10th Flight Test Squadron

10th Flight Test Squadron [1]
10th Flight Training Squadron Patch
Active	15 January 1941 - 7 November 1945 28 January 1950 - 27 April 1951 1 January 1953 - 30 September 1991 1 March 1994 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Flight Test
Part of	Air Force Material Command Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center
Garrison/HQ	Tinker Air Force Base
Decorations	DUC AFOUA

F-16s of the 10th FS, Hahn Air Base, West Germany

10th TFS McDonnell F-4D Phantoms, AF Ser. No. 65-0780 and 65-0781 landing, circa 1970. Note the irregular tail markings

The 10th Flight Test Squadron (10 FLTS) is part of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It performs acceptance testing on refurbished B-1 Lancer, B-52 Stratofortress, E-3 Sentry, and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft before they are returned to their units.

History

Established under the Northeast Air District (later First Air Force) as a pursuit squadron, initially equipped with second-line aircraft. Transferred to Southeast Air District (later Third Air Force) in late 1941, re-equipped with P-40 Warhawks. Trained in the southeast, being reassigned to Air University in 1943 becoming a training squadron at the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics in Florida.

Re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs and trained as an operational squadron, being deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to IX Fighter Command in England in May 1944. Re-equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts, the squadron supported Allied ground forces in France after D-Day, attacking enemy strong points, troop concentrations, armor formations, bridges and other targets. Moved to Normandy and operated from several forward bases in Northeast France during the summer of 1944 as Allied ground forces moved eastwards towards Germany. Supported the Fifth Army movement from Southern France though the Lyon Valley, then into Occupied Germany as part of the Western Allied invasion in the spring of 1945. Remained in Germany as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe occupation forces, demobilizing over the summer. Inactivated in Colorado, November 1945.

Reactivated by Tactical Air Command in 1950 and assigned to several commands, including Air Defense Command but never activated or equipped. Reassigned to Clovis AFB, New Mexico and equipped with F-86H Sabres in 1953, deployed to West Germany and assigned to Hahn Air Base as a NATO tactical fighter squadron. Moved briefly to France in 1956, returning to West Germany in 1959 and flew defensive missions in Europe as part of the NATO forces until the closure of Hahn Air Base in 1991. Was deployed to Southwest Asia, Jan-Feb 1991, engaged in combat during Operation Desert Storm then inactivated after the March 1991 cease fire.

Reactivated at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma in 1994 as a testing and checkout squadron for supported aircraft after depot-level maintenance prior to the aircraft being returned to active service.^[1]

Lineage

• Constituted 10th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940

Activated on 15 Jan 1941

Re-designated: 10th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942

Re-designated: 10th Fighter Squadron (Special) on 28 May 1942

Re-designated: 10th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine) on 21 Jan 1944

Re-designated: 10th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 28 Feb 1944

Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945

• Re-designated 10th Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 16 Dec 1949

Activated in the Reserve on 28 Jan 1950

Re-designated: 10th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 16 Mar 1950

Re-designated: 10th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 23 Jan 1951

Ordered to active service on 14 Apr 1951

Inactivated on 27 Apr 1951

• Activated on 1 Jan 1953

Re-designated 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 Jul 1958

Inactivated on 30 Sep 1991

• Re-designated 10th Flight Test Squadron on 1 Mar 1994

Activated on 18 Mar 1994.

^[1]

Assignments

• 50th Pursuit (later, 50th Fighter) Group, 15 Jan 1941-7 Nov 1945
• Ninth Air Force, 28 Jan 1950
• First Air Force, 1 Aug 1950
• Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 Sep 1950
• Tactical Air Command, 11 Sep-27 Apr 1951

Attached to: 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 11 Sep-18 Oct 1950

Attached to: 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 19-30 Nov 1950

Attached to: 136th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 Dec 1950-Unknown

• 50th Fighter-Bomber Group, 1 Jan 1953
• 50th Fighter-Bomber (later, 50th Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Dec 1957-30 Sep 1991

Attached to 363d Tactical Fighter Wing Provisional, 28 Dec 1990-10 May 1991

• Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, 18 Mar 1994–Present

^[1]

Stations

^[1]

Aircraft

^[1]

Operations

• World War II
• Operation Desert Storm

^[1]

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• USAF 10th Flight Test Squadron History

External links

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