The 76th Flying Training Wing was a wing of the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

. It was assigned to the

Army Air Forces Flying Training Command An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

, and was stationed from 1943–46 at

Smyrna Army Airfield Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to pro ...

, Tennessee. There is no lineage link between the United States Air Force

76th Maintenance Wing The 76th Maintenance Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Subordinate Organizations *76th Aircraft Maintenance Group (76 AMXG) *76th Propulsion Maintenance Group (76 PMXG) *76th Commodities ...

, established on 5 February 1942 as the 76th Observation Group at

MacDill Field MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida. The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assi ...

, Florida and the 76th FTW of the Second World War.

History

The wing was a heavy bomber training wing of Eastern Flying Training Command. Its schools provided four-engine heavy bomber transition training for experienced pilots who were moving from single and two-engine aircraft to the B-17 or B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. Also after 1944, most pilots were learning on B-17/B-24s for eventual transition to B-29 Superfortress training under Second Air Force. As training requirements changed during the war, schools were activated and inactivated or transferred to meet those requirements.Manning, Thomas A. (2005), ''History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002''. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas

Lineage

* Established as 76th Flying Training Wing, on 14 August 1943 : Activated on 25 August 1943 : Disbanded on 16 June 1946.76th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

Assignments

* Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command, 25 August 1943 * AAF Western Flying Training Command, 15 December 1945 – 16 June 1946.

Training aircraft

The schools of the wing flew primarily B-17D/E/F Flying Fortresses. Some B-17Gs were flown after June 1944 when Second Air Force B-17 training ended. Some B-24D Liberators were also used

Assigned pilot schools

;

Hendricks Army Airfield Hendricks Army Airfield was a World War II United States Army Air Forces base located 6.6 miles east-southeast of Sebring, Florida. History Hendricks Army Airfield is a former United States Army Air Forces base. It was used during World War II ...

, Sebring, Florida : AAF Pilot School (Specialized, 4-Engine) : 43d Pilot Transition Training (4-Engine) : Opened: February 1942, Closed: December 1945 (B-17) : Transition training for experienced single or two-engine pilots; primarily used for training B-29 Superfortress pilots after mid-1944 ;

Lockbourne Army Airbase Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation located near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker. It is the home of t ...

, Columbus, Ohio : AAF Pilot School (Specialized, 4-Engine) : 44th Pilot Transition Training (4-Engine) : Opened: January 1943, Closed: February 1945 (B-17) : Transition training for experienced single or two-engine pilots; WASP 4-engine school; primarily used for training B-29 Superfortress pilots after mid-1944; Later USAF Lockborune/Rickenbacker AFB, Now OH Air National Guard ;

, Smyrna, Tennessee : AAF Pilot School (Specialized, 4-Engine) : 46th Pilot Transition Training (4-Engine) : Opened: January 1942, Closed: October 1945 (B-17, B-24) : Transition training for experienced single or two-engine pilots; primarily used for training B-29 Superfortress pilots after mid-1944; later USAF Smyrna/Stewart Air Force Base, closed 1971

References