35th Flying Training Wing (World War II)

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35th Flying Training Wing
300px
Locations of airfields controlled by the 35th Flying Training Wing
Active 1942–1946
Country  United States
Branch US Army Air Corps Hap Arnold Wings.svg  United States Army Air Forces
Type Command and Control
Role Training
Part of Army Air Forces Training Command
Engagements World War II
  • World War II - American Campaign Streamer (Plain).png
    World War II American Theater

The 35th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Western Flying Training Command, and was disbanded on 16 June 1946 at the Minter Field, California.

There is no lineage between the United States Air Force 35th Fighter Wing, established on 10 August 1948 at Irumagawa Airbase, Japan, and this organization.

History

The wing was a World War II Command and Control organization which supported Western Flying Training Command Flight Schools in California. Most of the assigned schools provided phase II basic flying training for Air Cadets, although the wing also commanded both contract basic (phase I) and advanced single and two-engine Army schools. In addition, an advanced navigation school at Mather Field for Air Cadets selected at the Santa Ana Classification Center was controlled by the wing. Graduates of the advanced schools were commissioned as Second Lieutenants, received their "wings" and were reassigned to Operational or Replacement Training Units operated by one of the four numbered air fores in the zone of interior.[1]

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

Lineage

  • Established as 35th Flying Training Wing on 17 December 1942
Activated on 8 January 1943
Disbanded 16 June 1946.[2]

Assignments

  • AAF West Coast (later, AAF Western Flying) Training Center, 8 January 1943 – 16 June 1946[2]

Training aircraft

The schools of the wing used a wide variety of planes to support its numerous training needs:[1]

  • Primary training aircraft were the Boeing-Stearman PT-17 and Ryan PT-22. PT-13 and PT-27 aircraft were also used which were basic Stearmans with varying horsepower ratings.
Beginning in late 1944 the USAAF (as well as the USN) began replacing the Vultee BT-13 / BT-15 Valiant from the Basic phase of flight training with the North American AT-6 Texan[1]

Assigned Pilot Schools

Stations

  • Merced Army Airfield California, 8 January 1943
  • Minter Field, California, 11 September 1943 – 16 June 1946[2]

See also

29th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Eastern Flying Training Command
32d Flying Training Wing (World War II) Central Flying Training Command
  • Other Western Flying Training Command Flight Training Wings:
36th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Primary Flight Training
37th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Basic/Advanced Flight Training (Arizona)
38th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Bombardier and Specialized 2/4-Engine Training
81st Flying Training Wing (World War II) Classification/Preflight Unit

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.