63d Fighter Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 63d Fighter Squadron


caption= 63d Fighter Squadron Patch
dates= 15 January 1941 - 18 October 1945
1 May 1946 - 8 January 1958
30 June 1975 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Fighter Training
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Education and Training Command
19th Air Force
56th Fighter Wing
56th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Luke Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Battle of Normandy
Battle of the Buldge
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 63d Fighter Squadron (63 FS) is part of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.

Mission

History

The 63d was activated on 15 January 1941, at Savannah, Georgia as the 63d Pursuit Squadron. It was originally assigned to the 56th Pursuit Group, which, like many pursuit squadrons organized in the early 1940s, initially flew Curtis P-35 and P-36 Hawks. A year later the 63d came under control of the 1st Interceptor Command and switched to the Curtiss P-40 Warhawks. A few months later it was re-designated a fighter unit and began flying the new Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. In 1943, the 63d moved to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, then to England where it became one of the most successful squadrons in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Flying escort for fighter sweeps ahead of U.S. bomber fleets, the pilots destroyed 167.5 enemy aircraft in the air and 110 on the ground. After Germany's surrender, the 63d returned to Camp Kilmer until inactivation on 18 October 1945. [http://www.luke.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5003 56 OG Fact Sheet] ]

A year later, it reopened with the 56th Fighter Group at Selfridge Field, Michigan, and briefly transitioned to the North American P-51 Mustang. In 1947, the 63d became one of the first fighter squadrons equipped with the new Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star. Three years later, North American F-86A Sabres arrived, and then in 1954, Northrop F-89 Scorpions became the 63d's newest fighters.

The squadron was again inactivated on 1 November 1957, and reactivated 30 June 1975, as the 63d Tactical Fighter Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Its mission was to train pilots and weapons systems officers for the F-4 Phantom II. The name changed slightly, but the mission stayed the same when the F-16 Fighting Falcon arrived and the 63d became a tactical fighter training squadron in 1981. On 12 March 1993, the 63d Fighter Squadron transferred to Luke Air Force Base, where it now flies the Block 42, F-16CG.

=Operations [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0063fs.html AFHRA 63 FS Page] ] =

*World War II

=Lineage=

*63d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (1940 - 1942)
*63d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) (1942)
*63d Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (1942)
*63d Fighter Squadron (1942 - 1944)
*63d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944 - 1947)
*63d Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled (1947 - 1948)
*63d Fighter Squadron, Jet (1948 - 1950)
*63d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (1950 - 1975)
*63d Tactical Fighter Squadron (1975 - 1981)
*63d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (1981 - 1991)
*63d Fighter Squadron (1991 - Present)

=Assignments=

*56th Fighter Group (1941 - 1945)
*56th Fighter-Interceptor Group (1946 - 1952)
*4708th Defense Wing (1952)
*4706th Defense Wing (1952 - 1953)
*527th Air Defense Group (1953 - 1955)
*56th Fighter Wing (1955 - 1958, 1975 - Present)

=Bases stationed=

*Savannah, Georgia (1941)
*Charlotte Army Air Base, North Carolina (1941)
*Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (1941 - 1942)
*Farmingdale, New York (1941 - 1942)
*Bridgeport, Connecticut (1942 - 1943)
*RAF Wittering, England (1943)
*RAF Horsham St Faith, England (1943)
*RAF Halesworth, England (1943 - 1944)
*RAF Boxted, England (1944 - 1945)
*RAF Little Walden, England (1945)
*Camp Kilmer, New Jersey (1945)
*Selfridge Field, Michigan (1946 - 1951)
*Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan (1951 - 1955)
*O'Hare International Airport, Illinois (1955 - 1958)
*K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan (1959 - 1971)
*MacDill Air Force Base, Florida (1975 - 1993)
*Luke Air Force Base, Arizona (1993 - Present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*P-35 (1941)
*P-36 Hawk (1941)
*P-39 Airacobra (1941 - 1942)
*P-40 Warhawk (1941 - 1942)
*P-47 Thunderbolt (1942 - 1945, 1946 - 1947)
*P-51 Mustang (1946 - 1947)
*F-80 Shooting Star (1947 - 1950)
*F-86 Sabre (1950 - 1954, 1955 - 1957)
*F-89 Scorpion (1955 - 1958)
*F-4 Phantom II (1975 - 1981)
*F-16 Fighting Falcon (1981 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0063fs.html USAF 63d Fighter Squadron History]
* [http://www.luke.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5003 56th Operations Group Fact Sheet]

ee also