The 4728th Air Defense Group is a discontinued

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

organization. Its last assignment was with the New York Air Defense Sector at

Dover Air Force Base Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command (AMC), located southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware. 436th AW is the host wing and runs the busiest and largest a ...

. The

group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic ide ...

was formed to provide a single command and support organization for the two fighter interceptor squadrons of Air Defense Command (ADC), that were tenants at Dover, a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) base. It was also assigned a maintenance squadron to perform aircraft maintenance. It was discontinued after the 46th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron inactivated in 1958, leaving only a single fighter

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

at Griffiss.

History

The 4728th Air Defense Group was organized in early 1957. The

was established to provide a headquarters for Air Defense Command (ADC) Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons (FIS) stationed at

, Delaware,Cornett & Johnson, p. 89 a Military Air Transport Service base, whose 1607th Air Base Group acted as the host base organization. It was assigned the 46th FIS, flying

Lockheed F-94 Starfire The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet powered all-weather, day/night interceptor of the United States Air Force. A twin-seat craft, it was developed from the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainer in the late 1940s. It reached o ...

aircraft, armed with Mighty Mouse rockets. and the 98th FIS, flying

Northrop F-89 Scorpion The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an American all-weather, twin-engined interceptor aircraft built during the 1950s, the first jet-powered aircraft designed for that role from the outset to enter service. Though its straight wings limited its per ...

aircraft,Cornett & Johnson, p.121 armed with both Mighty Mouse rockets and

AIM-4 Falcon The Hughes AIM-4 Falcon was the first operational guided air-to-air missile of the United States Air Force. Development began in 1946; the weapon was first tested in 1949. The missile entered service with the USAF in 1956. Produced in both heat ...

s as its operational

s.Maurer, p. 204Maurer, p.327 Both aircraft had a radar officer to operate the aircraft airborne intercept

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...

. The group mission was air defense of the Middle Atlantic Area of the United States. These squadrons were already stationed at Dover and had been assigned to the New York Air Defense Sector. In August, maintenance for the two squadrons was combined in the 604th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (CAMS), which was activated at Dover.Cornett & Johnson, p.142 The 98th FIS converted to newer model F-89s, which could carry nuclear armed

AIR-2 Genie The Douglas AIR-2 Genie (previous designation MB-1) was an unguided air-to-air rocket with a 1.5 kt W25 nuclear warhead. It was deployed by the United States Air Force (USAF 1957–1985) and Canada (Royal Canadian Air Force 1965–68, Air Co ...

s, in the fall of 1957. The group was discontinued when the 46th FIS was inactivated, leaving only a single operational ADC squadron at Dover. The 604th CAMS was also inactivated, while the 98th FIS was then assigned directly to the New York Air Defense Sector.

Lineage

* Designated and organized as the 4728th Air Defense Group on 8 February 1957 : Discontinued on 1 July 1958

Assignments

* New York Air Defense Sector, 8 February 1957 – 1 July 1958

Stations

* Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, 8 February 1957 – 1 July 1958

Components

* 46th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 8 February 1957 – 1 July 1958 * 98th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 8 February 1957 – 1 July 1958 * 604th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 8 August 1957 – 1 July 1958

Aircraft

* Northrop F-89H Scorpion, 1957 * Northrop F-89J Scorpion, 1957–1958 * Lockheed F-94C Starfire, 1957–1958

References

Notes

Bibliography

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