The 426th Tactical Intelligence Group is an inactive

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

unit. It was active as the 426th Reconnaissance Group in 1943, but was disbanded before becoming fully organized. It was reconstituted as a

military intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a ...

unit in 1985, but has not been active since.

History

The 426th Reconnaissance Group was activated at

Gainesville Army Air Field Gainesville Municipal Airport is three miles west of Gainesville, in Cooke County, Texas. History The airport opened in August 1941 as Gainesville Army Airfield and was used by the United States Army Air Forces Third Air Force as a training b ...

, Texas on 1 July 1943. It was apparently never fully organized, although its 45th Reconnaissance Squadron and 47th Liaison Squadron apparently began to receive aircraft. These two squadrons were transferred out of the group on 11 August 1943,Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 158-159Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 207 and the group and its remaining components were disbanded four days later.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 302-303Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 201Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 204 The group was reconstituted in 1983 as the 426th Tactical Intelligence Group, but has not been active since then.DAF/MPM Letter 497q, 15 July 1983

Lineage

* Constituted as the 426th Reconnaissance Group on 25 June 1943 : Activated on 1 July 1943 : Disbanded on 15 August 1943 : Reconstituted on 15 July 1983 as the 426th Tactical Intelligence Group

Assignments

III Air Support Command The III Tactical Air Command was a United States Army Air Forces formation. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. It was disbanded on 24 October 1945. The command was established in 1941 as the 3rd ...

, 1 July 1943 – 15 August 1943

Components

* 44th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter), 1 July 1943 – 15 August 1943 * 45th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter), 1 July 1943 – 11 August 1943 * 46th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bomber), 1 July 1943 – 15 August 1943 * 47th Liaison Squadron, 1 July 1943 – 11 August 1943

Stations

* Gainesville Army Air Field, Texas, 1 July 1943 – 15 August 1943

Aircraft

* Stinson L-1 Vigilant * Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper *

Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper The Aeronca L-3 group of observation and liaison aircraft were used by the United States Army Air Corps in World War II. The L-3 series were adapted from Aeronca's pre-war Tandem Trainer and Chief models. Design and development In 1941, the ...

Piper L-4 The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub is Pi ...

* Stinson L-5 Sentinel *

North American O-47 The North American O-47 is an American observation fixed-wing aircraft monoplane designed in the mid-1930s and used by the United States Army Air Corps during the Second World War. It has a low-wing configuration, retractable landing gear, and a t ...

Bell P-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the ...

References

Notes

Bibliography

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External links

{{USAAF 3d Air Force World War II Military units and formations established in 1943 Reconnaissance groups of the United States Army Air Forces Military units and formations disestablished in 1943