The 495th Fighter Group is an active duty fighter group in the
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 ...
. It is assigned to
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Force ...
of
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
and stationed at
Shaw Air Force Base
Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately west-northwest of downtown Sumter, South Carolina. It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is under the jurisdict ...
, South Carolina, with additional units at multiple active Air Force,
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commiss ...
and
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
installations across the United States.
The group was first activated in England during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
as the 495th Fighter Training Group and trained
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
pilots for
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...
until it was disbanded in 1945. It was activated again in 2013 as the headquarters for
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
"active associate" fighter units.
World War II
![495th Fighter Training Group - Three P-38 Lightnings in Flight](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/495th_Fighter_Training_Group_-_Three_P-38_Lightnings_in_Flight.jpg)
The 495th Fighter Training Group was established on 9 October 1943 and activated 26 October 1943 at
RAF Atcham
Royal Air Force Atcham or more simply RAF Atcham is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, on the north eastern boundary of Attingham Park.
Initially built for RAF Fighter Command, during the Secon ...
, England to provide forward training on tactics and operations for the European Theater during World War II. The group exercised command over the 551st and 552nd Fighter Training Squadrons flying the
P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
and
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive tw ...
preparing pilots for action with Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. It moved to
RAF Cheddington
Royal Air Force Cheddington or more simply RAF Cheddington (also known as RAF Marsworth) is a former Royal Air Force station located south-west of Cheddington, Buckinghamshire, England. The airfield was closed in 1952.
Origins
Cheddington wa ...
, in February 1945, and at the conclusion of hostilities was disbanded 15 April 1945.
Active associate unit
"In 2008, Air Force leadership recognized that the changing force structure demanded creative ways to generate experienced fighter pilots. The solution was to capitalize on the experience and assets of the Guard and Reserve. This Total Force Integration initiative became Active Association, whereby Regular Air Force personnel work side-by-side with host Air Reserve and Air National Guard Component units in a mutually beneficial relationship."
"The 495th Fighter Group was reactivated 8 March 2013, at Shaw Air Force Base, SC, as an active association between active-duty pilots and their guard and reserve counterparts and marked a historical moment in the Air Force's ongoing initiative to integrate active-duty Airmen, Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and Air National Guard (ANG) units to streamline training, spending and resource use. As a direct reporting unit to 9th Air Force, the 495FG is made up of more than 600 active-duty personnel across 22 ARC and ANG Fighter Wings under Air Combat Command."
"Total Force Integration is a vital enterprise aimed at maximizing the combined contributions of the Active and Reserve components, while ensuring "right-sizing" of component mix. The 495th Fighter Group will continue to lead active associate units into the future of Air Force pilot training and the partnerships will allow active-duty, Air National Guard and Air Reserve Component fighter units to share resources, reduce duplications of effort, and ultimately, increase the Air Force's overall air defense capabilities in order to enhance the ability to provide dominant combat airpower for America."
Lineage
* Established as the 495th Fighter Training Group on 9 October 1943
: Activated 26 October 1943
: Disbanded on 15 April 1945
* Reconstituted and redesignated 495th Fighter Group
: Activated on 8 March 2013
Assignments
* VIII Air Force Composite Command, 26 October 1943
*
VIII Fighter Command
The VIII Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces unit of command above the wings and below the numbered air force. Its primary mission was command of fighter operations within the Eighth Air Force. In the World War II European Thea ...
, December 1943
* VIII Air Force Composite Command, February 1944
* VIII Fighter Command, September 1944
*
1st Bombardment Division
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
(later 1st Air Division), November 1944 – 15 April 1945
*
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
, 8 March 2013 – 20 August 2020
*
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Force ...
, 20 August 2020 – present
Components
*
24th Fighter Squadron
The 24th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Combat Command unit, assigned to the 495th Fighter Group at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The squadron was activated in 2019 and flies the General Dynamics F-16 Fightin ...
, 25 October 2019 – present
::
Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (abbreviated NAS JRB Fort Worth) includes Carswell Field, a military airbase located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, Texas, Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant Coun ...
, Texas
*
53d Fighter Squadron
The 53rd Fighter Squadron (53 FS) is an active unit of the United States Air Force, stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Assigned to the 495th Fighter Group, the squadron was last activated on 10 December 2021, as an associate unit to th ...
, 10 December 2021 – present
::
Joint Base Andrews
Joint Base Andrews (JBA) is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 316th Wing, Air Force District of Washington (AFDW). The base was e ...
, Maryland
*
315th Fighter Squadron
The 315th Fighter Squadron is an active squadron of the United States Air Force. It is an active associate fighter squadron assigned to the 495th Fighter Group and integrated into the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard. It was act ...
, 10 January 2016 – present
::
Burlington Air National Guard Base
Burlington may refer to:
Places Canada Geography
* Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Burlington, Nova Scotia
* Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington"
* Burlington, Prince Edward Island
* Burlington Bay, now ...
, Vermont
*
316th Fighter Squadron
The 316th Fighter Squadron (316 FS) is an active United States Air Force unit. It was reactivated in 2015 as an Air Combat Command unit of Ninth Air Force (9 AF), flying alongside the South Carolina Air National Guard's 169th Fighter Wing at ...
, 2 October 2015 – present
::
McEntire Joint National Guard Base
McEntire Joint National Guard Base or McEntire JNGB is a military airport located in Richland County, South Carolina, United States, 10 miles (16 km) west of the town of Eastover and approximately 15 miles southeast of the city of Colum ...
, South Carolina
*
355th Fighter Squadron
The 355th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the ''Fightin' Falcons'', is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. It is an active-duty unit assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing and operates the Lockheed Martin F-35A ...
, 5 October 2015 – 25 Oct 2019
:: Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas
*
358th Fighter Squadron
The 358th Fighter Squadron is part of the 495th Fighter Group at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The squadron was reactivated there in 2015. The squadron was formerly part of the 355th Operations Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Ari ...
, 23 October 2015 – present
::
Whiteman Air Force Base
Whiteman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located just south of Knob Noster, Missouri, United States. The base is the current home of the B-2 Spirit bomber. It is named for 2nd Lt George Whiteman, who was killed during the attack ...
, Missouri
*
367th Fighter Squadron
The 367th Fighter Squadron is a "reverse" associate United States Air Force unit, stationed at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, where it operates and maintains the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons of the 482d Fighter Wing of the Air For ...
, c. 23 October 2015 – present
::
Homestead Air Reserve Base
Homestead Air Reserve Base (Homestead ARB), previously known as Homestead Air Force Base (Homestead AFB) is located in Miami–Dade County, Florida to the northeast of the city of Homestead. It is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing (482 FW) of th ...
, Florida
*
377th Fighter Squadron
The 377th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force active duty unit stationed at Montgomery Air National Guard Base, Alabama. It is an Active Associate Unit administratively assigned to the 495th Fighter Group at Shaw Air Force Base, South ...
, c. 7 November 2015 – present
::
Montgomery Air National Guard Base
Montgomery Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Alabama Air National Guard 187th Fighter Wing.
History
The base has previously been known as Gunter Army Airfield Auxiliary #6 and is still sometimes known as Dannelly Field.
The roots ...
, Alabama
*
378th Fighter Squadron
The 378th Fighter Squadron is an active duty fighter squadron in the United States Air Force whose mission is to fly, maintain and support F-15C, F-16, and F-35 aircraft. It is assigned to the 495th Fighter Group, Headquarters Fifteenth Air For ...
, 8 November 2015 – present
::
Truax Field Air National Guard Base
Truax Field Air National Guard Base , also known as Truax Field, is a military facility located at Dane County Regional Airport. It is located five miles (8 km) northeast of the center of Madison, a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United St ...
, Wisconsin
*
383d Fighter Squadron
The 383d Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit assigned to the 495th Fighter Group. It is stationed at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, where it is an active duty associate unit of the 120th Fighter Squadron. The squad ...
, 1 February 2016 - present
:: Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado
* 551st Fighter Training Squadron, 26 October 1943 – 15 April 1945
* 552d Fighter Training Squadron, 26 October 1943 – 15 April 1945
Stations
*
RAF Atcham
Royal Air Force Atcham or more simply RAF Atcham is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, on the north eastern boundary of Attingham Park.
Initially built for RAF Fighter Command, during the Secon ...
, England, 25 December 1943
*
RAF Cheddington
Royal Air Force Cheddington or more simply RAF Cheddington (also known as RAF Marsworth) is a former Royal Air Force station located south-west of Cheddington, Buckinghamshire, England. The airfield was closed in 1952.
Origins
Cheddington wa ...
, England, 15 February 1945 – 15 April 1945
*
Shaw Air Force Base
Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately west-northwest of downtown Sumter, South Carolina. It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is under the jurisdict ...
, South Carolina, 8 March 2013–present
Aircraft flown
*
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
, 2013–present
*
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republic ...
, 2013–present
References
; Notes
Bibliography
*
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Fighter groups of the United States Air Force
Fighter groups of the United States Army Air Forces
Military units and formations established in 1943