32nd Flying Training Wing (World War II) explained

Unit Name:32d Flying Training Wing
Dates:1942-1946
Country:United States
Branch:United States Army Air Forces
Type:Command and Control
Role:Training
Command Structure:Army Air Forces Training Command
Battles:World War II

  • World War II American Theater

The 32d 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 the Randolph Field, Texas.

There is no lineage between the United States Air Force 32d Composite Wing, established on 22 November 1940 as the 32d Pursuit Group (Fighter) at Rio Hato Army Airbase, Panama, and this organization.

History

The wing was a World War II Command and Control organization which supported Training Command Basic Flight Schools. At the schools, Phase II Basic Pilot Training taught the cadets to fly in formation, fly by instruments or by aerial navigation, fly at night, and fly for long distances. Cadets got about 70 flight hours in trainers before being promoted to Advanced Training.[1]

Lineage

Activated on 16 January 1943

Disbanded on 13 October 1946[2]

Assignments

Re-designated: Central Flying Training Command, 31 July 1943-13 October 1946.[2]

Training aircraft

The primary aircraft used was the Vultee BT-13 Valiant twin-seat, single engine trainer. Mid-1930s era North American BT-9s were flown at Randolph until 1943. The North American BT-14 and the Vultee BT-15 were also used, the BT-15 being a higher-horsepower version of the BT-13.[1]

Beginning in late 1944 the USAAF (as well as the USN) began replacing the Vultee BT-13 / BT-15 Valiant from the Basic phase of flight training with the North American AT-6 Texan[1]

Assigned Pilot Schools

Curtis Field, Brady, Texas
  • AAF Contract Pilot School (Basic)
  • Opened: May 1941, Closed: August 1945 (PT-17, PT-19, BT-13, BT-15)[3]
  • Operated by: Brady Aviation School, Dallas Aviation School and Air College; three auxiliary airfields; the school, originally for primary flight training, was used for basic training twice in its history but had reverted to primary training when it was closed.
    Coffeyville Army Airfield, Coffeyville, Kansas
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • 47th Basic Flying Training Group
  • Opened: October 1942, Closed: May 1944 (BT-13)[4]
  • Basic flying school closed May 1944; became Third Air Force photo-reconnaissance pilot training school (F-5E Mustang), Closed October 1945
    Enid Army Airfield, Enid, Oklahoma
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • 48th Basic Flying Training Group
  • Opened: December 1941, Closed: January 1945 (BT-13, BT-15)[5]
  • Basic flying school closed January 1945; became advanced twin-engine school (B-25) February 1945. Remained open as a permanent training airfield after war ended, now Vance Air Force Base
    Garden City Army Airfield, Garden City, Kansas
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • 49th Basic Flying Training Group
  • Opened: December 1942, Closed: December 1944 (BT-13)[6]
    Goodfellow Field, San Angelo, Texas
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • 53d Basic Flying Training Group
  • Opened: May 1941, Closed: December 1944 (BT-13, BT-14)[7]
  • Added advanced single-engine school (AT-6) January 1945; Remained open as a permanent training airfield after war ended, now Goodfellow Air Force Base
    Independence Army Airfield, Independence, Kansas
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • Opened: January 1942, Closed: January 1945 (BT-14, BT-15)[8]
  • Aircraft Fuselage Code: "S"[9]
    Malden Army Airfield, Malden, Missouri
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • Opened: March 1943, Closed: May 1945 (BT-13)[8]
  • Aircraft Fuselage Code: "ML";[9] Basic flying school closed January 1945; became glider training school under I Troop Carrier Command, closed September 1945.
    Majors Army Airfield, Greenville, Texas
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • 50th Basic Flying Training Group
  • Opened: August 1942, Closed: November 1944 (BT-13)[10]
  • Basic flying school closed November 1944; reassigned to II Fighter Command and became P-47 Replacement Training Unit; Airfield closed July 1945
    Perrin Field, Sherman, Texas
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • 53d Basic Flying Training Group
  • Opened: January 1942, Closed: January 1944 (BT-13)[11]
  • Aircraft Fuselage Code: "N";[9] Basic flying school closed March 1945; became advanced single-engine school (AT-6); Remained open as a permanent training airfield after war ended as Perrin Air Force Base, Closed 1971.
    Randolph Field, San Antonio, Texas
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • Airfield opened 1931 as primary Air Corps Basic Flying training school. Wartime Basic school operated BT-9 and BT-14s, closed April 1944, became Advanced school with AT-6s[12]
  • Basic aircraft Fuselage Code: "C";[9] Remained open as a permanent training airfield after war ended; now Randolph Air Force Base
    Strother Army Airfield, Winfield, Kansas
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • Opened: November 1942, Closed: May 1944 (BT-13)[13]
  • Aircraft Fuselage Code: "K" (Used as a suffix);[9] Basic flying school closed May 1944; reassigned to II Fighter Command and became P-47 Replacement Training Unit; Airfield closed August 1945
    Waco Army Airfield, Waco, Texas
  • AAF Pilot School (Basic)
  • 54th Basic Flying Training Group
  • Opened: April 1942, Closed: September 1944 (BT-13)[14]
  • Basic flying school closed September 1944; Became advanced single-engine (AT-6), also twin-engine (UC-78) school, airfield closed September 1945; later reopened 1948 as Connally Air Force Base, closed 1969

    Stations

    Temporary assignment 31 Oct 1945, became permanent station on 5 August-13 October 1946[2]

    See also

    27th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Eastern Flying Training Command

    35th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Western Flying Training Command

    31st Flying Training Wing (World War II) Primary Flight Training

    33d Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training

    33d Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Two Engine

    34th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Bombardier and Specialized Two/Four-Engine Training

    77th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Single Engine

    80th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Navigation and Glider

    Notes and References

    1. Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
    2. 32d Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
    3. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Curtis Field . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141007191752/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/curtis.html . 7 October 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
    4. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Coffeyville Army Airfield . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140311223851/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/coffeyville.html . 11 March 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
    5. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Enid Army Airfield . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140311224426/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/enid.html . 11 March 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
    6. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Garden City Army Airfield . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140311230023/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/gardencity.html . 11 March 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
    7. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Goodfellow Field . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141007152104/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/goodfellow.html . 7 October 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
    8. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Independence Army Airfield . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140311223348/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/independence.html . 11 March 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
    9. http://www.fuselagecodes.com/id1.html Flight Training Field Fuselage Codes of World War II
    10. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Majors Army Airfield . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141007072455/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/majors.html . 7 October 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
    11. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Perrin Field . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141007084653/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/perrin.html . 7 October 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
    12. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Randolph Field . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120828235747/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/randolph2.html . 28 August 2012 . dead . dmy-all .
    13. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Strother Army Airfield . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140311224643/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/strother.html . 11 March 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
    14. Web site: www.accident-report.com: Waco Army Airfield . 15 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141007075049/http://www.accident-report.com/world/namerica/slist/waco.html . 7 October 2014 . dead . dmy-all .

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