The 1211th Test Squadron is an inactive

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, 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 ...

unit. It was last assigned to the

9th Weather Reconnaissance Group The 9th Weather Reconnaissance Wing is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Weather Service at McClellan Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 31 August 1975. History Weather r ...

, stationed at

Kirtland AFB Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Ro ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

. It was inactivated on 8 June 1963.

History

The squadron conducted nuclear cloud sampling during atmospheric testing. The idea of atomic cloud sampling developed from atmospheric testing during

Operation Sandstone Operation Sandstone was a series of nuclear weapon tests in 1948. It was the third series of American tests, following Trinity in 1945 and Crossroads in 1946, and preceding Ranger. Like the Crossroads tests, the Sandstone tests were carried ou ...

in the spring of 1948. During the operation, an aircraft accidentally flew through an atomic cloud. An analysis of the radiation dosages received by the crewmembers was found to be minor and led to the realization that sampling could be accomplished effectively with manned aircraft. Analyses of samples collected from atomic clouds were considered the most accurate method of determining the efficiency and yield of a nuclear device.

Air Force Special Weapons Center The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

(AFSWC) scientists accompanied the squadron on sampling missions in order to assess effects on humans. The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) recommended that the USAF establish an organization specifically for gathering cloud samples. In 1953, HQ, USAF approved a test squadron for sampling atomic clouds; the squadron was titled the 4926th Test Squadron (Sampling) and assigned to the 4925th Test Group (Atomic). The new squadron was created within AFSWC's 4925th Test Group (Atomic), as the group, up to that time, had assisted the AEC and AFSWP in nuclear weapons effects tests and had actually developed operational techniques for airborne sampling of the effects. These included in-flight laboratories to gather airborne data on test results, piloted and drone aircraft to sample radioactive clouds, safety aircraft to measure radioactivity in areas surrounding tests, and nuclear-cloud-tracking aircraft to establish fallout patterns. Initially using the

F-84G Thunderjet The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thu ...

, The

B-57B Canberra The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric ...

was first used during

Operation Teapot Operation Teapot was a series of 14 nuclear test explosions conducted at the Nevada Test Site in the first half of 1955. It was preceded by ''Operation Castle'', and followed by ''Operation Wigwam''. ''Wigwam'' was, administratively, a part of ...

in 1955. By 1956, the B-57B was a staple of the AFSWC sampling program. In addition to the dedicated men of the 4926th TS, many aircraft and crews were pulled from operational squadrons around the Air Force to help formulate procedures to operate successfully in a nuclear environment, if necessary. Flying the B-57, the 4926th Test Squadron (Sampling) participated in many operations, the majority at the Nevada Test Site and the remainder at Eniwetok Atoll. In April 1961, shortly after Air Research and Development Command was redesignated Air Force Systems Command, the squadron was transferred to Air Weather Service and renumbered 1211. With the end of atmospheric nuclear testing in 1963, the squadron was discontinued. Its personnel and aircraft were reassigned to the

58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron The 58th Reconnaissance Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force squadron. Its last was assigned to the 9th Weather Reconnaissance Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, where it was inactivated in 1974. History Activated as the 40 ...

.History of the 4950th Test Group (Nuclear)
/ref>

Lineage

* Designates as the 4926th Test Squadron (Sampling) and organized on 1 April 1953 : Redesignated 1211th Test Squadron (Sampling) on 16 August 1961 : Discontinued on 8 June 1963

Assignments

* 4925th Test Group (Atomic), 1 April 1953 : Attached to 4930th Test Support Group during nuclear tests in the Pacific, 1953–1961 : Attached to 4935th Air Base Squadron during nuclear tests in Nevada, 1953–1961 * 4950th Test Group (Nuclear), 1 September 1956 * 4925th Test Group (Atomic), 1960 *

, 16 August 1961 – 8 June 1963

Stations

* Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1 April 1953 – 8 June 1963 : Operated from:

Bucholz Army Airfield Bucholz Army Airfield is a United States Army airfield located on Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Its position is ideal for refueling during trans-Pacific flights, and the airport is available to civilians through Air Marshall Islands and Un ...

, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands (During nuclear tests) : Operated from: Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nevada (During nuclear tests)

Operations

Operation Upshot–Knothole Operation Upshot–Knothole was a series of eleven nuclear test shots conducted in 1953 at the Nevada Test Site. It followed ''Operation Ivy'' and preceded ''Operation Castle''. Over 21,000 soldiers took part in the ground exercise Desert Ro ...

, 1953 (Nevada) *

Operation Castle Operation Castle was a United States series of high-yield (high-energy) nuclear tests by Joint Task Force 7 (JTF-7) at Bikini Atoll beginning in March 1954. It followed ''Operation Upshot–Knothole'' and preceded ''Operation Teapot''. Condu ...

, 1954 (Bikini Atoll) *

, 1955, (Nevada) *

Operation Wigwam Operation Wigwam involved a single test of the Mark 90 "Betty" nuclear bomb. It was conducted between '' Operation Teapot'' and '' Project 56'' on May 14, 1955, about 500 miles (800 km) southwest of San Diego, California. 6,800 personne ...

, 1955, (Nevada) *

Operation Redwing Operation Redwing was a United States series of 17 nuclear test detonations from May to July 1956. They were conducted at Bikini and Enewetak atolls by Joint Task Force 7 (JTF7).Blumenson, Martin and Hugh D. Hexamer (1956). ''A History of ...

, 1956 (Bikini, Enewetak Atolls) *

Operation Plumbbob Operation Plumbbob was a series of nuclear tests that were conducted between May 28 and October 7, 1957, at the Nevada Test Site, following '' Project 57'', and preceding '' Project 58/58A''. Background The operation consisted of 29 explosion ...

, 1957, (Nevada) *

Operation Hardtack I Operation Hardtack I was a series of 35 nuclear tests conducted by the United States from April 28 to August 18 in 1958 at the Pacific Proving Grounds. At the time of testing, the Operation Hardtack I test series included more nuclear detonation ...

, 1958, (Enewetak Atoll) *

Operation Hardtack II Operation Hardtack II was a series of 37 nuclear tests conducted by the United States in 1958 at the Nevada Test Site. These tests followed the ''Operation Argus'' series and preceded the '' Operation Nougat'' series. With test moratoriums on ...

, 1958, (Nevada) *

Operation Dominic I and II Operation Dominic was a series of 31 nuclear test explosions with a total yield conducted in 1962 by the United States in the Pacific. This test series was scheduled quickly, in order to respond in kind to the Soviet resumption of testing a ...

, 1962–1963, (Pacific) *

Operation Storax Operation Storax was a series of 47 nuclear tests conducted by the United States in 1962–1963 at the Nevada Test Site. These tests followed the ''Operation Fishbowl'' series and preceded the ''Operation Roller Coaster'' series. British test ...

, 1962–1963 (Nevada) *

Operation Sunbeam Operation Sunbeam (also known as Operation Dominic II) was a series of four nuclear tests conducted at the United States's Nevada Test Site in 1962. ''Operation Sunbeam'' tested tactical nuclear warheads; the most notable was the ''Davy Crocke ...

, 1962 (Nevada)

Aircraft

, 1953–1955 *

, 1955–1963 *

RB-57D Canberra The Martin RB-57D Canberra was a specialized high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Martin B-57 Canberra tactical bomber, a licence-built version of the English Electric Canberra. It was used by the United States Air ...

, 1957–1963

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Further reading * Mikesh, Robert C. Martin B-57 Canberra: The Complete Record. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1995. {{ISBN, 0-88740-661-0. Test squadrons of the United States Air Force MAJCOM squadrons of the United States Air Force