62d Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 62d Fighter Squadron (62 FS) is part of the 56th Operations Group
at Luke Air Force Base
, Arizona
. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon
aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.
The 62d Fighter Squadron was constituted as the 62d Pursuit Squadron as part of the 56th Pursuit Group at Savannah
, Georgia
, on 15 January 1941. The squadron immediately began training for its wartime missions under III Fighter Command
, rapidly transitioning through the P-35
, P-36
, P-39, and P-40 aircraft. On 7 December 1941, the 62d stepped up to defend the Northeastern United States
from anticipated enemy air attack while it converted to the P-47
aircraft and prepared to deploy overseas, operating under the I Fighter Command
, New York Fighter Wing
in the early months of 1942.
It was re-designated 62d Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942, and deployed to RAF Kings Cliffe
(AAF-367), England on 9 January 1943. It was declared operationally ready two months later and flew its first combat missions 13 April. The squadron was given fuselage code "LM" and operated from several RAF stations during the war, flying the P-47C Thunderbolt as an VIII Fighter Command
bomber-escort unit initially for B-17 Flying Fortresses and beginning in 1944 for B-24 Liberator
s attacking enemy targets in Occupied Europe. After the end of the war in Europe, the squadron demobilized in England, and was inactivated as an administrative unit on 18 October 1945.
given
escort fighter group, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
at Selfridge Army Air Base, Michigan, equipped with long-range P-51H Mustangs, originally developed for Twentieth Air Force
bomber escort missions in the Pacific Theater. The mission of the squadron was to provide fighter escort of SAC's B-29 Superfortress
bombers on intercontinental strategic bombardment missions, deploying to Alaska
and Europe
in this role. In 1947, the squadron was upgraded to Lockheed P-80C Shooting Stars, as SAC introduced the B-50 in the late 1940s. The squadron trained to maintain proficiency as a mobile strike force; including bomber escort mission until transferred from Strategic Air Command to Continental Air Command
on 1 Dec 1948.
, near Chicago in 1950, being re-designated as the 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950, and re-equipped with the F-86D Sabre. It was assigned to Air Defense Command 4706th Defense Wing in February 1952. In 1955, the 56th was reactivated under ADC as an Air Defense Group with the 62d FIS being a tactical interceptor squadron.
In 1959 with interceptors being moved from O'Hare the squadron was moved to K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan, and the 62d was re-equipped with the Mach 2+ McDonnell F-101B Voodoo twin-seat interceptor. The F-101B proved to be a quite successful interceptor. assigned alongside the F-101B interceptor was the F-101F operational and conversion trainer. The two-seat trainer version was equipped with dual controls, but carried the same armament as the F-101B and were fully combat-capable.
The squadron maintained alert against the ever-present Soviet bomber threat. A highlight from this era was the squadron capturing top F-101 squadron honors at the William Tell
1965, USAF Worldwide Weapons Meet. The squadron maintained the air defense alert until 30 Apr 1971 when it was inactivated, the aircraft being passed along to the Air National Guard
. The 62d FIS was the last active-duty squadron equipped with the F-101B. The squadron was replaced by the 87th FIS flying F-106A "Delta Darts"
, Florida, as a fighter-training unit. The squadron assumed the mission of training F-4E Phantom II and F-106 Delta Dart
weapons instructors at the United States Air Force interceptor Weapons School
. The following October, the flag moved again; this time to rejoin the 56th Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base
, Florida, and began training F-4 crews for tactical
units around the world. 62d TFS aircraft carried a blue fin cap, tail coded "MC". In April 1978, the squadron changed equipment to the F-4D, with the "E" models being transferred to operational squadrons.
The last F-4D flight occurred on 14 November 1980, and conversion began to the F-16A/B began that month. On 1 January 1981, the squadron transitioned to the F-16 Fighting Falcon
" and the squadron was re-designated as the 62d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. Beginning in June 1989 the unit converted over to the block 30 model of the F-16C/D. On 1 November 1991 the squadron was once again re-designated back to what it was in WWII as the 62nd Fighter Squadron with the adoption of the objective organization plan by the Wing.
in the early 90's it was announced that MacDill AFB would be closed. The squadrons of the 56th FW would be deactivated starting with the 72d Fighter Squadron and worked its way sequentially down to the 61st Fighter Squadron. Therefore the 62d Fighter Squadron was second to last to disband. The squadron, however, continued to train fighter pilots until its inactivation on 12 May 1993 to prepare for the move to Luke AFB, Arizona were it would continue as an F-16 training squadron.
Pilot training for students assigned to the 62d FS is a standard syllabus, one that gets students their first look at the F-16 and prepare them for service with active duty units. The squadron's mission is to "Graduate flight pilots who meet or exceed syllabus standards and their gaining units' expectations. Teach the B-course students what it means to be a fighter pilot. Actively promote quality of life and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth."
56th Operations Group
The 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
at Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located seven miles west of the central business district of Glendale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is also about west of Phoenix, Arizona....
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.
Mission
The 62d Fighter Squadron ("Spikes", Tailband: White & Blue), operates a mix of F-16Cs and F-16Ds from Blocks 42C and 42D conducting F-16 crew training for active duty USAF pilots.World War II
- see 56th Operations Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
for an expansive history of the squadron's World War II history
The 62d Fighter Squadron was constituted as the 62d Pursuit Squadron as part of the 56th Pursuit Group at Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, on 15 January 1941. The squadron immediately began training for its wartime missions under III Fighter Command
III Fighter Command
The III Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, rapidly transitioning through the P-35
Seversky P-35
The Seversky P-35 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in U.S...
, P-36
P-36 Hawk
The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design...
, P-39, and P-40 aircraft. On 7 December 1941, the 62d stepped up to defend the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
from anticipated enemy air attack while it converted to the P-47
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
aircraft and prepared to deploy overseas, operating under the I Fighter Command
I Fighter Command
The I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
, New York Fighter Wing
New York Fighter Wing
The New York Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the I Fighter Command, stationed at Mitchel Field, New York It was inactivated on 10 April 1944....
in the early months of 1942.
It was re-designated 62d Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942, and deployed to RAF Kings Cliffe
RAF Kings Cliffe
RAF Kings Cliffe is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located near Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, 12 miles west of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Originally the airfield was grass-surfaced but hard-surfaced runways and a perimeter track were laid down early in 1943.-USAAF...
(AAF-367), England on 9 January 1943. It was declared operationally ready two months later and flew its first combat missions 13 April. The squadron was given fuselage code "LM" and operated from several RAF stations during the war, flying the P-47C Thunderbolt as an VIII Fighter Command
VIII Fighter Command
The VIII Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at RAF Honington, England. It was inactivated on 20 March 1946....
bomber-escort unit initially for B-17 Flying Fortresses and beginning in 1944 for B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
s attacking enemy targets in Occupied Europe. After the end of the war in Europe, the squadron demobilized in England, and was inactivated as an administrative unit on 18 October 1945.
given
Strategic Fighter Escort Squadron
The squadron was reactivated on 1 May 1946 as a Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
escort fighter group, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
at Selfridge Army Air Base, Michigan, equipped with long-range P-51H Mustangs, originally developed for Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
bomber escort missions in the Pacific Theater. The mission of the squadron was to provide fighter escort of SAC's B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
bombers on intercontinental strategic bombardment missions, deploying to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in this role. In 1947, the squadron was upgraded to Lockheed P-80C Shooting Stars, as SAC introduced the B-50 in the late 1940s. The squadron trained to maintain proficiency as a mobile strike force; including bomber escort mission until transferred from Strategic Air Command to Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
on 1 Dec 1948.
Air Defense Command
The squadron began performing air defense missions in 1950 with it's relocation to O'Hare Air Reserve StationO'Hare Air Reserve Station
O'Hare Air Reserve Station is a former United States Air Force base, located at O'Hare International Airport. It was located west-northwest of Chicago, Illinois...
, near Chicago in 1950, being re-designated as the 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950, and re-equipped with the F-86D Sabre. It was assigned to Air Defense Command 4706th Defense Wing in February 1952. In 1955, the 56th was reactivated under ADC as an Air Defense Group with the 62d FIS being a tactical interceptor squadron.
In 1959 with interceptors being moved from O'Hare the squadron was moved to K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan, and the 62d was re-equipped with the Mach 2+ McDonnell F-101B Voodoo twin-seat interceptor. The F-101B proved to be a quite successful interceptor. assigned alongside the F-101B interceptor was the F-101F operational and conversion trainer. The two-seat trainer version was equipped with dual controls, but carried the same armament as the F-101B and were fully combat-capable.
The squadron maintained alert against the ever-present Soviet bomber threat. A highlight from this era was the squadron capturing top F-101 squadron honors at the William Tell
William Tell (USAF)
William Tell is a biennial aerial gunnery competition with fighter aircraft held by the United States Air Force in every even-numbered year. In the competition, teams representing the various major commands of the USAF compete in live-fire exercises, using towed banner targets for gun engagements,...
1965, USAF Worldwide Weapons Meet. The squadron maintained the air defense alert until 30 Apr 1971 when it was inactivated, the aircraft being passed along to the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
. The 62d FIS was the last active-duty squadron equipped with the F-101B. The squadron was replaced by the 87th FIS flying F-106A "Delta Darts"
Tactical Air Command
On 1 September 1974, the 62d was re-activated at Tyndall Air Force BaseTyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...
, Florida, as a fighter-training unit. The squadron assumed the mission of training F-4E Phantom II and F-106 Delta Dart
F-106 Delta Dart
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
weapons instructors at the United States Air Force interceptor Weapons School
USAF Weapons School
The USAF Weapons School is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the 57th Wing. It is stationed at Nellis AFB, Nevada.-Mission:...
. The following October, the flag moved again; this time to rejoin the 56th Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
, Florida, and began training F-4 crews for tactical
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
units around the world. 62d TFS aircraft carried a blue fin cap, tail coded "MC". In April 1978, the squadron changed equipment to the F-4D, with the "E" models being transferred to operational squadrons.
The last F-4D flight occurred on 14 November 1980, and conversion began to the F-16A/B began that month. On 1 January 1981, the squadron transitioned to the F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
" and the squadron was re-designated as the 62d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. Beginning in June 1989 the unit converted over to the block 30 model of the F-16C/D. On 1 November 1991 the squadron was once again re-designated back to what it was in WWII as the 62nd Fighter Squadron with the adoption of the objective organization plan by the Wing.
Modern era
With the end of the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
in the early 90's it was announced that MacDill AFB would be closed. The squadrons of the 56th FW would be deactivated starting with the 72d Fighter Squadron and worked its way sequentially down to the 61st Fighter Squadron. Therefore the 62d Fighter Squadron was second to last to disband. The squadron, however, continued to train fighter pilots until its inactivation on 12 May 1993 to prepare for the move to Luke AFB, Arizona were it would continue as an F-16 training squadron.
Modern era
Once the move was made to Luke AFB, the squadron was able to reactivate on 18 March 1994. By that time the 58th FW at Luke had been re-designated as the 56th FW so the squadron always remained part of that wing. Although the squadron moved, the Block 30 aircraft at MacDill AFB did not move with the squadron. Instead the 62nd Fighter Squadron converted to the block 25 F-16 at Luke.Pilot training for students assigned to the 62d FS is a standard syllabus, one that gets students their first look at the F-16 and prepare them for service with active duty units. The squadron's mission is to "Graduate flight pilots who meet or exceed syllabus standards and their gaining units' expectations. Teach the B-course students what it means to be a fighter pilot. Actively promote quality of life and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth."
Lineage
- Constituted as 62d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940
- Activated on 15 Jan 1941
- Re-designated: 62d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) on 31 Jan 1942
- Re-designated: 62d Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942
- Re-designated: 62d Fighter Squadron on 1 Jun 1942
- Re-designated: 62d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 28 Feb 1944
- Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945
- Activated on 1 May 1946
- Re-designated: 62d Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 24 Apr 1947
- Re-designated: 62d Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 14 Jun 1948
- Re-designated: 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950
- Inactivated on 30 Apr 1971
- Re-designated as 62d Fighter-Interceptor Training Squadron on 15 Aug 1974
- Activated on 1 Sep 1974
- Re-designated: 62d Tactical Fighter Squadron on 30 Jun 1975
- Re-designated: 62d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 Jan 1981
- Re-designated: 62d Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991
- Inactivated on 14 May 1993
- Activated on 18 Mar 1994.
Assignments
- 56th Pursuit (later, 56th Fighter) Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
, 15 Jan 1941-18 Oct 1945 - 56th Fighter (later, 56th Fighter-Interceptor) Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
, 1 May 1946
- Attached to: Alaskan Provisional Wing, c. 28 Dec 1946-c. 10 Apr 1947
- Attached to: 30th Air Division, c. 28 Jul 1950-30 Apr 1951
- Attached to: 142d Fighter Interceptor Group, 1 May 1951-5 Feb 1952
- 4706th Defense Wing, 6 Feb 1952
- 501st Air Defense Group501st Air Defense GroupThe 501st Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4706th Air Defense Wing, being stationed at O'Hare International Airport, Illinois...
, 16 Feb 1953 - 56th Fighter Group, 18 Aug 1955
- Attached to 473d Fighter Group473d Fighter GroupThe 473d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division, stationed at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan. It was inactivated on 30 September 1959....
, 1 Aug-30 Sep 1959- 56th Fighter Wing56th Fighter WingThe 56th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona where it also is the host unit....
, 1 Feb 1961
- 56th Fighter Wing
- Duluth Air Defense SectorDuluth Air Defense SectorThe Duluth Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 30th Air Division, being stationed at Duluth Airport, Minnesota...
, 16 Dec 1963 - 29th Air Division, 1 Apr 1966
- 34th Air Division, 15 Sep 1969
- 29th Air Division, 14 Nov 1969
- 23d Air Division, 19 Nov 1969-30 Apr 1971
- Air Defense Weapons Center, 1 Sep 1974
- 56th Tactical Fighter (later, 56th Tactical Training; 56th Fighter) Wing, 30 Jun 1975
- 56th Operations Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
, 1 Nov 1991-14 May 1993 - 58th Operations Group58th Operations GroupThe 58th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 58th Special Operations Wing. It is stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico....
, 18 Mar 1994 - 56th Operations Group56th Operations GroupThe 56th Operations Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, and the flying component of the 56th Fighter Wing.The group is the direct descendant of the World War II 56th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces...
, 1 Apr 1994-Present
Stations
- SavannahSavannah, GeorgiaSavannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(1941) - Charlotte Army Airbase, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
(1941)- Deployed: Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(October - November 1941)
- Deployed: Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport, South Carolina
- Bluethenthal Field, North Carolina (1941–1942)
- Teterboro AirportTeterboro AirportTeterboro Airport is a general aviation relief airport located in the Boroughs of Teterboro, Moonachie, and Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is owned and operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
(1942) - Newark Army Airfield, New Jersey (1942)
- Bradley FieldBradley International AirportBradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
, ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
(1942–1943) - RAF Kings CliffeRAF Kings CliffeRAF Kings Cliffe is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located near Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, 12 miles west of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Originally the airfield was grass-surfaced but hard-surfaced runways and a perimeter track were laid down early in 1943.-USAAF...
(AAF-367), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(1943) - RAF Horsham St FaithRAF Horsham St FaithRAF Horsham St Faith was a Royal Air Force station near Norwich, Norfolk, England from 1939 to 1963. It was then developed as Norwich International Airport.-RAF Bomber Command use:...
(AAF-123), England (1943) - RAF HalesworthRAF HalesworthRAF Halesworth is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is west of Southwold in Suffolk.-USAAF use:Halesworth was built in 1942–1943 and was intended for use as a bomber station. It was built as a bomber station, with a 6,000 ft. main runway and two secondary runways of...
(AAF-365), England (1943–1944) - RAF BoxtedRAF BoxtedRAF Boxted is a former World War II airfield in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately north-northeast of Colchester; about northeast of London...
(AAF-150), England (1944–1945)
- RAF DebdenRAF DebdenRAF Debden is a former RAF airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles SE of Saffron Walden and approximately 1 mile north of the village of Debden in North Essex.-RAF Fighter Command:...
(AAF-356), England (1945) - Camp KilmerCamp KilmerCamp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, New Jersey (1945) - Selfridge FieldSelfridge FieldSelfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens.-Units and organizations:...
, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
(1946–1950)- Deployed: Ladd FieldLadd FieldLadd Army Airfield is the military airfield located at Fort Jonathan Wainwright, located in Fairbanks, Alaska. It was originally called Fairbanks Air Base, but was renamed Ladd Field on 1 December 1939, in honor of Major Arthur K. Ladd, a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps who died in a plane crash...
, AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
(28 December 1946 - 10 April 1947) - Deployed: Oscoda Air Force Base, Michigan (1 April - 6 June 1949)
- Deployed: Ladd Field
- O'Hare Air Reserve StationO'Hare Air Reserve StationO'Hare Air Reserve Station is a former United States Air Force base, located at O'Hare International Airport. It was located west-northwest of Chicago, Illinois...
, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
(1950–1959) - K. I. Sawyer Air Force BaseK. I. Sawyer Air Force BaseK. I. Sawyer Air Force Base is a decommissioned U.S. Air Force base in Marquette County, Michigan, south of the city of Marquette. The base, near the center of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, closed in 1995. The county airport, Sawyer International, now occupies a portion of the base and has scheduled...
, Michigan (1959–1971) - Tyndall Air Force BaseTyndall Air Force BaseTyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
(1974–1975) - MacDill Air Force BaseMacDill Air Force BaseMacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
, Florida (1975–1993) - Luke Air Force BaseLuke Air Force BaseLuke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located seven miles west of the central business district of Glendale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is also about west of Phoenix, Arizona....
, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(1994–Present)
Aircraft
- P-35Seversky P-35The Seversky P-35 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in U.S...
(1941) - P-36 HawkP-36 HawkThe Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design...
(1941-1942) - P-39 Airacobra (1941–1942)
- P-40 Warhawk (1941–1942)
- P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
(1942–1945, 1946) - P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
(1946–1947) - F-80 Shooting Star (1947–1950)
- F-86A Sabre, (1951-1953)
- F-86D Sabre Interceptor (1953–1959)
- F-101B Voodoo (1959–1971)
- F-106 Delta DartF-106 Delta DartThe Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
(1974–1975) - F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
(1974–1980) - F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
(1980–1993, 1994–Present)