79th Flying Training Wing (World War II)
| 79th Flying Training Wing | |
|---|---|
|
Locations of airfields controlled by the 79th Flying Training Wing | |
| Active | 1943-1946 |
| Country |
 United States |
| Branch |
 United States Army Air Forces |
| Type | Command and Control |
| Role | Training |
| Part of | Army Air Forces Training Command |
| Engagements |
|
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The 79th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Eastern Flying Training Command, and was disbanded on 16 June 1946 at Midland Army Airfield, Texas.
There is no lineage between the United States Air Force 79th Medical Wing, established on 13 January 1942 as the 79th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) at Dale Mabry Army Airfield, Florida, and this organization.
History
The wing was a World War II Command and Control organization which supported Training Command with both enlisted flexible gunnery schools for bomber crew defensive gunners, and pilot training fixed gunnery schools. After graduation Air Cadets were commissioned as Second Lieutenants, received their "wings" and were reassigned to Operational or Replacement Training Units operated by one of the four numbered air fores in the zone of interior.[1]
Lineage
- Established as 79th Flying Training Wing on 14 August 1943
- Activated on 25 August 1943
- Disbanded on 30 December 1945.[2]
Assignments
- Army Air Forces Central Flying Training Command, 25 August 1943
- Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command, 15 October-30 December 1945.[2]
Training aircraft
The schools of the wing used Beechcraft AT-11 and Lockheed AT-18s for airborne gunnery trainers. Trainee gunners fired at modified AT-6s and Bell RP-39Qs with non-piercing ammunition that would break apart on contact. Also, older, non-combat suitable B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses were used in the latter part of training.[1]
Fixed gunnery training at Matagorda Island used North American AT-6s to attack fixed targets on the range with machine guns and concrete practice bombs.
Assigned Schools
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Stations
- Harlingen Army Airfield, Texas, 25 August 1943
- Maxwell Field, Alabama, 15 October-30 December 1945.[2]
See also
- Other Central Flying Training Command Flight Training Wings:
- 31st Flying Training Wing (World War II) Primary Flight Training
- 32d Flying Training Wing (World War II) Basic Flight Training
- 33d Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Two Engine
- 34th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Bombardier and Specialized Two/Four-Engine Training
- 77th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Single Engine
- 78th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Classifcation/Preflight Unit
- 80th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Navigation and Glider
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 79th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
- ↑ www.accident-report.com: Harlingen Army Airfield
- ↑ www.accident-report.com: Laredo Army Airfield
- ↑ www.accident-report.com: Matagorda Peninsula Army Airfield
External links
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