37th Flying Training Wing (World War II)

The 37th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last assigned to the Western Flying Training Command, and was disbanded on 16 June 1946 at Luke Field, Arizona.

There is no lineage between the United States Air Force 37th Training Wing, established on 22 December 1939 as the 37th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) at Albrook Army Airfield, Panama Canal Zone, and this organization.

History

The wing directed Training Command Flight Schools in Arizona. Most of the assigned schools provided phase II basic and phase II advanced flying training for Air Cadets, although the wing also commanded both contract basic (phase I) and Army schools. 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 37th Flying Training Wing on 17 December 1942

Activated on 8 January 1943

Disbanded 16 June 1946.^[2]

Assignments

AAF West Coast (later, AAF Western Flying) Training Center, 8 January 1943 – 16 June 1946^[2]

Training aircraft

The schools of the wing used a wide variety of planes to support its numerous training needs:^[1]

Primary training aircraft were the Boeing-Stearman PT-17 and Ryan PT-22. PT-13 and PT-27 aircraft were also used which were basic Stearmans with varying horsepower ratings.
The Vultee BT-13 was the basic training aircraft, along with its cousin the Vultee BT-15
The North American AT-6 was used as the single-engine advanced trainer
The Cessna AT-17 Bobcat was the standard two-engine advanced trainer, along with the Cessna UC-78 variant of the AT-17

Curtiss-Wright AT-9s were used for high performance two-engine training in perpetration for Lockheed P-38 Lightning training

Beechcraft AT-10s were used for pilots in training for two engine bombers (B-25s and B-26s)

Beechcraft AT-11s were used for pilots in training for C-47 transports

Assigned Schools

Stations

Luke Field, Arizona, 8 January 1943 – 16 June 1946.^[2]

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

^ a b c Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas OCLC 71006954, 29991467
^ a b c 35th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
^ "www.accident-report.com: Ajo Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ "www.accident-report.com: Douglas Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ a b c d e Flight Training Field Fuselage Codes of World War II
^ "www.accident-report.com: Echeverria Field". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ "www.accident-report.com: Gila Bend Gunnery Range". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ "www.accident-report.com: Luke Field". Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ "www.accident-report.com: Marana Army Air Field". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ "www.accident-report.com: Ryan Field". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ "www.accident-report.com: Thunderbird Field No. 1". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ "www.accident-report.com: Thunderbird Field No. 2". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ "www.accident-report.com: Williams Field". Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^ "www.accident-report.com: Yuma Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2014.