33d Flying Training Wing (World War II)

33d Flying Training Wing
Locations of airfields controlled by the 33d 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 33d Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Central Flying Training Command, and was disbanded on 13 October 1946 at Randolph Field, Texas.

There is no lineage between the United States Air Force 33d Fighter Wing, established on 15 October 1947 at Roswell Army Airfield, New Mexico, and this organization.

History

The wing was a World War II Command and Control organization which supported Training Command Flight Schools in Central and Northern Texas and Oklaholma. The assigned schools provided phase III advanced two-engine flying training for Air Cadets, along with advanced B-25 Mitchell transition training for experienced pilots for reassignment to other flying units. Air Cadet 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 33d Flying Training Wing on 17 December1942

Activated on 16 January 1943

Disbanded on 13 October 1946.^[2]

Assignments

AAF Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command), 16 January 1943 – 13 October 1946 ^[2]

Training aircraft

The schools of the wing used primarily the Beechcraft AT-7 and Cessna AT-17/UC-78 as their two-engine advanced trainer.

Curtiss-Wright AT-9 high performance two-engine trainers were also used for high-performance fighter training
Beechcraft AT-10s for two-engine bomber training.
North American B-25s were used for two-engine transition training
L-2, L-3, L-4, TG-5 and TG-6s were used for glider and liaison pilot training ^[1]

Assigned Schools

Altus Army Airfield, Altus, Oklahoma: AAF Pilot School (Advanced Two-Engine); 66th Two-Engine Flying Training Group; Opened: June 1942, Closed: May 1945 (AT-9, AT-17, UC-78)^[3]; Base closed May 1945; reopened 1953, now Altus Air Force Base

Blackland Army Airfield, Waco, Texas: AAF Pilot School (Advanced 2-Engine), also transition school; 73d Two-Engine Flying Training Group; Opened: September 1942, Closed: October 1945 (AT-9, AT-10, AT-17, UC-78, B-25)^[4]; Conducted Glider Training August–October 1942; B-25 Transition school opened April 1944

Brooks Field, San Antonio, Texas: AAF Pilot School (Advanced 2-Engine); 67th Two-Engine Flying Training Group; Opened: December 1940, Closed: January 1945 (AT-6, BC-1, O-52)^[5]; World War I training airfield, two-engine school opened December 1940; also flew advanced single-engine trainers; trained observation pilots; later Brooks Air Force Base, closed 2011

Ellington Field, Houston, Texas: AAF Pilot School (Advanced 2-Engine); 68th Two-Engine Flying Training Group; Opened: January 1942, Closed: November 1945 (AT-9, AT-10, AT-17, UC-78)^[6]; World War I training airfield, re-opened October 1941, later Ellington Air Force Base, closed 1976, now Ellington Air National Guard Base (TX ANG)

Frederick Army Airfield, Frederick, Oklahoma: AAF Pilot School (Advanced 2-Engine), also transition school; 70th Two-Engine Flying Training Group; Opened: March 1943, Closed: November 1945 (AT-9, UC-78, A-26, B-25)^[7]; B-25 Transition school opened January 1945

Lubbock Army Airfield, Lubbock, Texas: AAF Pilot School (Advanced 2-Engine); 71st Two-Engine Flying Training Group; Opened: February 1942, Closed: January 1945 (AT-6, AT-9, AT-10, AT-17, UC-78)^[8]; Also Glider/Liaison pilot training (L-2, L-5, CG-40) during 1943; became Advanced, Single-Engine, Jan-Oct 1945; reopened 1949 as Reese Air Force Base, closed 1997

Pampa Army Airfield, Pampa, Texas: AAF Pilot School (Advanced 2-Engine), also transition school; 74th Two-Engine Flying Training Group; Opened: October 1942, Closed: September 1945 (AT-9, AT-10, AT-17, UC-78, B-25)^[9]; B-25 Transition school opened October 1944

Stations

Blackland Army Airfield, Texas, 16 January 1943
Waco Army Airfield, Texas, 8 Jul 1944
Randolph Field, Texas, (temporary 31 October 1945) permanent 5 August-13 October 1946 ^[2]

References

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

1 2 3 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 33d Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
↑ www.accident-report.com: Altus Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Blackland Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Brooks Field
↑ www.accident-report.com: Ellington Field
↑ www.accident-report.com: Frederick Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Lubbock Army Airfield
↑ www.accident-report.com: Pampa 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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