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 ...
, was established in March 1971.
It was created as the flying unit of the Wright Air Development Center, which was created in June 1951. Wright ADC changed to Division status in December 1959 until it was replaced by the
Aeronautical Systems Division
The Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) is an inactivated Air Force product center that designed, developed and delivered weapon systems and capabilities for U.S. Air Force, other U.S. military, allied and coalition-partner warfighters. ASC managed ...
(ASD) in April 1961. The 4951st, 4952d and 4953d Test Squadrons were activated in July 1975 and based at the West Ramp (a former
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
facility) of
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County, Ohio, Greene and Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patte ...
, Ohio.
ASD is responsible for the design, development and acquisition of aeronautical systems including transports, tankers and utility aircraft, rescue helicopters, long- and short-range air-to-surface missiles, aircraft engines and electronic warfare systems. In addition, the wing supported programs conducted by other AFMC departments. The majority of AFMC's large transport aircraft were assigned to the 4950th Test Wing and were loaned to other agencies as required. The 4950th Test Wing operated a variety of testbed C-135s, many of which have featured major modifications. The wing was consolidated with the AFMC Flight Test Center's 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, CA and inactivated in 1994.
Major Command (MAJCOM)
*
Air Force Systems Command
The Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. It was established in April 1951, being split off from Air Materiel Command. The mission of AFSC was Research and Development for new weapons systems.
Ove ...
(AFSC) (????-1 June 1991)
*
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF). AFMC was created on July 1, 1992, through the amalgamation of the former Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) and the former Air Force Systems Com ...
(AFMC) (1991–1994) – New MAJCOM created by the consolidation of Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) and Air Force Systems Command (AFSC). Command Headquarters is located in Area "A" of
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County, Ohio, Greene and Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patte ...
.
Subordinate units
*4950th Avionics Maintenance Squadron (July 1975 – March 1992): The 4950th Avionics Maintenance Squadron (AMS) was located in Building 4042, of
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County, Ohio, Greene and Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patte ...
. Personnel assigned to the squadron were responsible for the maintenance of the Prime Mission Electronic Equipment ( PMEE) systems aboard the
U.S. 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 ...
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is E ...
, in the 1990s.
*4950th Field Maintenance Squadron (1975–1990): The 4950th Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS) was located in Building 13 of
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County, Ohio, Greene and Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patte ...
. Personnel assigned to the squadron were responsible for the shop and flightline level maintenance of specific aircraft systems. This included Engine Shop, Hydraulic Shop, Electric Shop, Sheet Metal Shop, Machine Shop and APU Shop. Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) and Engine Flightline Dispatch Shop were located on the West Ramp and the Engine Test Cell was located across from Building 13 in Area "C". The 4950th FMS was absorbed into the 4950th Organizational Maintenance Squadron in 1990 when the Wing reorganized its maintenance units under "Rivet Workforce".
*The 4950th Organizational Maintenance Squadron was located in building 4022, also known as "Dock 2". Personnel assigned to the squadron were responsible for flight line maintenance including ground handling, refueling/defueling, launch and recovery, on-equipment maintenance, and inspections such as pre/post-flight and thru-flight inspections. The OMS consisted of large aircraft, small-aircraft, inspection, and support branches. OMS owned and operated buildings 4022 (command section, maintenance supervision, inspection branch, TO library, tool crib), 4026 (Aero-Repair hangar), 4024 (wash rack) and 4028 ("Dock 1" and the large aircraft branch).
Section updated by Major Tony Sylvain, Maj, USAF (Ret), 4950th OMS, 11 Jun 84 to 21 Jan 92.
* 4951st Test Squadron (July 1975–????)
* 4952d Test Squadron (July 1975 – 1994)
* 4953d Test Squadron (July 1975 – 1994)
Locations
*
Wright-Patterson AFB
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wri ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
(March 1971 – June 1994)
Aircraft flown
*Boeing
C-18 C18 may refer to:
Science and technology
* Caldwell 18 (NGC 185), a dwarf spheroidal galaxy of the Local Group in the constellation Cassiopeia
* Carbon-18 (C-18 or 18C), an isotope of carbon
* , the molecular formula of cyclo(18)carbon
* C18, an o ...
A (81-0896, 81-0898)
*Boeing E C-18B/D (81-0891, 81-0892, 81-0893, 81-0894, 81-0895)
*Boeing N
C-135
The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter is a transport aircraft derived from the prototype Boeing 367-80 jet airliner (also the basis for the 707) in the early 1950s. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the i ...
A (60-0377)
*Boeing N
C-135
The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter is a transport aircraft derived from the prototype Boeing 367-80 jet airliner (also the basis for the 707) in the early 1950s. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the i ...
B (61-2662)
*Boeing N
KC-135
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...
A (55-3119, 55-3120, 55-3122, 55-3123, 55-3124, 55-3125, 55-3127, 55-3128, 55-3129, 55-3132, 55-3131)
*Boeing N
KC-135
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...
E (55-3135)
*Boeing EC-135E (60-0372, 60-0374, 60-0375, 61-0326, 61-0327, 61-0328, 61-0329, 61-0330, 62-4133, 62-4128)
*Lockheed N
C-141
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter is a retired military strategic airlifter that served with the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), its successor organization the Military Airlift Command (MAC), and finally the Air Mobility Command (AMC) of the ...
A 61-2775, 61-2776, 61-2777, 61-2779
Aircraft 61-2775, 776, and 777 were pre-production prototypes. These aircraft had multiple subtle differences evolved during design, most notable was the main crew door, which was hinged on the top and opened outward from the bottom. These aircraft were never fitted with air refueling capability and were never converted to C-141Bs. Aircraft specifics:
*61-2775 was the first C-141 to enter service. She was named "First of the Fleet"; now on static display at the Air Mobility Command Museum at
Dover AFB, DE
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command (AMC), located southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware. 436th AW is the host wing and runs the busiest and largest air ...
.
*61-2776 was named the "Desert Rat" by her Crew Chiefs, TSgt Patrick Goss and SrA Derek Whisler for her participation in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. She was mainly configured for Central Inertial Guidance Test Facility (CIGTF) missions and regularly performed cargo operations and unique missions such as "ARIA Rescue". She was retired to the bone yard at Davis–Monthan AFB, AZ and "guillotined".
*61-2777 was named "The Gambler" by her Crew Chief, WG-13 Sam Brasel. She had a large 'tail can or beer can' appendage added to support tests of various tail-warning detector sensor systems, as well as a side-mounted radome 'bubble' for testing side-looking radars. She was also retired to the bone yard at Davis–Monthan AFB, AZ and "guillotined".
*61-2779 was the second aircraft of the production fleet (61-2778 was first; which was stretched to a "B" model). Named "Against the Wind" by her Crew Chief, WG-13 Paul Laemers (an avid Bob Seger fan from Detroit). 779 was heavily modified to become the Advanced Radar Test Bed (ARTB). Structural modifications included a 'universal nose' which could be interchanged with B-1, F-15, and F-16 nose radomes and radar system housings to support in-flight instrumented radar testing. Racks of interface electronics, computers, data recorders, and operator stations filled the cargo compartment. 61-2779 had the roll up crew entry door that was common to the C-141 fleet. After her retirement, 61-2779 was put on static display at Edwards AFB, CA.
*Lockheed
C-130
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desig ...
A (55-0022, 55-0024, 57-0461 & 57-0571)
*North American/Rockwell/Sabreliner C
T-39
The North American Sabreliner, later sold as the Rockwell Sabreliner, is an American mid-sized business jet developed by North American Aviation. It was offered to the United States Air Force (USAF) in response to its Utility Trainer Experimen ...
A (62-4463)
*North American/Rockwell/Sabreliner N
T-39
The North American Sabreliner, later sold as the Rockwell Sabreliner, is an American mid-sized business jet developed by North American Aviation. It was offered to the United States Air Force (USAF) in response to its Utility Trainer Experimen ...
A (59-2870, 59-2873)
*North American/Rockwell/Sabreliner
T-39
The North American Sabreliner, later sold as the Rockwell Sabreliner, is an American mid-sized business jet developed by North American Aviation. It was offered to the United States Air Force (USAF) in response to its Utility Trainer Experimen ...
B (59-2874, 60-3474, 60-3475, 60-3476, 60-3477)
*Cessna T-37B (60-0141)
Section updated by Sgt Rob Schultz (FMS Engine Shop/4953rd AMU, 1986–1992), 26 April 2011