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83d Fighter Weapons Squadron

The 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group and stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

83d Fighter Weapons Squadron
Squadron F-106 at Loring Air Force Base in 1972
Active1942–1945; 1946–1969; 1971–1972; 1972–1977; 1991–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleFighter weapons training
EngagementsEuropean Theater of Operations[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1]
Insignia
Patch with 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron emblem (approved 9 May 1956)[1][note 1]

Mission edit

The 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron is a non-flying unit that conducts the Air Force Air-to-Air Weapon System Evaluation Program (WSEP), known as COMBAT ARCHER. 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 Air Force Base Florida.

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, Air Force Reserve Command and Canadian forces participating in WSEP, William Tell and WIC missile firing programs.

History edit

World War II edit

 
Pilots of the 83rd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force on 5 July 1944.

It was established in early 1942 as a IV Fighter Command squadron, and equipped with Lockheed P-38 Lightnings. After training in California it was deployed overseas to the European Theater of Operations in England. It was assigned to RAF Goxhill for European transition training with the Royal Air Force, and then assigned to its operational station at RAF Duxford. It was assigned to VIII Fighter Command for heavy bomber escort duties of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberators, engaged in long range strategic bombardment of military and industrial targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany. It 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. It replaced P-38s with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts in mid-1943; later with North American 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. It continued combat operations until the German capitulation in May 1945.

The squadron demobilized in England during the summer of 1945, returned to the United States and was inactivated largely as a paper unit in October 1945. It was reactivated by the United States Air Forces in Europe in 1946 as an occupation unit at Army Air Force Station Straubing, Germany in 1946–1947.

Air Defense Command edit

 
North American F-86L Sabre 53–0950, at Hamilton AFB in 1957
 
83d FIS YF-104A Starfighter 55-2969 deployment to operational service
 
83d FIS F-104 56-0791 Deployed to Taiwan during 1958 Quemoy Crisis

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

In December 1957, the 83d received AIM-9 Sidewinder-armed Lockheed F-l04A Starfighters and become the first operational F-104 squadron in ADC. 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.

It was found that the F-104A was not very well-suited for service as an interceptor. ADC released all its F-104s to the Air National Guard in 1960 because its fire control system was not sophisticated enough to operating in conjunction with the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system to make it an all-weather interceptor.[2][3]

Service with the F-104s was consequently quite brief, and the Starfighters were replaced by the more heavily armed all-weather McDonnell F-101B Voodoo in July 1960. 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.

On 22 October 1962, before President John F. Kennedy told Americans that missiles were in place in Cuba, the squadron dispersed one-third of its force, equipped with nuclear-tipped missiles, to Kingsley Field at the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis.[4] These planes returned to Hamilton after the crisis.

Although the number of ADC interceptor squadrons remained almost constant in the early 1960s, the number of planes assigned to each squadron gradually dropped from 24 to typically 18 by 1964. This drop a result of aircraft attrition as well as the fact that production lines had closed in 1961.[5] The 83d was inactivated to make up for attrition losses of F-101s in other units, but six aircraft remained at Hamilton as the 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron strength increased from 18 to 24 Voodoos.[6]

The 83d was reactivated at Loring Air Force Base, Maine, in July 1971 when it absorbed the mission, personnel, and Convair F-106 Delta Darts of the 27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. The 83d was inactivated in June 1972 as part of the draw-down of Air Defense Command.

Training and weapons evaluation edit

It was reactivated in 1972 as a Northrop T-38 Talon Undergraduate Pilot Training squadron at Webb Air Force Base, Texas. It was inactivated with the closing of Webb in 1977. It was reactivated at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida as a weapons evaluation squadron in 1983.

Lineage edit

  • Constituted as the 83d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 13 January 1942
  • Activated on 9 February 1942
Redesignated 83d Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
  • Inactivated on 18 October 1945
  • Activated on 20 August 1946
Redesignated 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950
Redesignated 83d Fighter-Day Squadron on 18 November 1956
Redesignated 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 8 February 1957[7]
  • Inactivated on 1 July 1963
  • Activated on 1 July 1971
  • Inactivated on 30 June 1972
Redesignated 83d Flying Training Squadron on 28 July 1972
  • Activated on 1 December 1972
  • Inactivated on 30 September 1977
Redesignated 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron on 14 October 1983
  • Activated on 15 October 1983

Assignments edit

Stations edit

Aircraft edit

See also edit

References edit

Notes edit

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ This emblem was used by the squadron during World War II; Watkins, p. 48; although not formally approved until the 1950s.
  2. ^ The squadron was assigned to the 479th Group until 20 November 1998, then reassigned to the 53d Weapons Evaluation Group. However, the two groups were consolidated on 25 July 2000. Robertson, Factsheet 53 Weapons Evaluation Group.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 290-291
  2. ^ McMullen, pp. 10–12
  3. ^ NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis, p. 6
  4. ^ McMullen, p. 16
  5. ^ McMullen, pp. 41, 43–45
  6. ^ McMullen, p. 42
  7. ^ a b c Lineage information, including assignments and aircraft, through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 290-291.
  8. ^ a b Ravenstein, pp. 114-115
  9. ^ . Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  10. ^ Robertson, Patsy (24 February 2009). "Factsheet 53 Weapons Evaluation Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  11. ^ a b Station number in Anderson.
  12. ^ Station number in Johnson
  13. ^ Station information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 290-291, except as noted.
  14. ^ Mueller, p. 329

Bibliography edit

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

  • Anderson, Barry (1985). (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  • Cornett, Lloyd H.; Johnson, Mildred W. (1980). (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2006. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  • Johnson, David C. (1988). (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015.
  • 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.
  • McMullen, Richard F. (1964) "The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962-1964" ADC Historical Study No. 27, Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, CO (Confidential, declassified 22 March 2000), pp. 10–12
  • Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases (PDF). Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  • Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  • Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force In World War II. Vol. II (VIII) Fighter Command. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-2535-9.
  • NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Historical Reference Paper No. 8, Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1 Feb 63 (Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996)
  • "ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". The Interceptor. Vol. 21, no. 1. Aerospace Defense Command. January 1979. pp. 5–11, 26–31, 40–45, 54–59.

External links edit

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This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this message The 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group and stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base Florida 83d Fighter Weapons SquadronSquadron F 106 at Loring Air Force Base in 1972Active1942 1945 1946 1969 1971 1972 1972 1977 1991 presentCountry United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleFighter weapons trainingEngagementsEuropean Theater of Operations 1 DecorationsDistinguished Unit CitationAir Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 InsigniaPatch with 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron emblem approved 9 May 1956 1 note 1 Contents 1 Mission 2 History 2 1 World War II 2 2 Air Defense Command 2 3 Training and weapons evaluation 3 Lineage 3 1 Assignments 3 2 Stations 3 3 Aircraft 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksMission editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this message The 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron is a non flying unit that conducts the Air Force Air to Air Weapon System Evaluation Program WSEP known as COMBAT ARCHER 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 Air Force Base Florida 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 Air Force Reserve Command and Canadian forces participating in WSEP William Tell and WIC missile firing programs History editWorld War II edit nbsp Pilots of the 83rd Fighter Squadron 78th Fighter Group 8th Air Force on 5 July 1944 It was established in early 1942 as a IV Fighter Command squadron and equipped with Lockheed P 38 Lightnings After training in California it was deployed overseas to the European Theater of Operations in England It was assigned to RAF Goxhill for European transition training with the Royal Air Force and then assigned to its operational station at RAF Duxford It was assigned to VIII Fighter Command for heavy bomber escort duties of Boeing B 17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B 24 Liberators engaged in long range strategic bombardment of military and industrial targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany It 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 It replaced P 38s with Republic P 47 Thunderbolts in mid 1943 later with North American 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 It continued combat operations until the German capitulation in May 1945 The squadron demobilized in England during the summer of 1945 returned to the United States and was inactivated largely as a paper unit in October 1945 It was reactivated by the United States Air Forces in Europe in 1946 as an occupation unit at Army Air Force Station Straubing Germany in 1946 1947 Air Defense Command edit nbsp North American F 86L Sabre 53 0950 at Hamilton AFB in 1957 nbsp 83d FIS YF 104A Starfighter 55 2969 deployment to operational service nbsp 83d FIS F 104 56 0791 Deployed to Taiwan during 1958 Quemoy Crisis The 83d was transferred from USAFE to Air Defense Command ADC in June 1947 and stationed at Mitchell Field New York Prior to being equipped it was transferred to Hamilton Air Force Base California where it received F 51D Mustangs and Republic F 84B Thunderjets In the fall of 1950 it was upgraded to F 84Ds and in August 1951 it transitioned into Northrop F 89B Scorpions In July 1952 the squadron moved to Paine Field Washington and received North American F 86D Sabres In August 1955 the 83d FIS designation was transferred back to Hamilton to another F 86D squadron and the organization at Paine Field was reassigned In December 1957 the 83d received AIM 9 Sidewinder armed Lockheed F l04A Starfighters and become the first operational F 104 squadron in ADC 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 It was found that the F 104A was not very well suited for service as an interceptor ADC released all its F 104s to the Air National Guard in 1960 because its fire control system was not sophisticated enough to operating in conjunction with the Semi Automatic Ground Environment system to make it an all weather interceptor 2 3 Service with the F 104s was consequently quite brief and the Starfighters were replaced by the more heavily armed all weather McDonnell F 101B Voodoo in July 1960 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 On 22 October 1962 before President John F Kennedy told Americans that missiles were in place in Cuba the squadron dispersed one third of its force equipped with nuclear tipped missiles to Kingsley Field at the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis 4 These planes returned to Hamilton after the crisis Although the number of ADC interceptor squadrons remained almost constant in the early 1960s the number of planes assigned to each squadron gradually dropped from 24 to typically 18 by 1964 This drop a result of aircraft attrition as well as the fact that production lines had closed in 1961 5 The 83d was inactivated to make up for attrition losses of F 101s in other units but six aircraft remained at Hamilton as the 84th Fighter Interceptor Squadron strength increased from 18 to 24 Voodoos 6 The 83d was reactivated at Loring Air Force Base Maine in July 1971 when it absorbed the mission personnel and Convair F 106 Delta Darts of the 27th Fighter Interceptor Squadron The 83d was inactivated in June 1972 as part of the draw down of Air Defense Command Training and weapons evaluation edit It was reactivated in 1972 as a Northrop T 38 Talon Undergraduate Pilot Training squadron at Webb Air Force Base Texas It was inactivated with the closing of Webb in 1977 It was reactivated at Tyndall Air Force Base Florida as a weapons evaluation squadron in 1983 Lineage editConstituted as the 83d Pursuit Squadron Interceptor on 13 January 1942 Activated on 9 February 1942 Redesignated 83d Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942 Inactivated on 18 October 1945 Activated on 20 August 1946 Redesignated 83d Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950 Redesignated 83d Fighter Day Squadron on 18 November 1956 Redesignated 83d Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 8 February 1957 7 Inactivated on 1 July 1963 Activated on 1 July 1971 Inactivated on 30 June 1972 Redesignated 83d Flying Training Squadron on 28 July 1972 Activated on 1 December 1972 Inactivated on 30 September 1977 Redesignated 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron on 14 October 1983 Activated on 15 October 1983 Assignments edit 78th Pursuit Group later Fighter Group 9 February 1942 18 October 1945 78th Fighter Group later Fighter Interceptor Group 20 August 1946 4702d Defense Wing 6 February 1952 4704th Defense Wing 1 August 1952 529th Air Defense Group 16 February 1953 78th Fighter Group 18 August 1955 attached to 13th Air Task Force 15 September 1958 20 December 1958 78th Fighter Wing 1 February 1961 1 July 1963 7 8 21st Air Division 1 July 1971 30 June 1972 9 78th Flying Training Wing 1 December 1972 20 September 1977 8 USAF Air Warfare Center 23 January 1991 475th Weapons Evaluation Group later 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group 1 October 1991 10 note 2 Stations edit Baer Field Indiana 9 February 1942 Muroc Army Air Field California 30 April 1942 Mills Field California 10 May 1942 Hamilton Field California 23 June 1942 10 November 1942 RAF Goxhill Station 345 11 England 1 December 1942 RAF Duxford Station 357 11 England 1 April 1943 11 October 1945 Camp Kilmer New Jersey 16 October 1945 18 October 1945 AAF Station Straubing R 68 12 Germany 20 August 1946 25 June 1947 Mitchel Field later Mitchel Air Force Base New York 25 June 1947 Hamilton Air Force Base California 24 November 1948 Paine Air Force Base Washington 27 July 1952 Hamilton Air Force Base California 19 August 1955 31 December 1969 operated from Taoyuan Air Base Taiwan September December 1958 13 Loring Air Force Base Maine 1 July 1971 30 June 1972 14 Webb Air Force Base Texas 1 December 1972 30 September 1977 Tyndall Air Force Base Florida 23 January 1991 present Aircraft edit Lockheed P 38 Lightning 1942 1943 Republic P 47 Thunderbolt 1943 1944 North American P 51 Mustang 1944 1945 1949 1951 Republic F 84 Thunderjet 1949 1951 1953 Northrop F 89B Scorpion 1951 1952 1955 1958 North American F 86D Sabre 1953 1957 North American F 86L Sabre 1957 1958 Lockheed F 104 Starfighter 1958 1960 McDonnell F 101B Voodoo 1960 1969 7 Convair F 106 Delta Dart 1970 1972 Cessna T 37 Tweet 1972 1977 Northrop T 38 Talon 1972 1977See also editAerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons Advanced Landing GroundReferences editNotes edit Explanatory notes This emblem was used by the squadron during World War II Watkins p 48 although not formally approved until the 1950s The squadron was assigned to the 479th Group until 20 November 1998 then reassigned to the 53d Weapons Evaluation Group However the two groups were consolidated on 25 July 2000 Robertson Factsheet 53 Weapons Evaluation Group Citations a b c Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 290 291 McMullen pp 10 12 NORAD CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis p 6 McMullen p 16 McMullen pp 41 43 45 McMullen p 42 a b c Lineage information including assignments and aircraft through May 1963 in Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 290 291 a b Ravenstein pp 114 115 Factsheet 21 Air Division Air Force Historical Research Agency 5 October 2007 Archived from the original on 27 October 2012 Retrieved 9 April 2014 Robertson Patsy 24 February 2009 Factsheet 53 Weapons Evaluation Group ACC Air Force Historical Research Agency Retrieved 22 December 2020 a b Station number in Anderson Station number in Johnson Station information through May 1963 in Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 290 291 except as noted Mueller p 329 Bibliography edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Anderson Barry 1985 Army Air Forces Stations A Guide to the Stations Where U S Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II PDF Maxwell AFB AL Research Division USAF Historical Research Center Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 7 July 2012 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 Archived from the original PDF on 23 November 2006 Retrieved 1 March 2014 Johnson David C 1988 U S Army Air Forces Continental Airfields ETO D Day to V E Day PDF Maxwell AFB AL Research Division USAF Historical Research Center Archived from the original PDF on 29 September 2015 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 McMullen Richard F 1964 The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962 1964 ADC Historical Study No 27 Air Defense Command Ent Air Force Base CO Confidential declassified 22 March 2000 pp 10 12 Mueller Robert 1989 Air Force Bases PDF Vol I Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 53 6 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Ravenstein Charles A 1984 Air Force Combat Wings Lineage amp Honors Histories 1947 1977 PDF Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 12 9 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Watkins Robert 2008 Battle Colors Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force In World War II Vol II VIII Fighter Command Atglen PA Shiffer Publishing Ltd ISBN 978 0 7643 2535 9 NORAD CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis Historical Reference Paper No 8 Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command Ent AFB CO 1 Feb 63 Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996 ADCOM s Fighter Interceptor Squadrons The Interceptor Vol 21 no 1 Aerospace Defense Command January 1979 pp 5 11 26 31 40 45 54 59 External links edit53rd Weapons Evaluation Group Factsheet 53rd Wing Factsheet Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron amp oldid 1205395125, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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