413th Flight Test Group

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 413th Flight Test Group


caption= 413th Flight Test Group Emblem
dates= 1944 - Presnet
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force
type=
role= Flight Testing
size=
command_structure= Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Materiel Command
current_commander=
garrison= Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
* World War II: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1944-1945)
anniversaries=The 413th Flight Test Group (413FTG) is a United States Air Force Air Force Reserve Command unit. It is stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia as a tenant unit.

Overview

The 413th Flight Test Group is a tenant unit at Robins AFB. The group conducts flight tests on aircraft after the programmed depot maintenance is completed. Components of the unit are stationed throughout the United States to help conduct functional flight tests. The group is a partnership between the Air Force Materiel Command and the Air Force Reserve Command and is the operational supervisor of all the depot flight test units.

The group, manages four squadrons and two flights is made up of 140 full-time Airmen, 78 traditional reservist and nine civil servants. Once PDM is completed, members of the flight crew begin a variety of ground checks to -make sure the aircraft is ready for a functional test flight. Once the aircraft is deemed airworthy, then the airplane is delivered to the home station and is configured to fly whatever mission it is assigned to fly.

History

Lineage

* Established as 413 Fighter Group, Single Engine on 5 Oct 1944: Redesignated as 413 Fighter Group: Activated on 15 Oct 1944: Inactivated on 15 Oct 1946
* Established as 413 Strategic Fighter Wing on 23 Mar 1953
* Redesignated 413 Fighter-Day Group on 27 Oct 1954: Activated on 11 Nov 1954: Inactivated on 8 Oct 1957
* Redesignated 413 Fighter-Day Wing on 26 Sep 1957: (413th Fighter-Day Group assigned to Wing as subordinate unit): Activated on 8 Oct 1957. : Redesignated 413 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 Jul 1958: Inactivated on 15 Mar 1959
* Redesignated 413 Flight Test Group on 18 Jul 2003: Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 2003.

Assignments

* First Air Force, 15 Oct 1944: I Fighter Command
* Twentieth Air Force: 301st Fighter Wing, 2 Nov 1944-15 Oct 1946
* Ninth Air Force 11 Nov 1954: Attached to 479 Fighter-Day Wing, 11 Nov 1954-7 Oct 1957: Eighteenth Air Force, 1 Oct 1957: 831st Air Division, 8 Oct 1957-15 Mar 1959
* Air Force Reserve Command: Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 Oct 2003-Present

tations

* Seymour-Johnson Field, NC 15 Oct 1944
* Bluethenthal Field, NC Nov 1944-6 Apr 1945
* Ie Shima, Okinawa 19 May 1945
* Kadena Field, Okinawa 10 Nov 1945
* George AFB, California, 11 Nov 1954-15 Mar 1959
* Robins AFB, Georgia, 1 Oct 2003-.

Components

* 1st Fighter (later, 1 Fighter-Day; 1 Tactical Fighter):: 15 Oct 1944-15 Oct 1946; 11 Nov 1954-15 Mar 1959 (detached 27 Jun-c. 12 Nov 1958)
* 10th Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-
* 21st Fighter Squadron (later, 21 Fighter-Day; 21 Tactical Fighter) : 15 Oct : 1944-15 Oct 1946; 11 Nov 1954-15 Mar 1959 (detached 14-15 Mar 1959)
* 34th Fighter Squadron (later 34 Fighter-Day; 34 Tactical Fighter): 15 Oct 1944-15 Oct 1946; 11 Nov 1954-15 Mar 1959
* 339 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-
* 370 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-
* 474: Fighter-Day (later, 474 Tactical Fighter): 8 Oct 1957-15 Mar 1959 (detached 11 Nov 1958-15 Mar 1959)
* 514 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-

Flights
* 313 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-
* 415 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-
* 420 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-

Aircraft Assigned

* P-47 Thunderbolt 1944-1946
* F-86 Sabre, 1954-1956
* F-100 Super Sabre, 1955-1959

Operational History

The unit served primarily in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II as part of Twentieth Air Force. The 413th Fighter Group's aircraft flew very long range (VLR) escort missions of B-29 Superfortress bombardment groups against Japan.

Constituted as 413th Fighter Group on 5 Oct 1944 and activated on 15 Oct. Trained for very-long-range operations with P-47N Thunderbolts.

Moved to the South West Pacific Area, Apr-Jun 1945. The group was assigned to the Twentieth Air Force VII Fighter Command, 301st Fighter Wing. Was reassigned to the Eighth Air Force early in August 1945. Flew a few strafing missions from Saipan to the Truk Islands in May before beginning operations from Ie Shima in June. Engaged in dive-bombing and strafing attacks on factories, radar stations, airfields, small ships, and other targets in Japan. Made several attacks on shipping and airfields in China during July. Flew its only escort mission on 8 Aug 1945 when it covered B-29's during a raid against Yawata, Kyoto, Japan.

Served as a part of the air defense and occupation force for the Ryukyu Islands after the war. Inactivated on Okinawa on 15 Oct 1946.

Activated as part of Tactical Air Command in 1954. Trained to achieve and maintain combat readiness by participation in tactical exercises, firepower demonstrations, joint training with US Army and US Marine Corps units, and tactical evaluations. Provided augmentation of Sixteenth Air Force in Spain, through deployment of assigned squadrons on a rotational basis, 1958-1959.

References

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129
* [http://www.robins.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123090239 Robins AFB press release about 413th Flight Test Group]

External links

* [http://www.yellowairplane.com/413th/413th_PR_Cover.html 413th Fighter Group Website]