| 419th Flight Test Squadron [1] | |
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419th Flight Training Squadron Patch |
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| Active | 3 February 1942 - 15 October 1945 1 December 1958 - 1 January 1962 10 March 1989 - Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Flight Test |
| Part of | Air Force Material Command Air Force Flight Test Center 412th Test Wing 412th Operations Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Edwards Air Force Base |
| Motto | Silent Sting |
| Decorations | DUC AFOUA |
The 419th Flight Test Squadron (419 FLTS) is part of the 412th Test Wing and is based at Edwards Air Force Base, California. It performs flight testing on B-1 Lancer, B-52 Stratofortress, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and EA-6B Prowler aircraft as well as Advanced Cruise Missiles.
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Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron in early 1942; trained under Second Air Force. Flew antisubmarine patrols off the California coast from, late May–early June 1942, then over the Mid-Atlantic coast during June–July 1942.
Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO) in August 1942, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command, one of the first B-17 heavy bomb squadrons assigned to England. Engaged in strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe attacking enemy military and industrial targets. Reassigned to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) as part of Operation Torch invasion of North Africa. Operated from desert airfields in Algeria and Tunisia during North African and Tunisian campaign. Assigned to Northwest African Strategic Air Force during Invasion of Sicily and later Italy in 1943. Allocated to Fifteenth Air Force for strategic bombing of Nazi Germany and occupied Europe. Attacked enemy targets primarily in the Balkans; Southern France; Southern Germany and Austria from southern Italy; engaged in shuttle bombing missions to airfields in the Soviet Union during the summer of 1944.
Personnel largely demobilized after German capitulation in May 1945; squadron reassigned to the United States and was programmed for conversion to B-29 Superfortess operations and deployment to Pacific Theater, plans canceled after Japanese capitulation in August 1945. Aircraft sent to storage and unit inactivated largely as a paper unit in October 1945.
The squadron was activated in 1959 as a result of Strategic Air Command phasing out the B-47 Stratojet, and additional squadrons were activated as part of the consolation of Stratojet wings, and the replacement of the B-47 by B-52 Stratofortresses. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. and the squadron was inactivated on 1 January 1962 as part of the drawdown of the USAF B-47 force, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.
Reactivated as a flight test squadron in 1989. It has tested the Advanced Cruise Missile on the B-1 Lancer, B-52 Stratofortress, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and A-6 Intruder aircraft.[1]
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This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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