445th Flight Test Squadron
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The 445th Test Squadron is a
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 ...
squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
. It is assigned to the
412th Operations Group The 412th Test Wing (412 TW) is a wing of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Overview The 412th Test Wing plans, conducts, analyzes, and reports on all flight and ground te ...
at
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 ...
, California. The 445th is part of the
Air Force Test Center The Air Force Test Center (AFTC) is a development and test organization of the United States Air Force. It conducts research, development, test, and evaluation of aerospace systems from concept to deployment. It has test flown every aircraft in ...
.


History


World War II

The
squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
's first predecessor was activated at
Orlando Army Air Base Orlando Executive Airport is a public airport three miles (6 km) east of downtown Orlando, in Orange County, Florida. It is owned and operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and serves general aviation. Overview Orlando ...
, Florida as the 445th Fighter Squadron in early 1943 as part of the
Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics The Army Air Forces Tactical Center was a major command and military training organization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It trained cadres from newly formed units in combat operations under simulated field condition ...
(AAFSAT). AAFSAT's function was to train cadres from newly formed units in combat operations under simulated field conditions as the cores around which new combat groups would be formed. The 445th trained pilots and furnished cadres to night fighter units. Later, it engaged in mock combat missions over the AAFSAT range training pilots in combat maneuvers, flying a wide variety of fighters and bombers. It remained at the AAFSAT until March 1944 when the training mission of the groups was replaced by the 903d Army Air Forces Base Unit on 1 April 1944 with Section C taking over the fighter training, and Section D, the bombardment training. It moved to
Muroc Army Air Base Muroc (also, Rogers, Rod, Yucca, and Rodriguez) is a former settlement in Kern County, California in the Mojave Desert. It was located on Rogers Dry Lake east of Edwards, at an elevation of 2283 feet (696 m). Muroc still appeared on maps as o ...
, California, where it became part of the
412th Fighter Group 41 may refer to: * 41 (number) * one of the years 41 BC, AD 41, 1941, 2041 Art and entertainment * ''41'' (film), a 2007 documentary about Nicholas O'Neill, the youngest victim of the Station nightclub fire * ''41'', a 2012 film by Glenn Triggs * ...
of
Fourth Air Force The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California. 4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Reser ...
. It was the first United States
jet fighter Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air supremacy, air superiority of the battlespace. Domination o ...
squadron to be activated, and spent most of its early existence in experimental testing of the
Bell P-59 Airacomet The Bell P-59 Airacomet was a single-seat, twin jet-engine fighter aircraft that was designed and built by Bell Aircraft during World War II, the first produced in the United States. As the British were further along in jet engine developme ...
and
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first Jet aircraft, jet fighter aircraft, fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed in 1943 and del ...
aircraft. The squadron developed training programs and trained aircrew and ground personnel as cadres for newly formed jet aircraft-equipped units. Also flight tested the captured
Mitsubishi A6M Zero The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-based aircraft, carrier-based fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 19 ...
(Zeke-52); the
Kellett XR-3 The Kellett KD-1 was a 1930s American autogyro built by the Kellett Autogiro Company. It had the distinction of being the first practical rotary-wing aircraft used by the United States Army and inaugurated the first scheduled air-mail service us ...
Autogyro, and
Sikorsky R-4 The Sikorsky R-4 is a two-seat helicopter that was designed by Igor Sikorsky with a single, three-bladed main rotor and powered by a radial engine. The R-4 was the world's first large-scale mass-produced helicopter and the first helicopter used by ...
Helicopter.Huetter & Glazer It was inactivated on 3 July 1946. its mission being assumed by the 2759th Experimental Wing.


Air Defense Command

The squadron was reactivated under
Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
(ADC) as the 445th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in March 1953 at
Geiger Field Spokane International Airport is a commercial airport located approximately west-southwest of downtown Spokane, Washington, United States. It is the primary airport serving the Inland Northwest, which consists of 30 counties and includes areas ...
, Washington. In July, the first
North American F-86D Sabre The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog",) was an American transonic jet fighter aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor ...
interceptors were assigned. The pilots and airmen were relatively inexperienced and the maintenance crew small. The high point in July 1954 was "Operation Checkpoint," a joint SAC-ADC exercise that extended for three days. With sunny days and early takeoffs, the pilots' proficiency increased rapidly and aircraft maintenance became the best in ADC.Cornett & JohnsonADCOM's Interceptor Squadrons In August 1955, ADC's Project Arrow replaced the 445th at Geiger with the
497th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 497th may refer to: *497th Air Refueling Wing, inactive United States Air Force unit * 497th Bombardment Group, inactive United States Air Force unit * 497th Bombardment Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit * 497th Combat Training Squadr ...
that moved on paper from Portland Airport, Oregon. The 445th transferred on paper to
Wurtsmith Air Force Base Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan. It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. On January 18, 1994 it was listed as a Superfund due to extensive groundwater contaminatio ...
, Michigan, performing
air defense Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
duties over the Great Lakes area and upper Midwest equipped with
Northrop F-89D Scorpion The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an American all-weather, twin-engined interceptor aircraft built during the 1950s, the first jet-powered aircraft designed for that role from the outset to enter service. Though its straight wings limited its per ...
s. The 445th FIS was upgraded to the new F-89G Scorpion in March 1956 (the first F-89G squadron in ADC), and upgraded to the F-89J in September 1957. It was re-equipped with new
McDonnell F-101B Voodoo The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo is a supersonic jet fighter which served the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Initially designed by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation as a long-range bomber escort (known as a ...
supersonic
interceptor aircraft An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are cap ...
, and the F-101F operational and conversion trainer in 1960. The two-seat trainer version was equipped with dual controls, but carried the same armament as the F-101B and were fully combat-capable. On 22 October 1962, before President
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
told Americans that missiles were in place in Cuba, the squadron dispersed one third of its force, equipped with nuclear tipped missiles to
Phelps Collins Air National Guard Base Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center is a Michigan Air National Guard training facility. It is located west-northwest of Alpena, Michigan. Overview The Alpena CRTC is a year-round training facility. It provides premier support, facilit ...
at the start of the
Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...
.''NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis'', p. 16 These planes returned to Wurtsmith after the crisis. The squadron operated the Voodoos until September 1968, when the aircraft were passed along to the
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 ...
and the squadron was inactivated as part of the general drawdown of the ADC active-duty interceptor force.


Flight testing

The 6512th Test Squadron was activated at Edwards Air Force Base, California in 1969 by
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 ...
. it managed all aircraft types not assigned to the various centers/Flight Test Squadrons. From 1989, it primarily operated test support, TPS support, and test program aircraft were not associated with CTFs.Rogers, Aircraft types flown by the 6512th/445th included: A/YA-7D, YA-7F, A-7K, NA/OA-37B, NF-4C/D/E, YF-4E, NRF-4C, F-15A/B/C/D/E, F-111A, F-111D, FB-111A (later, F-111G), UH-1N, O-2A, T-37B, T-38A, AT-38B, T-38C, and UV-18. It redesignated as the 445th Flight Test Squadron in October 1992 as part of transfer from Systems Command to
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 ...
. It retired the F-111s in 1990, and the A-7s and F-4s in 1992. The last A-37s were retired after a mishap in 1994. It transferred the UH-1Ns to other bases c. 1994–95. It absorbed F-15s from the inactivated 415th Flight Test Squadron on 1 October 1994. From that date, it primarily flew F-15A/B/C/D/E, TA-38A/C, and AT-38B. It was inactivated in late 2001 but activated again in early 2004 in a series of reorganizations at Edwards. Since 2014, efforts had been underway to consolidate the 445th Flight Test Squadron into three other combined test forces, and on 1 May 2015, base leadership and 445th FLTS personnel were on hand to finally bid farewell to the historic squadron known as "Test Operations" during an inactivation ceremony at Club Muroc. As of May 2015, the 445th FTS was merged into the
416th Flight Test Squadron The 416th Flight Test Squadron is a United States Air Force squadron. It is assigned to the 412th Operations Group, Air Force Materiel Command, stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, California. During World War II, the 416th Bombardment Squadron ...
also based at Edwards. When active, the 445th was the oldest Flight Test Squadron at the airbase. The squadron last flew the F-16C/D Fighting Falcons and
T-38C Talon The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twinjet supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first, and the most produced, supersonic trainer. The T-38 remains in service in several air forces. The United States Air Force (USAF) operates the most ...
s. The squadron was redesignated the 445th Test Squadron once again and activated at Edwards on 29 June 2022.


Lineage

445th Fighter Squadron * Constituted as the 445th Fighter Squadron (Special) on 19 February 1943 : Activated on 24 February 1943 : Redesignated 445th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (Special) on 15 March 1943 : Redesignated 445th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 11 March 1944 : Redesignated 445th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled on 18 January 1946 : Inactivated on 3 July 1946 : Redesignated 445th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 February 1953 * Activated on 20 March 1953 * Inactivated on 30 September 1968 * Consolidated with the 6512th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992 6512th Test Squadron * Designated as the 6512th Test Squadron and activated on 1 October 1969 * Consolidated with the 445th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 October 1992 * Redesignated 445th Test Squadron on 2 October 1992 * Redesignated 445th Flight Test Squadron on 1 March 1994 * Inactivated on 30 November 2001 * Activated on 11 March 2004Lineage information through July 2004 in Haulman, Fact Sheet. * Inactivated on 1 May 2015 * Redesignated 445th Test Squadron on 6 June 2022 : Activated on 29 June 2022


Assignments

*
50th Fighter Group 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typical humans have five digits on eac ...
, 24 February 1943 * Tactical Air Division, Army Air Forces Tactical Center, 10 February 1944 * 412th Fighter Group, 11 March 1944 – 3 July 1946 * 530th Air Defense Group, 20 March 1953 * 412th Fighter Group, 18 August 1955 *
Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector The Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector (SsmADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division, being stationed at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan. History SsmADS was establis ...
, 1 April 1960 *
Detroit Air Defense Sector The Detroit Air Defense Sector (DEADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command (ADC) 26th Air Division at Custer Air Force Station (AFS), Michigan. It was inactivated on 1 April ...
, 15 July 1963 *
34th Air Division The 34th Air Division (34th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command at Custer Air Force Station, Michigan. It was inactivated on 31 December 1969. History Assigned to Air Def ...
, 1 April 1966 – 30 September 1968 * 6512th Test Group (later 6510 Test Wing), 1 October 1969 *
Air Force Flight Test Center The Air Force Test Center (AFTC) is a development and test organization of the United States Air Force. It conducts research, development, test, and evaluation of aerospace systems from concept to deployment. It has test flown every aircraft in ...
, 1 January 1973 * 6510th Test Wing (later 412th Test Wing), 1 March 1978 * 412th Operations Group, 1 October 1993 – 30 November 2001 * 412th Operations Group, 11 March 2004 – 1 May 2015 * 412th Operations Group, 29 June 2022 – present


Stations

* Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, 24 February 1943 * Muroc Army Air Field, California, 11 March 1944 *
Palmdale Army Air Field : ''See: United States Air Force Plant 42 for the United States Government use of the facility'' Palmdale Regional Airport is an airport in Palmdale, California, United States. The city of Palmdale took over the airport at the end of 2013, manag ...
, California, 1 June 1944 * Bakersfield Airport, California, 11 October 1944 *
Santa Maria Army Air Field Santa Maria Public Airport (Capt. G. Allan Hancock Field) is three miles (5 km) south of Santa Maria, in northern Santa Barbara County, California, United States. History The airport was built by the United States Army during World War ...
, California, 10 July 1945 *
March Field March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Ma ...
, California, 3 December 1945 – 3 July 1946 * Geiger Field, Washington, 20 March 1953 * Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, 18 Aug 1955 – 30 Sep 1968 * Edwards Air Force Base, California, 1 Oct 1969 – 30 Nov 2001 * Edwards Air Force Base, California, 1 March 2004 – 1 May 2015 * Edwards Air Force Base, California, 29 June 2022 – present


Aircraft


Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics

*
Curtiss A-25 Shrike The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver is a dive bomber developed by Curtiss-Wright during World War II. As a carrier-based bomber with the United States Navy (USN), in Pacific theaters, it supplemented and replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless. A few surv ...
(1944–1945) *
North American A-36 Apache The North American A-36 (listed in some sources as "Apache" or "Invader", but generally called Mustang) was the ground-attack/dive bomber version of the North American P-51 Mustang, from which it could be distinguished by the presence of rectang ...
(1943–1944) *
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
(1943–1944) *
Lockheed 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 twi ...
(1943–1944) *
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 ...
(1943–1944) *
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time an ...
(1943–1944) *
Republic 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 ...
(1943–1944) *
North American P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team ...
(1943–1944) *
Bell P-63 Kingcobra The Bell P-63 Kingcobra is an American fighter aircraft that was developed by Bell Aircraft during World War II. Based on the preceding Bell P-39 Airacobra, the P-63's design incorporated suggestions from P-39 pilots and was superior to its pr ...
(1943–1944) *
Douglas A-24 Banshee The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/di ...
(1943–1944) *
Vultee BT-13 Valiant The Vultee BT-13 Valiant is an American World War II-era basic (a category between primary and advanced) trainer aircraft built by Vultee Aircraft for the United States Army Air Corps, and later US Army Air Forces. A subsequent variant of the ...
(1943–1944) *
Cessna C-78 Bobcat The Cessna AT-17 Bobcat or Cessna Crane is a twin-engine advanced trainer aircraft designed and made in the United States, and used during World War II to bridge the gap between single-engine trainers and larger multi-engine combat aircraft. The ...
(1943–1944) *
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 ...
(1943–1944) *
Piper L-4 Grasshopper 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 P ...
(1943–1944) *
Bristol Beaufighter The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter (often called the Beau) is a British multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort ...
(1943–1944) * Kellett XR-3 (1943–1944) * Sikorsky R-4 (1943–1944)


World War II Flight Testing

* Bell YP-59A Airacomet (1944–1945) * Bell P-59B Airacomet (1945) * Mitsubishi A6M Zero (1944–1945) * Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star (1945–1946)


Cold War

* North American F-86D Sabre (1953–1955) * Northrop F-89D Scorpion (1955–1956) * Northrop F-89H Scorpion (1956–1960) * McDonnell F-101B Voodoo (1960–1968)


USAF Flight Test Center

* LTV YA-7D, A-7D, VA-7F, A-7K Corsair II (1969–1992) * Cessna NA-37B, OA-37B Dragonfly (1969–1994) * McDonnell NF-4C, NF-4D, NF-4E, YF-4E, NRF-4C Phantom II (1969–1992) * General Dynamics F-111A, F-111D, F-111G, FB-111A Aardvark (1969–1990) * Bell UH-1N Huey (1969–1994) *
Cessna O-2A Skymaster The Cessna O-2 Skymaster (nicknamed "Oscar Deuce") is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster, used for forward air control (FAC) and psychological operations (PSYOPS) by the US military between 1967 and 2010. Design and developm ...
, 1969–1994 *
Cessna T-37B Tweet The Cessna T-37 Tweet (designated Model 318 by Cessna) is a small, economical twin-engined jet trainer type which flew for decades as a primary trainer for the United States Air Force (USAF) and in the air forces of several other nations. The ...
, 1969–1994 * Northrop T-38A, AT-38B, T-38C Talon, 1969–1994; 2004–2015 * De Haviland Canada UV-18 Twin Otter, 1969–1994 * McDonnal Douglas F-15A, F-15B, F-15C, F-15D Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle (1972–1989; 1994–2001) * General Dynamics F-16C, F-16D Fighting Falcon (2004–2015) *
Beechcraft C-12 Huron The Beechcraft C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, United S ...
(2004–2015) *
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker 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 transport ...
, 2004–2015


See also

*
List of United States Air Force test squadrons This is a list of United States Air Force test squadrons. It covers units considered to be part of the Air Force and serves as a break out of the comprehensive List of United States Air Force squadrons. Most units in this list are assigned to Air ...


References


Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations


Bibliography

* * (link to Amazon site) * * * McMullen, Richard F. (1964) "The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962–1964" ADC Historical Study No. 27, Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, CO (Confidential, declassified 22 March 2000) * * * * ''NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis'', Historical Reference Paper No. 8, Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1 Feb 63 (Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996) {{Aerospace Defense Command Flight test squadrons of the United States Air Force Military units and formations in California