 1953

Inactivated on 1 July 1968

• Redesignated 29th Training Systems Squadron and activated, 1 October 2002

Assignments

• Unknown, 1918–1919
• 16th Pursuit (later Fighter) Group, 1 October 1933
• XXVI Fighter Command, 1 November 1943
• Second Air Force, 8 April 1944-25 May 1944
• 412th Fighter Group, 21 July 1944-3 July 1946
• 29th Air Division, 8 November 1953
• Great Falls Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1960-1 July 1968
• 53d Test Management Group, 1 October 2002-present

Stations

• Camp Knox, Kentucky, 10 October 1918
• Godman Field, Kentucky, January-12 September 1919
• Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 1 October 1933
• Casa Larga Afld, Panama, 17 May 1942-25 March 1944
• Lincoln AAF, Nebraska, 8 April-25 May 1944
• Palmdale AAF, California, 21 July 1944

• Bakersfield Airport, California, 5 August 1944
• Oxnard Flight Strip, California, 9 September 1944
• Santa Maria AAF, California, l0 July 1945
• March Field, California, 6 December 1945-3 July 1946
• Great Falls AFB, Montana, 8 November 1953-1 July 1968
• Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 1 October 2002-present

Aircraft

• Curtiss JN-4 and Curtiss JN-6H, 1918-1919
• Boeing P-12, 1933-1939
• P-26 Peashooter, 1933-1939
• P-36 Hawk, 1939-1941
• P-40 Warhawk, 1941-1944
• P-39 Aircobra, 1942-1944
• A-36 Apache, 1944
• P-63 Kingcobra, 1944
• A-24 Banshee, 1944-1945

• P-38 Lightning, 1944-1945
• P-59 Airacomet 1944-1945
• P-51 Mustang, 1945-1946
• P-80 Shooting Star, 1945-1946.
• F-94C Starfire, 1953-1957
• F-89H Scorpion, 1957-1958
• F-89J Scorpion, 1958-1960
• F-101B Voodoo, 1960-1968

Heraldry

On and over a blue disc bordered golden yellow a gamecock in the position of attack (body, head, neck, wings, and feathers, brown; legs, feet, beak, and eyes, yellow; comb and wattles, red ). (Approved 15 March 1935)

See also

• List of American Aero Squadrons

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.

• Hagdedorn, Dan (1995), Alae Supra Canalem: Wings Over the Canal, Turner Publishing, ISBN-10: 1563111535
• AFHRA Document 01106135 29th Fighter Squadron, 1939-1943
• AFHRA Document 00002497 History of Madden Field, Panama
• AFHRA Document 00056116 29th Fighter Squadron, 1945