83d Fighter Weapons Squadron: Difference between revisions

83d Fighter Weapons Squadron
83d Fighter Weapons Squadron
	83d Fighter Weapons Squadron
Active	1942–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter Weapons

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Revision as of 21:16, 28 September 2010

The 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron is an United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 53d Weapons Evaluation Group, being stationed at Tyndall AFB, Florida.

Overview

The 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron conducts the Air Force Air-to-Air Weapon System Evaluation Program. The squadron evaluates the total air-to-air weapons system including aircraft, weapon delivery system, weapon, aircrew, support equipment, technical data and maintenance actions. The squadron hosts 38 air-to-air WSEP deployments annually at Tyndall AFB.

The annual firing of 300 missiles evaluates all Air Force air-to-air missile capabilities for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile, AIM-7 Sparrow missile, AIM-9 Sidewinder missile and aircraft guns, and also provides live missile training for combat Air Force crews as a secondary objective. Squadron personnel verify weapon system performance, determine reliability, evaluate capability and limitations, identify deficiencies, recommend corrective action, and maintain Combat Air Force-wide data.

The squadron investigates missile envelopes and evaluates capabilities and limitations to determine future firing requirements. They provide liaison support for pre-deployment, employment, and redeployment of Air Combat Command, United States Air Forces Europe, Pacific Air Forces, Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force Reserve and Canadian Forces participating in WSEP, William Tell and WIC missile firing programs.

History

World War II

Established in early 1942 as a IV Fighter Command squadron, initially equipped with P-38 Lightnings. After training in California was deployed overseas to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in England. Was initially assigned to RAF Goxhill for European transition training with the Royal Air Force, then assigned to its operational station at RAF Duxford. Was assigned to VIII Fighter Command for heavy bomber escort duties of B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberators, engaged in long range strategic bombardment of military and industrial targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany. Engaged in air-to-air combat with Luftwaffe interceptors over France and the Low Countries, the extended range of the P-38 could not extend over Germany. Replaced P-38s with P-47 Thunderbolts in mid-1943; later with P-51D Mustangs in 1944 which enabled the squadron to fly escort missions deep into Germany and also engage in fighter sweeps over enemy airfields, bridges, railroads, road transport and other targets of opportunity. Continued combat operations until the German Capitulation in May 1945.

Demobilized in England during the summer of 1945; returned to the United States and was inactivated largely as a paper unit, October 1945. Was reactivated by the United States Air Forces in Europe in 1946 as an occupation unit at Army Air Force Station Strubing, Germany in 1946-1947.

Air Defense Command

The 83d was transferred from USAFE to Air Defense Command in June 1947, being stationed at Mitchell Field, New York. Prior to being equipped it was transferred to Hamilton AFB, California where it received F-51D Mustangs and F-84B Thunderjets. In the fall of 1950 it was upgraded to F-84Ds and in August 1951 it transitioned into F-89B Scorpions. In July 1952 the squadron moved to Paine Field, Washington and received F-86D Sabres. In August 1955 the 83rd FIS designation was transferred back to Hamilton AFB to another F-86D squadron, and the organization at Paine Field was reassigned.

In December 1957 the 83rd FIS received F-l04A Starfighters to become the first operational F-104 squadron in ADC. In July 1960 the F-104 were replaced by F-l01B Voodos and on 1 July 1963 the squadron was inactivated. It was reactivated at Loring AFB, Maine in July 1971 replacing the 27th FIS which was equipped with F-106 Delta Darts. The 83rd FIS was deactivated in June 1972 as part of the draw-down of Air Defense Command.

Reactivated in 1972 as a T-38 Talon Undergraduate Pilot Training squadron at Webb AFB, Texas. Inactivated with the closing of Webb in 1977. Reactivated at Tyndall AFB, Florida as a weapons evaluation squadron in 1991.

Lineage

Constituted 83d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on January 13, 1942.

Activated on February 9, 1942.

Redesignated: 83d Fighter Squadron on May 15, 1942

Inactivated on October 18, 1945

Activated on August 20, 1946

Redesignated: 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on January 20, 1950

Redesignated: 83d Fighter-Day Squadron on November 18, 1956

Redesignated: 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on February 8, 1957

Inactivated on December 31, 1969

Reactivated on 1 July 1971 by redesignation of 27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron personnel and equipment.

Inactivated on 30 June 1972

Redesignated: 83rd Flying Training Squadron and activated on December 1, 1972

Inactivated on September 30, 1977

Redesignated: 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron and activated on January 23, 1991

Assignments

78th Pursuit (later Fighter) Group, February 9, 1942 – October 18, 1945
78th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor) Group, August 20, 1946
4702d Defense Wing, February 6, 1952
4704th Defense Wing, August 1, 1952
529th Air Defense Group, February 16, 1953
78th Fighter Group, August 18, 1955

Attached to the 13th Air Task Force, September 15 – December 20, 1958

78th Fighter Wing, February 1, 1961 – December 31, 1969
21st Air Division, 1 July 1971-30 June 1972
78th Flying Training Wing, December 1, 1972 – September 30, 1977
Tactical Air Command (Air Combat Command after June 1, 1992)

USAF Air Warfare Center, January 23, 1991

475th Weapons Evaluation Group, October 1, 1991

53d Wing

53d Weapons Evaluation Group, October 1, 1995

Stations

Baer Field, Indiana, February 9, 1942
Muroc AAF, California, April 30, 1942
Mills Field, California, May 10, 1942
Hamilton Field, California, June 23 – November 10, 1942
RAF Goxhill, England, December 1, 1942
RAF Duxford, England, April 1, 1943 – October 11, 1945
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, October 16–18, 1945
Straubing, Germany, August 20, 1946 – June 25, 1947

Mitchel Field, New York, June 25, 1947
Hamilton AFB, California, November 24, 1948
Paine AFB, Washington, July 27, 1952
Hamilton AFB, Calif, August 18, 1955 – December 31, 1969

Operated from Toa Yuan AB, Taiwan, September–December 1958

Loring AFB, Maine, 1 July 1971-30 June 1972
Webb AFB, Texas, December 1, 1972 – September 30, 1977
Tyndall AFB, Florida, January 23, 1991 – present

Aircraft

P-38 Lightning, 1942–1943
P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944
P-51 Mustang, 1944–1945; 1949–1951
F-84 Thunderjet, 1949–1951; 1953
F-89 Scorpion, 1951–1952; 1955–1958

F-86D Sabre, 1954–1955
F-104 Starfighter, 1958–1960
F-101 Voodoo, 1960–1969
T-37 Tweet, 1972–1977
T-38 Talon, 1972–1977

References

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

USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).
Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.

External links

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 ==History==
+===World War II===
-Combat in ETO, April 3, 1943 – April 25, 1945. Unmanned, 1947–1948.  Air Defense of the west coast, 1948–1969.  Undergraduate pilot training, 1972–1977, Weapons evaluation, 1991–present
+Established in early 1942 as a [[IV Fighter Command]] squadron, initially equipped with [[P-38 Lightning]]s.   After training in California was deployed overseas to the [[European Theater of Operations]] (ETO) in [[England]].   Was initially assigned to [[RAF Goxhill]] for European transition training with the [[Royal Air Force]], then assigned to its operational station at [[RAF Duxford]].   Was assigned to [[VIII Fighter Command]] for heavy bomber escort duties of [[B-17 Flying Fortress]] and [[B-24 Liberator]]s, engaged in long range strategic bombardment of military and industrial targets in [[Occupied Europe]] and [[Nazi Germany]].   Engaged in air-to-air combat with [[Luftwaffe]] interceptors over [[France]] and the [[Low Countries]], the extended range of the P-38 could not extend over [[Germany]].  Replaced P-38s with [[P-47 Thunderbolt]]s in mid-1943; later with [[P-51D Mustang]]s in 1944 which enabled the squadron to fly escort missions deep into Germany and also engage in fighter sweeps over enemy airfields, bridges, railroads,  road transport and other targets of opportunity.   Continued combat operations until the German Capitulation in May 1945.
+Demobilized in England during the summer of 1945; returned to the United States and was inactivated largely as a paper unit, October 1945.   Was reactivated by the [[United States Air Forces in Europe]] in 1946 as an occupation unit at Army Air Force Station Strubing, Germany in 1946-1947.
+===Air Defense Command===
+The 83d was transferred from USAFE to [[Air Defense Command]] in June 1947, being stationed at [[Mitchell Field]], New York. Prior to being equipped it was transferred to [[Hamilton AFB]], California where it received F-51D Mustangs and F-84B Thunderjets.  In the fall of 1950 it was upgraded to F-84Ds and in August 1951 it transitioned into F-89B Scorpions.  In July 1952 the squadron moved to [[Paine Field]], Washington and received F-86D Sabres.  In August 1955 the 83rd FIS designation was transferred back to Hamilton AFB to another F-86D squadron, and the organization at Paine Field was reassigned.
+In December 1957 the 83rd FIS received F-l04A Starfighters to become the first operational F-104 squadron in ADC.  In July 1960 the F-104 were replaced by F-l01B Voodos and on 1 July 1963 the squadron was inactivated.  It was reactivated at [[Loring AFB]], Maine in July 1971 replacing the 27th FIS which was equipped with F-106 Delta Darts. The 83rd FIS was deactivated in June 1972 as part of the draw-down of Air Defense Command.
+Reactivated in 1972 as a T-38 Talon Undergraduate Pilot Training squadron at [[Webb AFB]], Texas.  Inactivated with the closing of Webb in 1977.    Reactivated at [[Tyndall AFB]], Florida as a weapons evaluation squadron in 1991.
 ===Lineage===