47th Flying Training Wing

{{Redirect|47th Bombardment Wing|the 47th Bombardment Wing of World War II|47th Air Division}}

{{more footnotes|date=January 2013}}

{{Use American English|date=June 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name= 47th Flying Training Wing

File:Air Education and Training Command.svg

| image=T6as-47ftw.jpg

| image_size = 290

|caption=T-6 Texan IIs of the 47th Flying Training Wing

|dates=1947–1949; 1951–1962; 1972–present

|country={{USA}}

|branch={{air force|USA}}

|type=

|role= Pilot Training

|size= Wing

|command_structure= Air Education & Training Command

| current_commander = Colonel Tyler J. Ellison

| commander2 = Colonel Jesse P. Caldwell

| commander2_label = Vice Commander

| commander3 = Chief Master Sergeant Lester J. Largaespada

| commander3_label = Command Chief

|garrison= Laughlin Air Force Base

|nickname=

|patron=

|motto=

|colors=

|march=

|mascot=

|battles=

|notable_commanders= Donald G. Cook
John W. Doucette

|anniversaries=

|decorations=Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

|identification_symbol=165px

|identification_symbol_label=47th Flying Training Wing emblem (approved 2 January 1973){{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433521/47-flying-training-wing-aetc/ |last1=Bailey|first1=Carl E.|title=Factsheet 47 Flying Training Wing (AETC)|date=10 September 2008|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=13 December 2016}}

|identification_symbol_2=150px

|identification_symbol_2_label=Patch with 47th Bombardment Wing emblem (approved 26 October 1951)Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 104–106

}}

The 47th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force pilot training wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, near Del Rio, Texas. It is one of five pilot training units in the Air Force's Air Education and Training Command which conducts joint specialized undergraduate pilot training for the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and allied nation air forces utilizing the T-38C, T-6A and T-1A aircraft.

Units

Aircraft flown

  • T-41 Mescalero, 1972–1973
  • T-37 Tweet, 1972–2004
  • T-38 Talon, 1972–present
  • T-1 Jayhawk, 1993–2024{{cite news |title=Flying the Jayhawk into the sunset |url=https://www.laughlin.af.mil/News/News/Display/Article/4020588/flying-the-jayhawk-into-the-sunset/ |access-date=10 January 2025 |work=Laughlin Air Force Base |date=2 January 2025}}
  • T-6 Texan II, 2002–present
  • T-7 Red Hawk, 2030{{cite web |title=Documents :: Laughlin T-7A |url=https://laughlin.t-7anepadocuments.com/documents |website=T‑7A Recapitalization Environmental Impact Statement |access-date=10 January 2025}}

History

: See 47th Operations Group for additional history and lineage information prior to 1947

=Cold War=

=Light bombardment operations in the United States=

On 28 July 1947, the 47th Bombardment Wing was established as part of the Army Air Forces' implementation of the wing base reorganization, which combined tactical and support elements on its bases into a single wing. The wing became active on 15 August 1947 at Biggs Field, Texas, with the 47th Bombardment Group as its operational unit. On 1 February 1948 Biggs was turned over to Strategic Air Command, forcing a relocation of the wing to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana in November. In the fall of 1948 North American B-45 Tornado bombers began to be delivered to the wing, which became the first in the Air Force to fly the aircraft.Knaack, p. 72 However, the B-45As were not truly operational, because they lacked both fire control and bombing equipment.Knaack, pp. 74–75

The Air Force planned to equip five groups with the B-45, but in programming the units that would comprise its forty-eight group structure authorized in 1948, the number of light bombardment groups flying the B-45 was reduced to one. With this reduction, the Air Force decided to inactivate the 47th wing and transfer its B-45s to the 3d Bombardment Wing in Japan. However, the first B-45As delivered to the wing lacked sufficient range to ferry across the Pacific and they were too large to send on board available ships. The additional high cost of maintaining its B-45 aircraft led the Air Force to inactivate the 47th on 2 October 1949. However, the 84th and 85th squadrons of the 47th Bombardment Group kept their B-45s and moved to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia where they were attached to the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.Maurer, Combat Squadrons. pp. 291–292Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 294–295Ravenstein, pp. 191–194

File:47th Bombardment Wing - B-45 tornadoes.jpg

On 12 March 1951, the 47th wing and group were reactivated at Langley, along with a number of support organizations to join the 84th and 85th Bombardment Squadrons.Maurer, pp. 104–106{{cite book|last=Mueller|first=Robert|title=Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982|url= https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330255/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-026.pdf |year=1989|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-53-6|page=315}} The wing was assigned to Tactical Air Command (TAC).

=European operations=

File:KB-50J-sculth.jpg West Germany.]]

File:RB-45C-48-022-19thTRS-47bw.jpg

After becoming proficient in the handling and use of nuclear weapons, the wing moved to RAF Sculthorpe, United Kingdom where it began operations there on 1 June 1952. Operational squadrons of the wing included the 84th, 85th, and 86th Bombardment Squadrons.

In 1962 Project Clearwater halted large scale bomber deployments to Britain with Sculthorpe, along with RAF Fairford, RAF Chelveston, and RAF Greenham Common, being turned over to the British Air Ministry. This resulted in the 47th Bomb Wing being inactivated on 22 June 1962.

=Pilot training=

File:3646 Pilot Training Wg emblem.png

The 47th Flying Training Wing was reactivated and redesignated at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas on 1 September 1972, replacing and absorbing the resources of the 3646th Pilot Training Wing. Since its reactivation, the wing has conducted undergraduate pilot training for USAF, Air Force Reserve, and friendly foreign nation air forces. It supported Accelerated Co-Pilot Enrichment Program at numerous locations, 1976–1986. Began airlifter-tanker track pilot training in 1994.

Lineage

  • Designated as 47th Bombardment Wing, Light on 28 July 1947

: Organized on 15 August 1947

: Inactivated on 2 October 1949

  • Activated on 12 March 1951

: Redesignated 47th Bombardment Wing, Tactical on 1 October 1955

: Discontinued and inactivated on 22 June 1962

  • Redesignated 47th Flying Training Wing on 22 March 1972

: Activated on 1 September 1972

=Assignments=

=Components=

Wing

Groups

  • 47th Bombardment Group (later 47th Operations Group): 15 August 1947 – 2 October 1949; 12 March 1951 – 8 February 1955; 15 December 1991 – present
  • 4400th Combat Crew Training Group: attached 12 March 1951 – 12 February 1952

Squadrons

=Stations=

  • Biggs Field (later Biggs Air Force Base), Texas, 15 August 1947 – 19 November 1948
  • Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 19 November 1948 – 2 October 1949
  • Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 12 March 1951 – 21 May 1952
  • RAF Sculthorpe, England, 1 June 1952 – 22 June 1962
  • Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, 1 September 1972 – present

References

=Notes=

{{Reflist}}

=Bibliography=

{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}

  • Endicott, Judy G., USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Office of Air Force History
  • {{cite book|last=Knaack|first=Marcelle Size|title=Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems|volume=2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945–1973|year= 1988 |publisher= Office of Air Force History|location= Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-59-5 |page=72}}
  • {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180735/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 December 2016 |edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}
  • {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180455/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 December 2016|edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}
  • {{cite book|last=Ravenstein|first=Charles A.|title=Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977|year=1984|url=https://archive.org/details/airforcecombatwi0000rave|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-12-9|url-access=registration}}
  • {{cite book|last=Ravenstein|first=Charles A.|title=Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977|url=https://archive.org/details/airforcecombatwi0000rave|year=1984|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-12-9|url-access=registration}}