86th Air Division

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=86th Air Division


caption= 86th Air Division emblem
dates= 1960-1968
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Air Defense
role=
size=
command_structure=United States Air Forces in Europe
current_commander=
garrison=Ramstein Air Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
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battle_honours=The 86th Air Division (86 AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany. It was inactivated on 14 November 1968

History

Lineage

* Established as 86 Air Division (Defense): As a redesignation of the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 18 Nov 1960. : Inactivated on 14 Nov 1968.

Assignments

* United States Air Forces in Europe: Seventeenth Air Force, 18 Nov 1960
* United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jul 1963: Seventeenth Air Force, 1 Sep 1963
* United States Air Forces in Europe, 20 May 1965- 14 Nov 1968

tations

* Ramstein Air Base, West Germany, 18 Nov 1960 - 14 Nov 1968

Major Components

* 32nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 8 Apr 1960 - 1 Nov 1968: Soesterberg AB, Netherlands
* 151st Fighter-Interceptor: 25 Nov 1961-11 Jul 1962 (F-104): Tennessee Air National Guard TDY to Ramstein AB, West Germany
* 197th Fighter-Interceptor: 25 Nov 1961-11 Jul 1962 (F-104): Arizona Air National Guard TDY to Ramstein AB, West Germany
* 431st Fighter Interceptor Squadron 1960 - 1964: Zaragosa AB, Spain
* 496th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 1960 - 1969: Hahn AB, West Germany
* 497th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 1960 - 1963: Torrejon AB, Spain
* 525th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 1960 - 1969: Bitburg AB, West Germany
* 526th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. 1960 - 1969: Ramstein AB, West Germany

Aircraft

* F-102 Delta Dagger
* F-104 Starfighter

Operational History

In January 1959 the 525th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Bitburg Air Base received its first Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, designed to upgrade the air defense capabilities of Western Europe. HQ USAFE decided to uprade the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing to Air Division status and centralize the command of all the European Air Defense squadrons in USAFE to it. With this change, the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing was redesignated the 86th Air Division (Defense) on 18 November 1960.

However at the time of their arrival in Europe, the F-102 was already being replaced by the McDonnell F-101 Voodoo and the Convair F-106 Delta Dart in the Aerospace Defense Command as an interceptor, and by much more versatile McDonnell F-4 Phantom II. In USAFE, the 497th FIS transitioned to F-4Cs in 1963 and was redesignated 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron and transferred to George AFB, California.

By 1968, the F-102s were phased out of the interceptor role in Europe, and replaced by the F-4C/E. On 14 Nov 1968 the 86th Air Division was inactivated

References

External links