Torrejon Air Base
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Torrejon Air Base was a joint base shared between the air forces of the United States and Spain. It was located 15mi/24km NE of Madrid, 5mi/8km W of Alcala de Henares, and 1mi/2km NE of Torrejon de Ardoz.
following the U.S.-Spanish Defense Agreement of 26 September 1953, construction began at Torrejon on a new 13,400-ft concrete runway to replace the existing 4,266-ft grass airstrip and on a massive concrete apron and other necessary maintenance and shelter facilities to accommodate the largest U.S. bombers.
Base support activities began under the 7600th Air Base Group in Madrid in July 1956, and the Sixteenth Air Force assumed command of Torrejon on 15 December 1956. Operational use of Torrejon began on 1 July 1957.
SAC assumed control of Torrejon, replacing the 7600th AB Gp with the 3970th Air Base Group on 1 July 1957, hosting reflex operations from 1 July 1958 to 1965.
The B-47 reflex deployments ceased on 31 March 1965 with USAFE assuming control of the base on 15 April 1966, transferring the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing from England Air Force Base Louisiana to support fighter aircraft and exercises.
The 401st TFW's operational squadrons were:
- 307th Tactical Fighter (1966 - 1971) (F-100D, F-4C Tail Code: TJ)
- 353d Tactical Fighter (1966 - 1971) (F-100D, F-4C Tail Code: TK)
- 612th Tactical Fighter (1972 - 1993) (F-4C/D/E, F-16A/B/C/D White/Black Tails)
- 613th Tactical Fighter (1966 - 1993) (F-100D, F-4C/D/E, F-16A/B/C/D Yellow/Black Tails, Tail Code: TL (1966-1972))
- 614th Tactical Fighter (1972 - 1993) (F-4C/D/E, F-16A/B/C/D Red/Black Tails)
Note: 613th TFS was transferred with 401TFW from England AFB, 612th and 614th reassigned to Phan Rang Air Base South Vietnam in 1966. They were reassigned back to the 401st TFW in 1972.
307th TFS was reassinged from Homestead AFB Florida and 353d TFS reassigned from Myrtle Beach AFB South Carolina to replace 612th and 613th TFW at Torrejon, then reassigned back to CONUS bases upon return 612th/614th squadrons from Vietnam.
In 1972 squadron tail codes were eliminated and TJ became tail code for all 401st TFW aircraft at Torrejon.
During Desert Storm, the wing was the first American fighters on station. This was due mainly because of the fact the wing deployed forward to its wartime bases. The wing was never geared to fight in place but deployed both to Aviano and Incirlik Turkey. The wing began to receive F-16s in 1983 to replace the F-4s.
SAC KC-135 continued to be stationed at Torrejon until when the 98th Strategic Wing was inactivated on 31 December 1976. Even though not assigned to the base, when a B-52 crashed off the coast of Spain in 1966 and lost its nuclear weapons, Torrejon became the focal point for the search.
The base also functioned as a major terminal for the Military Airlift Command's transatlantic flights since 1956.
The USAF portion of the base was closed in 1993 with the F-16s moving to Aviano Air Base in Italy.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Endicott, Judy G., USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Office of Air Force History
- Martin, Patrick, Tail Code: The Complete History Of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings, 1994
- Ravenstein, Charles A., Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977, Office of Air Force History, 1984
- USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to Present [1]
[edit] External links
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