337th Flight Test Squadron
Military unit From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Military unit From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 337th Flight Test Squadron 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 on 13 July 2001.
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| 337th Flight Test Squadron | |
|---|---|
 337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Lockheed F-104 Starfighter[note 1] | |
| Active | 1942–1944; 1954–1960; 1982–1985; 1988–2001 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Flight Test |
| Part of | Air Force Materiel Command |
| Nickname(s) | Falcons[1] |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations[2] |
| Decorations | AFOUA[2] |
| Insignia | |
| 337th Flight Test Squadron emblem (approved 1 July 1982)[1] | |
| Patch with 337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem (approved 9 June 1955)[3] |  |
| 337th Fighter Squadron emblem (World War II) |  |
Activated in 1942 at Keflavik, Iceland, equipped with Lockheed 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 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 Northrop F-89D Scorpions. Reassigned to air defense of Boston and New England with North American F-86D Sabres. 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 Lockheed 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 were transferred to the Air National Guard.
With the transfer of the Starfighters, ADC shut down operations at Westover Air Force Base and the 337th was inactivated in July 1960.
Reactivated as a McDonnell F-4 Phantom II tactical fighter squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in 1982–1985.
The 2874th Test Squadron was activated as a flight test squadron as part of the Sacramento Air Logistics Center at McClellan Air Force Base, California in January 1988. It conducted flight tests on aircraft returning to active service after depot maintenance, modification, or repair. In 1992, the squadron was consolidated with the 337th Tactical Fighter Squadron as the 337th Test Squadron[2] It was inactivated with the closure of McClellan.[citation needed]
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