VF-52

Fighter Squadron 52 or VF-52 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. Originally established as Bombing Fighting Squadron 5 (VBF-5) on 8 May 1945, it was redesignated Fighting Squadron 6A (VF-6A) on 15 November 1946, redesignated as Fighter Squadron 52 (VF-52) on 16 August 1948 it was disestablished on 23 February 1959. It was the third US Navy squadron to be designated as VF-52.^[1]

Operational history

VF-52 TO-1s in 1948

VF-52 F9F-2 on USS Valley Forge in 1950

VF-52 F2H-3s prepare to launch from USS Ticonderoga in 1958

VF-52 was the only Navy squadron equipped with the TO-1 Shooting Star, a version of the Air Force's F-80C that was acquired to familiarise Navy pilots with jet aircraft due to delays in developing naval jets.

VF-52 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 5 (CVG-5) on board the USS Valley Forge and was deployed to the Western Pacific and Korea from 1 May to 1 December 1950. VF-52 was the first Navy jet squadron to see combat.^[2] On 18 November 1950 two VF-52 jets shot down a Korean People's Air Force MiG-15, this was the Navy's second jet vs jet kill.^[3]

VF-52 served its second Korean War deployment assigned to Air Task Group 1 (ATG-1) aboard the USS Boxer from 30 March to 28 November 1953.

VF-52 embarked on the USS Lexington for a Western Pacific deployment from 28 May to 20 December 1956.

VF-52 embarked on the USS Ticonderoga for a Western Pacific deployment from 4 October 1958 to 16 February 1959.

Home port assignments

• NAS North Island

Aircraft Assignment

• F4U-4 Corsair
• TO-1 Shooting Star
• F9F-2 Panther
• F2H-3 Banshee

Notable former members

James L. Holloway III

See also

• History of the United States Navy
• List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
• List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons

References

External links

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