27th Flying Training Wing (World War II)

27th Flying Training Wing
Locations of airfields controlled by the 27th Flying Training Wing
Active	1942-1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Type	Command and Control
Role	Training
Part of	Army Air Forces Training Command
Engagements	World War II World War II American Theater

The 27th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command, and was disbanded on 15 December 1945 at Randolph Field, Texas.

There is no lineage between the United States Air Force 27th Special Operations Wing, established on 28 July 1947 at Kearney Army Airfield, Nebraska and this organization.

History

The wing was a World War II Command and Control organization which supported Eastern Flying Training Command Flight Schools in the Southeastern United States. The assigned schools provided phase II basic flying training for Air Cadets Graduates of the advanced schools 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]

As training requirements changed during the war, schools were activated and inactivated or transferred to meet those requirements.^[1]

Lineage

Established as 27th Flying Training Wing on 17 December 1942

Activated on 26 December 1942

Disbanded on 16 Jun 1946^[2]

Assignments

Army Air Forces Southeast Training Center, 17 December 1942
Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command, 15 September 1943
Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command, 15 December 1945 ^[2]

Training aircraft

The schools primarily flew the Vultee BT-13 / BT-15 Valiant for basic flying instruction. In 1945, the North American AT-6 Texan was also used. Some of the schools later converted to four-engine B-24 transition and single-engine fighter transition schools

Assigned Pilot Schools

Bainbridge Army Airfield, Bainbridge, Georgia: AAF Pilot School (Basic); 15th Basic Flying Training Group; Opened: May 1941, Closed: November 1944 (BT-13, BT-15)^[3]; Later Bainbridge Air Base 1951-1961

Bush Field, Augusta, Georgia: AAF Contract Pilot School (Basic); 72d Army Air Force Flight Training Detachment (Basic); Opened: June 1941, Closed: August 1944 (BT-13, BT-15)^[4]; Operated by: Georgia Aero Tech

Cochran Army Airfield, Macon, Georgia: AAF Pilot School (Basic); 9th Basic Flying Training Group; Opened: May 1941, Closed: April 1945 (BT-13, BT-15)^[5]; Also trained RAF pilots; Began using AT-6s for basic flying, June 1944 closed July 1945

Courtland Army Airfield, Courtland, Alabama: AAF Pilot School (Basic); 13th Basic Flying Training Group; Opened: February 1943, Closed: August 1944 (BT-13, BT-15)^[6]; Became B-24 Liberator four-engine transition school, September 1944,

Greenville Army Airfield, Greenville, Mississippi: AAF Pilot School (Basic); 6th Basic Flying Training Group; Opened: December 1941, Closed: April 1945 (BT-13, BT-15)^[7]; Later Greenville Air Force Base 1950-1960

Greenwood Army Airfield, Greenwood, Mississippi: AAF Pilot School (Basic); 7th Basic Flying Training Group; Opened: January 1943, Closed: October 1944 (BT-13, BT-15)^[8]; Became advanced single-engine transition school (P-47, P-51, P-63), January 1945; Closed October 1945

Newport Army Airfield, Newport, Arkansas: AAF Pilot School (Basic); 14th Basic Flying Training Group; Opened: December 1942, Closed: June 1944 (BT-13, BT-15)^[9]; Later became Marine Corps Air Facility Newport

Shaw Field, Sumter, South Carolina: AAF Pilot School (Basic); Opened: December 1941, Closed: December 1944 (BT-13, BT-15)^[10]; Began flying AT-10 two-engine trainers, February 1944; became advanced single-engine transition school (P-47, P-51, P-63), May 1945; Remained open after the war, now USAF Shaw Air Force Base

Walnut Ridge Army Airfield, Walnut Ridge, Arkansas: AAF Pilot School (Basic); 11th Basic Flying Training Group; Opened: September 1942, Closed: September 1944 (BT-13, BT-15)^[11]; Became RFC Walnut Ridge after war ended, disposal site for surplus aircraft

Stations

Cochran Army Airfield, Georgia, 17 December 1942 – 15 December 1945
Randolph Field, Texas, 16 December 1945 – 16 June 1946^[2]

References

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

1 2 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
1 2 3 27th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
↑ www.accident-report.com: Bainbridge Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Bush Field
↑ www.accident-report.com: Cochran Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Courtland Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Greenville Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Greenwood Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Newport Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Shaw Field
↑ www.accident-report.com: Walnut Ridge Army Airfield

Army Air Forces Training Command

Flying Training

Flying Schools	Eastern Flying Training Command Central Flying Training Command Western Flying Training Command

Specialized Schools	Bombardier Contract Flying Glider Training Gunnery Navigator

Technical Training

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