29th Test and Evaluation Squadron

29th Training Systems Squadron
Emblem of the 29th Training Systems Squadron
Active	1918-1968, 2002 - present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Engagements	World War I World War II

Emblem of the 29th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

29th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron McDonnell F-101B-110-MC Voodoo Great Falls AFB, Montana March 1964

29th FIS F-94C Scorpion 51-3584 about 1955

The 29th Training Systems Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. Its assignment is with the 53d Test Management Group, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Overview

The 29th Training Systems Squadron has personnel located at Eglin AFB and 11 geographically separated units around the nation: Barksdale, Beale, Creech, Dyess, Hill, Offutt, Robins, Tinker, Tyndall, and Whiteman AFBs as well as an operating location in Mesa, Ariz.

The squadron serves as the Combat Air Force's center of expertise for Aircrew Training Devices (ATD). Squadron personnel provide technical expertise on all aspects of ATD life-cycle management, including acquisition, modification, acceptance testing and certification testing for all A-10, B-1, B-2, B-52, E-3, E-4, E-8, EC-130, F-15C/E, F-16, F-22, F-35, HH-60, HC-130, MQ-1/9, RC-135, RQ-4 and U-2 ATDs.

Unit personnel also manage the CAF Simulator Certification Program. The squadron's efforts incorporate ATD oversight and management from concept development and preliminary design review through sustainment and program deactivation. By keeping training devices concurrent, cost effective and viable, the 29th TSS guarantees training systems meet present and future warfighters' needs while supporting evolving training demands with modern technology.

History

Evidently aerial arm of field artillery brigade firing center at Camp Knox, Ky, 1918–1919. Reactivated in 1933 as part of Caribbean Air Command, becoming part of the defense forces of the Panama Canal Zone. Goodwill flight to Guatemala, 7-12 February 1938. Equipped with a variety of second-line aircraft until World War II, upgraded to P-40 Warhawks in 1941 and P-39 Aircobras in 1942. Reassinged to the CONUS in 1944, assigned to IV Fighter Command as a replacement training unit (RTU), flying predominantly P-38 Lightnings, Testing unit for P-59A and P-80 jet aircraft, 1944-1946 before being inactivated.

Air Defense Command

Reactivated in 1953 as part of Air Defense Command as an air defense squadron, initially equipped with F-94C Starfire day interceptors, being assigned to Great Falls AFB, Montana with a mission for the air defense of the Upper Midwest region. Re-equipped in 1957 with F-89H Scorpion Interceptor and later with the F-89J.

Received the new McDonnell F-101B Voodoo supersonic interceptor, and the F-101F operational and conversion trainer in 1960. The two-seat trainer version was equipped with dual controls, but carried the same armament as the F-101B and were fully combat-capable. Inactivated in July 1968 as part of the drawdown of ADC interceptor bases, the aircraft being passed along to the Air National Guard.

Lineage

• Organized as 29th Aero Squadron on 10 October 1918

Demobilized on 12 September 1919

• Reconstituted and consolidated (1935) with 29th Pursuit Squadron which was constituted on 24 March 1923.

Activated on 1 October 1933.

Redesignated: 29th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 6 December 1939

Redesignated: 29th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942

Redesignated:

Inactivated on 25 May 1944

• Activated on 21 July 1944

Inactivated on 3 July 1946

• Redesignated 29th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 23 March 1953

Activated on 8 November 1953

Inactivated on 1 July 1968

• Redesignated 29th Training Systems Squadron and activated, 1 October 2002

Assignments

• Unknown, 1918–1919
• 16th Pursuit (later Fighter) Group, 1 October 1933
• XXVI Fighter Command, 1 November 1943
• Second Air Force, 8 April 1944-25 May 1944
• 412th Fighter Group, 21 July 1944-3 July 1946
• 29th Air Division, 8 November 1953
• Great Falls Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1960-1 July 1968
• 53d Test Management Group, 1 October 2002-present

Stations

• Camp Knox, Kentucky, 10 October 1918
• Godman Field, Kentucky, January-12 September 1919
• Albrook Field, Canal Zone, 1 October 1933
• Casa Larga Afld, Panama, 17 May 1942-25 March 1944
• Lincoln AAF, Nebraska, 8 April-25 May 1944
• Palmdale AAF, California, 21 July 1944

• Bakersfield Airport, California, 5 August 1944
• Oxnard Flight Strip, California, 9 September 1944
• Santa Maria AAF, California, l0 July 1945
• March Field, California, 6 December 1945-3 July 1946
• Great Falls AFB, Montana, 8 November 1953-1 July 1968
• Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 1 October 2002-present

Aircraft

• Curtiss JN-4 and Curtiss JN-6H, 1918-1919
• Boeing P-12, 1933-1939
• P-26 Peashooter, 1933-1939
• P-36 Hawk, 1939-1941
• P-40 Warhawk, 1941-1944
• P-39 Aircobra, 1942-1944
• A-36 Apache, 1944
• P-63 Kingcobra, 1944
• A-24 Banshee, 1944-1945

• P-38 Lightning, 1944-1945
• P-59 Airacomet 1944-1945
• P-51 Mustang, 1945-1946
• P-80 Shooting Star, 1945-1946.
• F-94C Starfire, 1953-1957
• F-89H Scorpion, 1957-1958
• F-89J Scorpion, 1958-1960
• F-101B Voodoo, 1960-1968

Heraldry

On and over a blue disc bordered golden yellow a gamecock in the position of attack (body, head, neck, wings, and feathers, brown; legs, feet, beak, and eyes, yellow; comb and wattles, red ). (Approved 15 March 1935)

See also

• List of American Aero Squadrons

References

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

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.