76th Flying Training Wing (World War II)

The 76th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, and was disbanded on 15 June 1946 at Smyrna Army Airfield, Tennessee.

There is no lineage between the United States Air Force 76th Maintenance Wing, established on 5 February 1942 as the 76th Observation Group at MacDill Field, Florida and this organization.

History
The wing was a World War II Command and Control organization which supported 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.

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

Lineage

 * Established as 76th Flying Training Wing, on 14 August 1943
 * Activated on 25 August 1943
 * Disbanded on 16 June 1946.

Assignments

 * Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command, 25 August 1943
 * AAF Western Flying Training Command, 15 December 1945-16 June 1946.

Training aircraft
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

 * Hendricks Army Airfield, Sebring, Florida
 * AAF Pilot School (Specialized, 4-Engine)
 * 43d Pilot Transition Training (4-Engine)
 * Opened: February 1942, Closed: December 1945 (B-17)
 * Transition training for experienced single or two-engine pilots; primarily used for training B-29 Superfortress pilots after mid-1944


 * Lockbourne Army Airbase, Columbus, Ohio
 * AAF Pilot School (Specialized, 4-Engine)
 * 44th Pilot Transition Training (4-Engine)
 * Opened: January 1943, Closed: February 1945 (B-17)
 * Transition training for experienced single or two-engine pilots; WASP 4-engine school; primarily used for training B-29 Superfortress pilots after mid-1944; Later USAF Lockborune/Rickenbacker AFB, Now OH Air National Guard


 * Smyrna Army Airfield, Smyrna, Tennessee
 * AAF Pilot School (Specialized, 4-Engine)
 * 46th Pilot Transition Training (4-Engine)
 * Opened: January 1942, Closed: October 1945 (B-17, B-24)
 * Transition training for experienced single or two-engine pilots; primarily used for training B-29 Superfortress pilots after mid-1944; later USAF Smyrna/Stewart Air Force Base, closed 1971

Stations

 * Smyrna Army Airfield, Tennessee, 25 August 1943-16 June 1946.