493d Fighter Squadron

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493d Fighter Squadron
493d Fighter Squadron Patch
Active	15 January 1941 - 7 November 1945 10 July 1952 - 18 December 1992 1 January 1994 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter
Part of	United States Air Forces in Europe 3d Air Force 48th Fighter Wing 48th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	RAF Lakenheath
Decorations	DUC Navy MUC AFOUA Belgium Fourragère

The 493d Fighter Squadron (493 FS) is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. It is a combat-ready F-15 Eagle squadron capable of executing air superiority and air defense missions in support of United States Air Forces in Europe, United States European Command, and NATO operations. It employs air-to-air weapons and electronic identification systems. The squadron has the ability to rapidly generate, deploy, and sustain operations to execute wartime and peacetime taskings in any theater of operations in the world. ^[1]

[edit] Mission

[edit] History

Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt Serial 44-33204 of the 493d Fighter Squadron.

The 493d flew antisubmarine patrols from, March–April 1942 and conducted replacement training through 1943. It flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations from, 20 April 1944–4 May 1945. The 493d also participated in the air raid on Tripoli, Libya on 14 and 15 April 1986. It flew combat missions in Southwest Asia from, January–February 1991. ^[2]

[edit] Operations^[2]

• World War II
• Operation El Dorado Canyon
• Operation Desert Storm

[edit] Lineage^[2]

• 56th Bombardment Squadron (Light) (1940 - 1942)
• 56th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (1942 - 1943)
• 493d Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1943 - 1944)
• 493d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944 - 1952)
• 493d Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1952 - 1958)
• 493d Tactical Fighter Squadron (1958 - 1991)
• 493d Fighter Squadron (1991 - Present)

[edit] Assignments^[2]

• 48th Fighter Group (1941 - 1945)
• 48th Fighter Wing (1952 - 1992, 1994 - Present)
  • Attached: 7440th Composite Wing (September - December 1991)

[edit] Bases stationed^[2]

[edit] Aircraft Operated^[2]

Republic F-84G-1-RE Thunderjets 51-890 of the 494th Fighter Bomber Squadron and 51-830 of the 493d FBS. Note the Pierced Steel Planking being used for the parking apron as concrete pads have not yet been poured. Both aircraft were eventually sold to the Belgian Air Force as Serials FZ-175 and FZ-199. 890 was destroyed on 25 May 1955 at Sylt, West Germany.

• A-18 Shrike (1941)
• A-20 Havoc (1941 - 1942)
• A-35 Vengeance (1942 - 1943)
• P-40 Warhawk (1943)
• P-39 Airacobra (1943 - 1944)
• P-47 Thunderbolt (1944 - 1945)
• F-84 Thunderjet (1952 - 1954)
• F-86 Sabre (1953 - 1956)
• F-100 Super Sabre (1956 - 1972)
• F-4 Phantom II (1972 - 1977)
• F-111 Aardvark (1977 - 1992)
• F-15 Eagle (1994 - Present)

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

[edit] Bibliography

• 493d Fighter Squadron History
• 48th Operations Group Fact Sheet

[edit] Also See

Military of the United States Portal

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v • d • e United States Air Force in the United Kingdom Bases Active USAFE RAF Alconbury · RAF Barford St John · RAF Blenheim Crescent · RAF Croughton · RAF Fairford · RAF Feltwell · RAF Upwood · RAF Welford · RAF Lakenheath · RAF Molesworth  · RAF Mildenhall Other RAF Menwith Hill (AFISR) Inactive USAFE RAF Bentwaters · RAF Shepherds Grove · RAF Wethersfield SAC / USAFE RAF Bassingbourn  · RAF Brize Norton  · RAF Bruntingthorpe  · RAF Chelveston · RAF Greenham Common · RAF Upper Heyford  · RAF High Wycombe  · RAF Manston  · RAF Scampton  · RAF Sculthorpe  · RAF Waddington  · RAF Woodbridge  · RAF Wyton Other RAF Burtonwood (AFMC) · RAF Chicksands (USAFSS) Organizations Active United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) (48th Fighter Wing • 100th Air Refueling Wing • 501st Combat Support Wing) · HQ Air Command Europe · Third Air Force Former Sixteenth Air Force Part of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE)