415th Flight Test Flight

The 415th Flight Test Flight (415 FLTF) is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron. It is assigned to the 413th Flight Test Group, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Randolph Field, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.

Overview
The unit provides flight testing for T-38 Talon jet trainers carried out at Randolph Field. The unit performs functional check flights, making sure the aircraft are ready to fly after undergoing modifications and repairs.

The 571st AMXS, a unit of the 309th Maintenance Wing at Hill AFB, Utah, performs T-38 overhauls at Randolph, where the 571st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Operating Location A handles depot maintenance of all T-38s in the Air Force, as well as some Navy T-38s.

The 415th FLTF is a small unit, consisting of two full-time test pilots, a command support staff NCO in charge and a cadre of other senior NCOs who specialize in aviation resource management and aircrew flight equipment. Every plane - except for those with minor modifications - requires a functional check flight before it's delivered to the field... each FCF lasts about an hour; the unit shuts down the engine and test all the controls. It takes an un-airworthy aircraft and certify it for flight.

World War II
Established as a B-24 Liberator reconnaissance squadron in early 1942. Engaged initially in antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; redesignated as a heavy bomb squadron and trained by Third Air Force. Deployed to Egypt in June 1942 over South Atlantic Transport Route transiting from Morrision Field, Florida though the Caribbean to Brazil; performed trans-Atlantic crossing from Brazil to Liberia, then transited east across central Africa to Sudan. Lastly the group reformed with the ground echelon which traveled by ship around the Cape of Good Hope, joining with air echelon in British Palestine.

Assigned to the newly formed IX Bomber Command, the squadron operated from airfields in Egypt; Libya and Tunisia supporting the British Eighth Army in the Western Desert Campaign. Also staged long-range strategic bombardment of enemy military and industrial targets in Sicily; Italy and the Southern Balkans, including attacking the Nazi-Controlled oilfields at Polesti, Romania.

Re-assigned to Fifteenth Air Force in southern Italy; continuing strategic bombardment raids on Occupied France; Southern Germany; Austria and targets in the Balkans. In the summer of 1944, the squadron participated in the invasion of southern France, assisted in the Soviet advance into the Balkans, and supported the partisans and guerrillas in Yugoslavia and neighboring countries.

The squadron returned to the United States in May 1945; being re-designated as a B-29 Superfortress heavy bomb squadron and began training for deployment to the Central Pacific Area and conduct strategic bombardment raids over the Japanese Home Islands. Training continued until the unit was inactivated at the end of July, its equipment and personnel being merged into the other three squadrons of its host group.

Cold War
The squadron was activated in 1959 as a result of Strategic Air Command phasing out the B-47 Stratojet, and additional squadrons were activated as part of the consolation of Stratojet wings, and the replacement of the B-47 by B-52 Stratofortresses. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. and the squadron was inactivated on 1 January 1962 as part of the drawdown of the USAF B-47 force, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.

Reactivated in 1989 as part of an Air Force Systems Command reorganization at Edwards AFB, California. Assumed F-15 Eagle Test Flight mission evaluating modifications prior to them being sent into the field as changes to the aircraft. Inactivated in 1994 as part of the Cold War drawdown, mission consolidated into the 419th Flight Test Squadron.

Air Force Reserve
Reactivated and reduced from a squadron to a flight organization in 2001 as a T-38 Talon Functional Check Flight organization at Randolph AFB designed to extend the service life of the Air Force's fleet of T-38C Talon aircraft through the year 2020.

Air Combat Command uses the aircraft as a companion trainer to provide pilots additional flying time at a lower cost. Air Force Materiel Command flies the aircraft for test support and flight test training. AETC uses the T-38 as an advanced trainer to train pilots selected to fly fighters and bombers.

AETC is the lead command responsible for sustainment and modernization of all T-38s in the Air Force inventory. The T-38 System Program Office at the Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, Utah, provides primary field support for the aircraft. AFMC has direct operational control of the 415th FLTF mission, while Air Force Reserve Command maintains administrative control of the unit.

In addition to modifying the propulsion system, the Air Force is also involved in a program to upgrade T-38 avionics systems. This upgrade is designed to improve the training capabilities of the T-38 and provide one design/configuration for all training roles envisioned for the system. Once completed, the program will make it easier for pilot trainees to transition from the T-38 to a front-line fighter or bomber aircraft.

Lineage
415th Bombardment Squadron
 * Organized as the 25th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942.
 * Activated on 3 February 1942.
 * Redesignated 415th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942
 * Redesignated 415th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 1 July 1943
 * Inactivated on 3 July 1945


 * Redesignated 415th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 11 August 1958
 * Activated on 1 September 1958
 * Inactivated and discontinued on 1 January 1962


 * Consolidated with the 6515th Test Squadron as the 6515th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992.

415th Flight Test Flight
 * Designated as the 6615th Test Squadron and activated on 10 March 1989
 * Consolidated with the 415th Bombardment Squadron on 1 October 1992
 * Redesignated 415th Test Squadron on 2 October 1992
 * Redesignated 415th Flight Test Squadron on 1 March 1994
 * Inactivated 1 October 1994


 * Redesignated 415th Flight Test Flight on 24 September 2001
 * Activated in the Reserve on 1 October 2001.

Assignments

 * 98th Bombardment Group, 3 February 1942-3 July 1945
 * 98th Bombardment Wing, 1 September 1958-1 January 1962
 * 6510th (later, 412th) Test Wing, 10 March 1989
 * 412th Operations Group, 1 October 1993-1 October 1994
 * 622d Flight Test Group, 1 October 2001
 * 413th Flight Test Group, 1 October 2003-Present

Stations

 * MacDill Field, Florida, 3 February 1942
 * Barksdale Field, Louisiana, c. 9 February 1942
 * Page Field, Florida, 31 March 1942
 * Drane Field, Florida, 15 May-3 July 1942
 * RAF Ramat David, British Palestine, 31 July 1942
 * RAF Fayid, Egypt, 12 November 1942
 * Tobruk Airfield, Libya, 26 January 1943
 * Benina Airfield, Libya, 11 February 1943


 * Hergla Airfield, Tunisia, 26 September 1943
 * Brindisi Airfield, Italy, 18 November 1943
 * Manduria Airfield, Italy, 19 December 1943
 * Lecce Airfield, Italy, 18 January 1944-19 April 1945
 * Fairmont Army Airfield, Nebraska, 8 May-3 July 1945
 * Lincoln AFB, Nebraska, 1 September 1958-1 January 1962
 * Edwards AFB, California, 10 March 1989-1 October 1994
 * Randolph AFB, Texas, 1 October 2001–present

Aircraft

 * B-24 Liberator, 1942–1945
 * B-47 Stratojet, 1958–1961
 * F-15 Eagle, 1989-1994
 * T-38 Talon, 2001-Present