495th Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 495th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing
and stationed at RAF Lakenheath
, England.
training squadron, equipped with a variety of second-line aircraft, both single and twin engine, preparing its pilots and maintenance crews for eventual combat. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, the squadron flew antisubmarine
patrols from, March–April 1942. Resumed aircrew training, many of the group's members went on to serve in squadrons stationed in Europe and the Pacific theaters.
Eventually coming under the AAF III Fighter Command
in 1944, trained replacement pilots with P-47 Thunderbolt
s, inactivated in 1944 with the end of RTU training.
Reactivated in 1977 as a fourth tactical fighter squadron with the modern USAF 48th Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath
, England. The 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated with the 48th TFW on 1 April 1977 with a squadron tail color of green. This was 33 years to the day since the squadron’s inactivation. The 495th mission was a eplacement training unit for F-111 pilots assigned to the other three fighter squadron.
Inactivated in December 1991 with the retirement of the F-111 at Lakenheath.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. It was last assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing
48th Fighter Wing
The 48th Fighter Wing is part of the United States Air Force Third Air Force, assigned to HQ Air Command Europe, and is based at RAF Lakenheath, England. The 48 FW is the only F-15 wing based in Europe...
and stationed at RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, England.
History
Activated as a Southeastern Air District Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
training squadron, equipped with a variety of second-line aircraft, both single and twin engine, preparing its pilots and maintenance crews for eventual combat. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, the squadron flew antisubmarine
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
patrols from, March–April 1942. Resumed aircrew training, many of the group's members went on to serve in squadrons stationed in Europe and the Pacific theaters.
Eventually coming under the AAF III Fighter Command
III Fighter Command
The III Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
in 1944, trained replacement pilots with P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
s, inactivated in 1944 with the end of RTU training.
Reactivated in 1977 as a fourth tactical fighter squadron with the modern USAF 48th Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, England. The 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated with the 48th TFW on 1 April 1977 with a squadron tail color of green. This was 33 years to the day since the squadron’s inactivation. The 495th mission was a eplacement training unit for F-111 pilots assigned to the other three fighter squadron.
Inactivated in December 1991 with the retirement of the F-111 at Lakenheath.
Lineage
- Constituted 9th Reconnaissance Squadron (Light) on 20 Nov 1940.
- Activated on 15 Jan 1941
- Re-designated: 88th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 14 Aug 1941
- Re-designated: 88th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 28 Aug 1942
- Re-designated: 495th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 Aug 1943
- Disbanded on 1 Apr 1944.
- Re-designated: 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron and activated on 1 April 1977
- Re-designated: 495th Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1991
- Inactivated on 13 December 1991
Assignments
- 48th Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber) Group48th Operations GroupThe 48th Operations Group is the flying component of the 48th Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. The group is stationed at RAF Lakenheath, England.-Assigned Units:...
- Attached on 15 Jan 1941
- Assigned on 14 Aug 1941
- 407th Fighter-Bomber Group, Mar-1 Apr 1944
- 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 April 1977-13 December 1991
Stations
- Savannah Army Air Base, Georgia, 15 Jan 1941
- Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma 26 May 1941
- Savannah Army Air Base, Georgia. 7 Feb 1942
- Key FieldKey fieldA key field is a field or set of fields of a database table which together form a unique identifier for a database record . The aggregate of these fields is usually referred to simply as "the key". Key fields also define searches...
, Mississippi, 28 Jun 1942 - William Northern Field, Tennessee, 20 Aug 1943
- Galveston Army Airfield, Texas, Mar-1 Apr 1944.
- RAF LakenheathRAF LakenheathRAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, England, 1 April 1977-13 December 1991
Aircraft
- B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
, 1941 - A-20 Havoc, 1941-1943
- P-39 Aircobra, 1942-1944
- P-40 Warhawk, 1942-1944
- A-35 Vengeance, 1943
- A-24 Banshee, 1943;
- P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
, 1944 - General Dynamics F-111General Dynamics F-111The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" was a medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft that also filled the roles of strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its various versions. Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics, it first entered service in 1967 with the...
, 1977-1991