76th Flying Training Wing (U.S. Army Air Forces)

The 76th Flying Training Wing was a wing of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to the Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, and was stationed from 1943–46 at Smyrna Army Airfield, Tennessee.

76th Flying Training Wing
Locations of airfields controlled by the 76th Flying Training Wing
Active1943–1946
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Army Air Forces
TypeCommand and Control
RoleTraining
Part ofArmy Air Forces Training Command
EngagementsWorld War II

  • World War II American Theater

There is no lineage link between the United States Air Force 76th Maintenance Wing, established on 5 February 1942 as the 76th Observation Group at MacDill Field, Florida and the 76th FTW of the Second World War.

History

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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.[1]

As training requirements changed during the war, schools were activated and inactivated or transferred to meet those requirements.[1]

Lineage

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  • Established as 76th Flying Training Wing, on 14 August 1943
Activated on 25 August 1943
Disbanded on 16 June 1946.[2]

Assignments

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  • Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command, 25 August 1943
  • AAF Western Flying Training Command, 15 December 1945 – 16 June 1946.[2]

Training aircraft

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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

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See also

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  • Other Eastern Flying Training Command Flight Training Wings:
27th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Basic Flight Training
28th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Single Engine
29th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Primary Flight Training
30th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Two Engine
74th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Classification/Preflight/Specialized/Navigation
75th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Gunnery

References

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  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ a b Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas OCLC 71006954, 29991467
  2. ^ a b 76th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
  3. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Hendricks Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  4. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Lockbourne Army Airbase". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  5. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Smyrna Army Airfield". Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2014.