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The 337th Flight Test Squadron was most recently part of the 46th Test Wing and based at McClellan Air Force Base, California. It performed depot acceptance testing until being inactivated with the closure of McClellan on 13 July 2001.
Activated in 1942 at Keflavik, Iceland, equipped with Lockheed P-38 Lightnings. Mission was to intercept and destroy German planes that on occasion attempted to attack Iceland or that appeared in that area on reconnaissance missions. Returned to the United States in November 1942 as a IV Fighter Command Lightning Replacement Training Unit (RTU). Trained P-38 pilots in California and Washington State until phaseout of Lightning training in March 1944.
Air defense
Reactivated in 1953 as an Air Defense Command interceptor squadron. Performed air defense mission over Minneapolis and Upper Midwest United States, 1953–1955 with Northrop F-89D Scorpions. Reassigned to air defense of Boston and New England with North American F-86D Sabres. In 1957 began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated the Semi Automatic Ground Environment, or SAGE computer-controlled direction system for intercepts. The service of the F-86L destined to be quite brief, since by the time the last F-86L conversion was delivered, the type was already being phased out in favor of supersonic interceptors.
Received new Lockheed F-104A Starfighter interceptor aircraft in early 1958, the third ADC squadron to receive the F-104. In addition, the squadron received the two-seat, dual-control, combat trainer F-104B. The performance of the F-104B was almost identical to that of the F-104A, but the lower internal fuel capacity reduced its effective range considerably. However, the F-104A was not very well suited for service as an interceptor. Its low range was a problem for North American air defense, and its lack of all-weather capability made it incapable of operating in conjunction with the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) system. Service with the ADC was consequently quite brief, and the F-104As of the 337th were transferred to the Air National Guard.
With the transfer of the Starfighters, ADC shut down operations at Westover Air Force Base and the 337th was inactivated in July 1960.
The 2874th Test Squadron was activated as a flight test squadron as part of the Sacramento Air Logistics Center at McClellan Air Force Base, California in January 1988. It conducted flight tests on aircraft returning to active service after depot maintenance, modification, or repair. In 1992, the squadron was consolidated with the 337th Tactical Fighter Squadron as the 337th Test Squadron[2] It was inactivated with the closure of McClellan.[citation needed]
Lineage
337th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Constituted as the 337th Fighter Squadron on 29 August 1942
Activated on 11 September 1942
Redesignated: 337th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 1 July 1942
Redesignated: 37th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine on 5 February 1944
Disbanded on 31 March 1944
Reconstituted, and redesignated 337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, on 23 March 1953
Activated on 8 July 1954
Discontinued on 8 July 1960
Redesignated 337th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 11 December 1981
Activated on 1 April 1982
Inactivated on 1 July 1985
Consolidated with the 2874th Test Squadron as the 337th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992[2]
337th Flight Test Squadron
Designated as the 2874th Test Squadron and activated, on 15 January 1988
Consolidated with the 337th Tactical Fighter Squadron as the 337th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992
Redesignated 337th Flight Test Squadron on 1 March 1994[2]
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Endicott, Judy G. (1998). Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995(PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ASIN B000113MB2. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980(PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
"ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". The Interceptor. Aerospace Defense Command. 21 (1): 5–11, 26–31, 40–45, 54–59. January 1979.
January 07, 2023
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This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources 337th Flight Test Squadron news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article October 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message The 337th Flight Test Squadron was most recently part of the 46th Test Wing and based at McClellan Air Force Base California It performed depot acceptance testing until being inactivated with the closure of McClellan on 13 July 2001 337th Flight Test Squadron337th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Lockheed F 104 Starfighter note 1 Active1942 1944 1954 1960 1982 1985 1988 2001Country United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleFlight TestPart ofAir Force Materiel CommandNickname s Falcons 1 EngagementsEuropean Theater of Operations 2 DecorationsAFOUA 2 Insignia337th Flight Test Squadron emblem approved 1 July 1982 1 Patch with 337th Fighter Interceptor Squadron emblem approved 9 June 1955 3 337th Fighter Squadron emblem World War II Contents 1 History 1 1 World War II 1 2 Air defense 1 3 Tactical fighter operations 1 4 Flight test operations 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Stations 2 3 Aircraft 2 4 Commanders 3 References 3 1 Notes 3 2 BibliographyHistory EditWorld War II Edit Activated in 1942 at Keflavik Iceland equipped with Lockheed P 38 Lightnings Mission was to intercept and destroy German planes that on occasion attempted to attack Iceland or that appeared in that area on reconnaissance missions Returned to the United States in November 1942 as a IV Fighter Command Lightning Replacement Training Unit RTU Trained P 38 pilots in California and Washington State until phaseout of Lightning training in March 1944 Air defense Edit Reactivated in 1953 as an Air Defense Command interceptor squadron Performed air defense mission over Minneapolis and Upper Midwest United States 1953 1955 with Northrop F 89D Scorpions Reassigned to air defense of Boston and New England with North American F 86D Sabres In 1957 began re equipping with the North American F 86L Sabre an improved version of the F 86D which incorporated the Semi Automatic Ground Environment or SAGE computer controlled direction system for intercepts The service of the F 86L destined to be quite brief since by the time the last F 86L conversion was delivered the type was already being phased out in favor of supersonic interceptors Received new Lockheed F 104A Starfighter interceptor aircraft in early 1958 the third ADC squadron to receive the F 104 In addition the squadron received the two seat dual control combat trainer F 104B The performance of the F 104B was almost identical to that of the F 104A but the lower internal fuel capacity reduced its effective range considerably However the F 104A was not very well suited for service as an interceptor Its low range was a problem for North American air defense and its lack of all weather capability made it incapable of operating in conjunction with the SAGE Semi Automatic Ground Environment system Service with the ADC was consequently quite brief and the F 104As of the 337th were transferred to the Air National Guard With the transfer of the Starfighters ADC shut down operations at Westover Air Force Base and the 337th was inactivated in July 1960 Tactical fighter operations Edit Reactivated as a McDonnell F 4 Phantom II tactical fighter squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in 1982 1985 Flight test operations Edit The 2874th Test Squadron was activated as a flight test squadron as part of the Sacramento Air Logistics Center at McClellan Air Force Base California in January 1988 It conducted flight tests on aircraft returning to active service after depot maintenance modification or repair In 1992 the squadron was consolidated with the 337th Tactical Fighter Squadron as the 337th Test Squadron 2 It was inactivated with the closure of McClellan citation needed Lineage Edit337th Tactical Fighter SquadronConstituted as the 337th Fighter Squadron on 29 August 1942Activated on 11 September 1942 Redesignated 337th Fighter Squadron Twin Engine on 1 July 1942 Redesignated 37th Fighter Squadron Two Engine on 5 February 1944 Disbanded on 31 March 1944Reconstituted and redesignated 337th Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 23 March 1953Activated on 8 July 1954 Discontinued on 8 July 1960Redesignated 337th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 11 December 1981Activated on 1 April 1982 Inactivated on 1 July 1985Consolidated with the 2874th Test Squadron as the 337th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992 2 337th Flight Test SquadronDesignated as the 2874th Test Squadron and activated on 15 January 1988 Consolidated with the 337th Tactical Fighter Squadron as the 337th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992Redesignated 337th Flight Test Squadron on 1 March 1994 2 Inactivated 13 July 2001 citation needed Assignments Edit 342d Composite Group 11 September 1942 329th Fighter Group November 1942 31 March 1944 514th Air Defense Group 8 July 1954 4707th Air Defense Wing 18 August 1955 4622d Air Defense Wing later Boston Air Defense Sector 18 October 1956 4729th Air Defense Group 8 July 1957 Boston Air Defense Sector 25 June 1958 8 July 1960 4th Tactical Fighter Wing 1 April 1982 1 July 1985 Sacramento Air Logistics Center 15 January 1988 Air Force Development Test Center 1 July 1994 46th Operations Group 1 July 1994 2 13 July 2001 citation needed Stations Edit Keflavik Iceland 11 September 26 November 1942 Glendale Airport California 26 November 1942 Muroc Army Air Base California 1 March 1943 Glendale Airport California 6 May 1943 Paine Field Washington 12 August 1943 Glendale Airport California c 2 November 1943 Ontario Army Air Field California 29 December 1943 31 March 1944 Minneapolis St Paul International Airport Minnesota 8 July 1954 Westover Air Force Base Massachusetts 18 August 1955 8 July 1960 operated from Taoyuan Air Base Taiwan December 1958 March 1959 Seymour Johnson Air Force Base North Carolina 1 April 1982 1 July 1985 McClellan Air Force Base California 15 January 1988 2 13 July 2001 citation needed Aircraft Edit Lockheed P 38 Lightning 1942 1944 Northrop F 89D Scorpion 1954 1955 North American F 86D Sabre 1955 1957 North American F 86L Sabre Interceptor 1957 1958 Lockheed F 104A Starfighter 1958 1960 McDonnel F 4E Phantom II 1982 1985 2 General Dynamics F 111 Aardvark citation needed Commanders Edit Lt Col Tad Oelstrom 1982 1984References Edit World War II portalNotes Edit Explanatory notes Aircraft is Lockheed F 104A 20 LO Starfighter serial 56 813 taken on 23 May 1958 Citations a b Endicott p 746 a b c d e f g h Factsheet 337 Flight Test Squadron Air Force Historical Research Agency 7 April 2008 Retrieved 20 October 2017 Maurer Combat Squadrons p 417 Bibliography Edit This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Endicott Judy G 1998 Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying Space and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 PDF Air Force History and Museums Program Washington DC Office of Air Force History ASIN B000113MB2 Retrieved 2 July 2014 Cornett Lloyd H Johnson Mildred W 1980 A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 1980 PDF Peterson AFB CO Office of History Aerospace Defense Center Retrieved 23 March 2012 Maurer Maurer ed 1983 1961 Air Force Combat Units of World War II PDF reprint ed Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 02 1 LCCN 61060979 Maurer Maurer ed 1982 1969 Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II PDF reprint ed Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 405 12194 6 LCCN 70605402 OCLC 72556 ADCOM s Fighter Interceptor Squadrons The Interceptor Aerospace Defense Command 21 1 5 11 26 31 40 45 54 59 January 1979 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 337th Flight Test Squadron amp oldid 1071004068, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
