The 1211th Test Squadron is an inactive

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

unit. It was last assigned to the 9th Weather Reconnaissance Group, stationed at

Kirtland AFB Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base. It is located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico, urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator C ...

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

. It was inactivated on 8 June 1963.

History

The squadron conducted nuclear cloud sampling during atmospheric testing. The idea of atomic cloud sampling developed from atmospheric testing during

Operation Sandstone Operation Sandstone was a series of nuclear weapon tests in 1948. It was the third series of American tests, following Trinity in 1945 and Crossroads in 1946, and preceding Ranger. Like the Crossroads tests, the Sandstone tests were carried o ...

in the spring of 1948. During the operation, an aircraft accidentally flew through an atomic cloud. An analysis of the radiation dosages received by the crewmembers was found to be minor and led to the realization that sampling could be accomplished effectively with crewed aircraft. Analyses of samples collected from atomic clouds were considered the most accurate method of determining the efficiency and yield of a nuclear device.

Air Force Special Weapons Center An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosphere ...

(AFSWC) scientists accompanied the squadron on sampling missions in order to assess effects on humans. The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) recommended that the USAF establish an organization specifically for gathering cloud samples. In 1953, HQ, USAF approved a test squadron for sampling atomic clouds; the squadron was titled the 4926th Test Squadron (Sampling) and assigned to the 4925th Test Group (Atomic). The new squadron was created within AFSWC's 4925th Test Group (Atomic), as the group, up to that time, had assisted the AEC and AFSWP in nuclear weapons effects tests and had actually developed operational techniques for airborne sampling of the effects. These included in-flight laboratories to gather airborne data on test results, piloted and drone aircraft to sample radioactive clouds, safety aircraft to measure radioactivity in areas surrounding tests, and nuclear-cloud-tracking aircraft to establish fallout patterns. Initially using the F-84G Thunderjet, The B-57B Canberra was first used during

Operation Teapot Operation Teapot was a series of 14 nuclear test explosions conducted at the Nevada Test Site in the first half of 1955. It was preceded by ''Operation Castle'', and followed by ''Operation Wigwam''. ''Wigwam'' was, administratively, a part of ...

in 1955. By 1956, the B-57B was a staple of the AFSWC sampling program. In addition to the dedicated men of the 4926th TS, many aircraft and crews were pulled from operational squadrons around the Air Force to help formulate procedures to operate successfully in a nuclear environment, if necessary. Flying the B-57, the 4926th Test Squadron (Sampling) participated in many operations, the majority at the Nevada Test Site and the remainder at Eniwetok Atoll. In April 1961, shortly after Air Research and Development Command was redesignated

Air Force Systems Command The Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. It was established in April 1951, being split off from Air Materiel Command. The mission of AFSC was Research and Development for new weapons systems. AFS ...

, the squadron was transferred to

Air Weather Service An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosphere ...

and renumbered 1211. With the end of atmospheric nuclear testing in 1963, the squadron was discontinued. Its personnel and aircraft were reassigned to the 58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.History of the 4950th Test Group (Nuclear)
/ref>

Lineage

* Designates as the 4926th Test Squadron (Sampling) and organized on 1 April 1953 : Redesignated 1211th Test Squadron (Sampling) on 16 August 1961 : Discontinued on 8 June 1963

Assignments

4925th Test Group The 4925th Test Group is a discontinued United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4901st Support Wing (Atomic), at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, where it was discontinued on 31 August 1961. Known as "The Megaton Blasters", ...

(Atomic), 1 April 1953 : Attached to 4930th Test Support Group during nuclear tests in the Pacific, 1953–1961 : Attached to 4935th Air Base Squadron during nuclear tests in Nevada, 1953–1961 * 4950th Test Group (Nuclear), 1 September 1956 * 4925th Test Group (Atomic), 1960 * 9th Weather Reconnaissance Group, 16 August 1961 – 8 June 1963

Stations

Kirtland Air Force Base Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base. It is located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico, urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator C ...

, New Mexico, 1 April 1953 – 8 June 1963 : Operated from:

Bucholz Army Airfield Bucholz Army Airfield is a United States Army airfield located on Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Its position is ideal for refueling during trans-Pacific flights, and the airport is available to civilians through Air Marshall Islands and ...

, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands (During nuclear tests) : Operated from:

Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

, Nevada (During nuclear tests)

Operations

Operation Upshot–Knothole Operation Upshot–Knothole was a series of eleven nuclear test shots conducted in 1953 at the Nevada Test Site. It followed ''Operation Ivy'' and preceded ''Operation Castle''. Over 21,000 soldiers took part in the ground exercise Desert Roc ...

, 1953 (Nevada) *

Operation Castle Operation Castle was a United States series of high-yield (high-energy) nuclear tests by Joint Task Force 7 (JTF-7) at Bikini Atoll beginning in March 1954. It followed ''Operation Upshot–Knothole'' and preceded '' Operation Teapot''. Con ...

, 1954 (Bikini Atoll) *

, 1955, (Nevada) *

Operation Wigwam Operation Wigwam involved a single test of the Mark 90 "Betty" nuclear bomb. It was conducted between ''Operation Teapot'' and '' Project 56'' on May 14, 1955, about 500 miles (800 km) southwest of San Diego, California. 6,800 personnel ...

, 1955, (Nevada) *

Operation Redwing Operation Redwing was a United States series of 17 nuclear test detonations from May to July 1956. They were conducted at Bikini and Enewetak atolls by Joint Task Force 7 (JTF7).Blumenson, Martin and Hugh D. Hexamer (1956). ''A History of ...

, 1956 (Bikini, Enewetak Atolls) *

Operation Plumbbob Operation Plumbbob was a series of nuclear tests that were conducted between May 28 and October 7, 1957, at the Nevada Test Site, following ''Project 57'', and preceding '' Project 58/58A''. Background The operation consisted of 29 explosions ...

, 1957, (Nevada) * Operation Hardtack I, 1958, (Enewetak Atoll) * Operation Hardtack II, 1958, (Nevada) * Operation Dominic I and II, 1962–1963, (Pacific) *

Operation Storax Operation Storax was a series of 47 nuclear tests conducted by the United States in 1962–1963 at the Nevada Test Site. These tests followed the ''Operation Fishbowl'' series and preceded the ''Operation Roller Coaster'' series. British test ...

, 1962–1963 (Nevada) *

Operation Sunbeam Operation Sunbeam (also known as Operation Dominic II)DOMINIC II Fact Shee ...

, 1962 (Nevada)

Aircraft

* F-84G Thunderjet, 1953–1955 * B-57B Canberra, 1955–1963 * RB-57D Canberra, 1957–1963

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Further reading * Mikesh, Robert C. Martin B-57 Canberra: The Complete Record. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1995. {{ISBN, 0-88740-661-0. Test squadrons of the United States Air Force MAJCOM squadrons of the United States Air Force