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3225th Drone Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1953-1963 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | Drone operations |
The 3225th Drone Squadron is a discontinued United States Air Force unit. It was last active with the Air Force Missile Development Center, based at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It was discontinued on 25 October 1963.
Organized as "Detachment 1", 3201st Air Base Support Squadron, on 26 April 1950, taking over mission of 2d Guided Missiles Squadron (GMS), 550th Guided Missiles Wing. Operated QB/DB-17 Flying Fortress drone/director aircraft drones as flying targets for the early Army Nike Ajax surface-to-air missile or for the Hughes Falcon air-to-air missiles being tested at White Sands Missile Range. Also supplied aerial targets as needed by the Air Force Missile Development Center.
Upgraded to squadron level in 1953. Began operating BQM-34A Firebee Drones in 1957 to provide remote-controlled target aircraft for Center. The squadron would also support test projects and provide land recovery for target drones. A notable moment in the squadron's history is that a Douglas/Long Beach DB-17P (Formerly B-17G-90-DL) 44-83684 flew the last operational mission by a USAF Flying Fortress on 6 August 1959.
Began operating Ryan Q2-C, the improved version of the first Firebee in 1960. It had more powerful engines, could climb faster and higher. Formally transferred to the Missile Development Center in 1961, operated Firebee drones and assisted in its development. Inactivated 1963 when program consolidated with Air Defense Command at Tyndall AFB, Florida.
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma or MCAS Yuma is a United States Marine Corps air station. It is the home of multiple squadrons of AV-8B Harrier IIs and F-35B Lightning IIs of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 (MAWTS-1), Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1) and Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401), an air combat adversary squadron of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing of the Marine Corps Reserve. It is a designated Superfund site due to a number of soil and groundwater contaminants, including asbestos.
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base established in 1942 located six miles (10 km) southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, and a census-designated place in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research. It is the home of the 49th Wing of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC).
The Lockheed DC-130 was a variant of the C-130 Hercules, designed for drone control. It could carry four Ryan Firebee drones underneath its wings.
The Air Force Missile Development Center and its predecessors were Cold War units that conducted and supported numerous missile tests using facilities at Holloman Air Force Base, where the center was the host unit
The 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group and stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
A target drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle, generally remote controlled, usually used in the training of anti-aircraft crews.
The Ryan Firebee is a series of target drones developed by the Ryan Aeronautical Company beginning in 1951. It was one of the first jet-propelled drones, and remains one of the most widely used target drones ever built.
Piccadilly Lilly II was the last active B-17 Flying Fortress bomber in the United States Air Force, and retired in 1959 after nine years as a DB-17P drone director. She is currently part of Edward T. Maloney's aviation collection and is being restored to flying condition at the Planes of Fame air museum, Chino, California.
The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group is a United States Air Force unit that reports to the 53rd Wing. It is stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The unit is part of Air Combat Command.
This is a list of United States Army Air Forces B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces, including variants and other historical information. Heavy bomber training organizations primarily under II Bomber Command in the United States and non-combat units are not included.
The 4758th Defense Systems Evaluation Squadron is a discontinued United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 26th Air Division of Aerospace Defense Command at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, where it was inactivated on 31 October 1970.
The 1st Experimental Guided Missiles Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Air Proving Ground Command and stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 22 July 1949.
The 550th Guided Missiles Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Long Range Proving Ground Division at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 30 December 1950. From 1949 through 1950 it was the Air Force's only experimental missile unit.
The 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force (USAF) wing last assigned to the 12th Strategic Aerospace Division of Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Davis–Monthan AFB, Arizona. It was SAC's high altitude reconnaissance wing for its existence and was the first USAF wing to operate the Lockheed U-2. It was discontinued as part of a program to replace operational units controlled by major commands with those controlled by USAF whose lineages could be continued,
The 3205th Drone Group is a discontinued United States Air Force unit that operated obsolete aircraft during the 1950s as radio-controlled aerial targets for various tests. It was the primary post-World War II operator of surplus Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress aircraft, and also operated Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star and a few Boeing RB-47 Stratojet bombers that were converted into drone aircraft during the early years of the Cold War. It was last active with the Air Proving Ground Center, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where it was discontinued on 1 February 1961.
The 3205th Drone Squadron is a discontinued United States Air Force unit. It was last active with the Air Proving Ground Center based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where it was discontinued on 25 October 1963. The squadron operated various drones between 1950 and 1963 to provide targets to support development of weapons and for interceptor training.
The 3215th Drone Squadron is a discontinued United States Air Force unit. It was last active with the 3205th Drone Group at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, where it was discontinued on 22 December 1958.
The 3235th Drone Squadron is a discontinued United States Air Force unit. It was last active with the 3205th Drone Group, based at NAS Point Mugu, California. It was discontinued on 1 January 1957.
The 46th Test Group was a United States Air Force group active from 1992 to 2012. It was last active with 46th Test Wing, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The 46th Test Group was stationed as a tenant unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, throughout its existence. It was inactivated on July 18, 2012, being replaced by the 96th Test Group in an administrative reorganization.
The 3200th Proof Test Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last active with the Air Armament Center, based at Eglin AFB, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 July 1953.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/ .