The 34th Operations Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was first activated as the 34th Flying Training Wing and supervised training of bombardiers and pilots for multiengine aircraftuntil it was disbanded on 16 June 1946 at Midland Army Air Field, Texas. The wing was reactivated in 1978 as the 34th Tactical Airlift Training Group and conducted various courses for crews of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules until inactivating in December 1961. It was activated a third time in 1994 as the 34th Operations Group and conducted airmanship training at the United States Air Force Academy.
| 34th Operations Group | |
|---|---|
_-_Map.png) Locations of airfields controlled by the 34th Flying Training Wing | |
| Active | 1942–1946; 1978–1991; 1994–2004 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army  United States Air Force |
| Role | Training |
History
editThe wing supervised Training Command Flight Schools in Central and Northern Texas and Oklahoma. The assigned schools provided specialized training for bombardiers, and the wing was the home of the "West Texas Bombardier Quadrangle" schools (Childress, Midland, San Angelo, and Big Spring Army Airfields).[1]
The wing also provided specialized schools for training on the two-engine Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber (Dodge City, Laughlin Army Airfields), and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator four-engine heavy bomber (Fort Worth, Liberal Army Airfields). After graduation Air Cadets 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, inactivated, or transferred to meet them.[1]
When the United States Air Force became a separate service in September 1947, former Air Corps units that had been disbanded, including this wing, were transferred to it.
The wing was reconstituted in 1978 as the 34th Tactical Airlift Training Group at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas and supervised training courses for the Lockheed C-130 Hercules until inactivating in 1991 with the implementation of the Objective Wing organization by its parent 314th Tactical Airlift Wing.
The group was again activated as the 34th Operations Group and supervised airmanship training for the 34th Training Wing at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado until inactivating in 2004 and transferring its mission to the 306th Flying Training Group
Lineage
edit- Established as the 34th Flying Training Wing (Bombardier, Specialized) on 17 December 1942
- Activated on 8 January 1943
- Disbanded on 16 June 1946[2]
- Reconstituted 1978 as 34th Tactical Airlift Training Group
- Activated on 15 September 1978
- Inactivated on 1 December 1991
- Redesignated 34th Operations Group in 1994
- Activated on 1 October 1994
- Inactivated on 4 October 2004
Assignments
edit- AAF Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command), 8 January 1943 – 16 June 1946 [2]
- 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, 15 September 1978 – 1 December 1991[3]
- 34th Training Wing, 1 October 1994 – 4 October 2004[4]
Stations
edit- San Angelo Army Air Field, Texas, 8 January 1943
- Midland Army Air Field, Texas, 25 May 1945 – 16 June 1946[2]
- Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, 15 September 1978 – 1 December 1991
- United States Air Force Academy, Colorado, 1 October 1994 – 4 October 2004
Training aircraft
editThe schools of the wing used primarily the Beechcraft AT-11 for bombardier training.
- Two-Engine training was performed on the Martin B-26 Marauder
- Four-Engine training was performed on the Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Assigned Schools
edit
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See also
edit- Army Air Forces Training Command
- Other Central Flying Training Command Flight Training Wings:
- 31st Flying Training Wing (World War II) Primary Flight Training
- 32d Flying Training Wing (World War II) Basic Flight Training
- 33d Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Two Engine
- 77th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Single Engine
- 78th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Classification/Preflight Unit
- 80th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Navigation and Glider
References
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c Manning, et al.[page needed]
- ^ a b c 34th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
- ^ Haulman, Daniel L. (22 June 2017). "Factsheet 314 Airlift Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ^ Warnock, A. Timothy (28 November 2007). "Factsheet 34 Training Wing (USAFA)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- ^ "www.accident-report.com: Big Spring Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "www.accident-report.com: Childress Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "www.accident-report.com: Dodge City Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "www.accident-report.com: Fort Worth Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "www.accident-report.com: Laughlin Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "www.accident-report.com: Liberal Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "www.accident-report.com: Midland Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "www.accident-report.com: San Angelo Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
Bibliography
edit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Manning, Thomas A.; Aschcroft, Bruce A.; Emmons, Richard H.; Hussey, Ann K.; Mason, Joseph L. (2005). History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Randolph AFB, Texas: Office of History and Research, Headquarters, Air Education and Training Command. ISBN 978-1376984057. Retrieved 27 June 2019.