86th Air Division

The 86th Air Division (86 AD) is a former designation of the 86th Airlift Wing, a United States Air Force organization. It was assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany. It was inactivated on 14 November 1968.

History
For additional history see 86th Airlift Wing 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 upgrade 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.

At Ramstein, the 526th FIS was equipped with F-102s in 1960, while the 440th, 512th, 513th and 514th FIS began to retire their F-86s during November and December, and were inactivated on Jan. 8, 1961.

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 Air 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.

The 86th AD continued to fly an air defense mission using its separate fighter-interceptor squadrons while simultaneously providing control of the airways through efforts of the various aircraft control and warning units. In recognition of how well it accomplished its myriad missions and for implementing the single 412L Air Weapons Control System, the 86th received a second Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the period from July 1964 to June 1965.

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

Lineage

 * 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing redesignated as 86 Air Division (Defense)
 * Inactivated on 14 November 1968 and redesignated 86th Tactical Fighter Wing

Assignments

 * United States Air Forces in Europe
 * Seventeenth Air Force, 18 November 1960


 * United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 July 1963
 * Seventeenth Air Force, 1 September 1963


 * United States Air Forces in Europe, 20 May 1965 - 14 November 1968

Stations

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

Major components

 * 32d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 8 April 1960 - 1 November 1968
 * Soesterberg AB, Netherlands


 * 431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 1960 - 1964
 * Zaragoza AB, Spain


 * 496th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1960–1969
 * Hahn AB, West Germany


 * 497th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1960–1963
 * Torrejon AB, Spain


 * 513th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1960–1961
 * Phalsbourg-Bourscheid AB, France


 * 514th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1960–1961
 * Ramstein AB, West Germany


 * 525th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1960–1969
 * Bitburg AB, West Germany


 * 526th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. 1960 - 1969
 * Ramstein AB, West Germany

Attached units


 * 151st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 25 November 1961-11 July 1962 (F-104)
 * Tennessee Air National Guard TDY to Ramstein AB, West Germany


 * 197th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 25 November 1961-11 July 1962 (F-104)
 * Arizona Air National Guard TDY to Ramstein AB, West Germany

Aircraft

 * F-86D Sabre
 * F-102 Delta Dagger