337th Flight Test Squadron

337th Flight Test Squadron [1]

Lockheed F-104A-20-LO Starfighter 56-813 from the 337th FIS at Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 23 May 1958
Active 11 September 1942 - 31 March 1944
8 July 1954 - 8 July 1960
1 April 1982 - 1 July 1985
15 January 1988 -13 July 2001
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Type Flight Test
Nickname(s) Falcons
Decorations AFOUA
Insignia
Emblem of the 337th Flight Test Squadron

The 337th Flight Test Squadron (337 FLTS) was most recently part of the 46th Test Wing and based at McClellan Air Force Base, California. It performed depot acceptance testing until being inactivated with the closure of McClellan AFB on 13 July 2001.

History

Activated in 1942 at Keflavik, Iceland, equipped with P-38 Lightnings. Mission was to intercept and destroy German planes that on occasion attempted to attack Iceland or that appeared in that area on reconnaissance missions. Returned to the United States in November 1942 as a IV Fighter Command P-38 Lightning Replacement Training Unit (RTU). Trained P-38 pilots in California and Washington State until phaseout of Lightning training in March 1944.

Reactivated in 1953 as an Air Defense Command interceptor squadron. Performed air defense mission over Minneapolis and Upper Midwest United States, 1953-1955 with F-89D Scorpions. Re-assigned to air defense of Boston and New England with ith F-86D Sabre Interceptors. In 1957 began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated the Semi Automatic Ground Environment, or SAGE computer-controlled direction system for intercepts. The service of the F-86L destined to be quite brief, since by the time the last F-86L conversion was delivered, the type was already being phased out in favor of supersonic interceptors.

Received new F-104A Starfighter interceptor aircraft in early 1958, the third ADC squadron to receive the F-104. In addition, the squadron received the two-seat, dual-control, combat trainer F-104B. The performance of the F-104B was almost identical to that of the F-104A, but the lower internal fuel capacity reduced its effective range considerably. However, the F-104A was not very well suited for service as an interceptor. Its low range was a problem for North American air defense, and its lack of all-weather capability made it incapable of operating in conjunction with the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) system. Service with the ADC was consequently quite brief, and the F-104As of the 337th FIS were transferred to the Air National Guard.

With the transfer of the Starfighters, ADC shut down operations at Westover AFB and the 337th FIS was inactivated in July 1960.

Reactivated as an F-4 Phantom II Tactical Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB in 1982-1985; then as a flight test squadron at McClellan AFB. Conducted flight tests on aircraft returning to active service after depot maintenance, modification, or repair from, 1988-2001. Inactivated with closure of McClellan AFB.[1]

Lineage

337th FIS (Air Defense Command)
Activated on 11 September 1942
Redesignated: 337th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 1 July 1942
Redesignated: 337th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 5 February 1944
Disbanded on 31 March 1944
Activated on 8 July 1954
Discontinued on 8 July 1960
Activated on 1 April 1982
Inactivated on 1 July 1985
Redesignated: 337th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992
Redesignated: 337th Flight Test Squadron on 1 March 1994
Inactivated: 13 July 2001

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  1. 1 2 AFHRA 337 FLTS Page
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