29th Flying Training Wing (World War II)

The 29th 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 Napier Field, Alabama.

The squadron was a World War II Command and Control unit, its mission to command Phase One primary flying training units of the Army Air Forces Training Command. Headquartered at Moody Field, Georgia for most of its operational service, it controlled contract civilian-operated pilot schools primarily in the Southeastern United States.

There is no lineage between the current United States Air Force 29th Flying Training Wing, established on 22 December 1939 as the 29th Bombardment Group (Heavy) at Langley Field, Virginia, and this organization.

History
Until 1939, the Army Air Corps provided all flying training with military instructor pilots. Beginning in 1939, it contracted with nine civilian flying schools to provide primary flight training. Primary training consisted of a three-month course of 65 hours of flying instruction. As the United States prepared to enter World War II by expanding its number of flying squadrons, the number of contract primary schools increased.

According to the contract, the government supplied students with training aircraft, flying clothes, textbooks, and equipment. The Air Corps also put a detachment at each school to supervise training. The schools furnished instructors, training sites and facilities, aircraft maintenance, quarters, and mess halls. From the Air Corps, schools received a flat fee of $1,170 for each graduate and $18 per flying hour for students eliminated from training.

Following the fall of France in 1940, the Air Corps upped its pilot production goal to 7,000 per year. To meet that goal, the Air Corps increased the capacity of its schools and added more contract primary schools.

The contract primary pilot schools ended their operations in October, 1945.

Lineage

 * Established as 29th Flying Training Wing on 17 December 1942
 * Activated on 26 December 1942
 * Disbanded on 16 June 1946.

Assignments

 * Army Air Forces Southeast Flying Training (later, AAF Eastern Flying) Command, 26 December 1942
 * Western Flying Training Command, 15 December 1945-16 June 1946

Stations

 * Moody Field, Georgia, 26 December 1942
 * Napier Field, Alabama, 1 April 1945-16 June 1946

Training aircraft
The primary aircraft used were Boeing-Stearman PT-17 and Fairchild PT-19 twin-seat, single engine trainers. However other aircraft were used at several schools. Those were:.


 * Consolidated PT-11
 * Boeing-Stearman PT-13
 * Waco PT-14


 * Boeing-Stearman PT-18
 * Fairchild PT-23
 * Boeing-Stearman PT-27

The PT-11 and PT-14s were late 1930's-era trainers which were phased out by 1943. The PT-13, PT-18 and PT-27s were the basic Boeing-Stearman with different engines than the PT-17, with varying horsepower ratings. The PT-23 was a radial engine version of the PT-19, with higher horsepower. The Fairchild PT-19/PT-23 aircraft also could have the student pilot covered with a hood for "Blind" instrument flying training.

Assigned Contract Pilot Schools

 * Albany Army Airfield, Albany Georgia
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 52d Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: October 1940, Closed: November 1944 (PT-17)
 * Operated by: Darr Aero-Tech Primary Flying School, Albany, Georgia; Used for RAF pilot training


 * Augustine Field, Madison, Mississippi
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 62d Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: 1941, Closed: June 1944 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Operated by: Mississippi Institute of Aeronautics


 * Avon Park Airport, Avon Park, Florida
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 61st Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: October 1941, Closed: June 1944 (PT-17)
 * Operated by: Lodwick Aviation Military Academy; had four auxiliary airfields


 * Harris Army Airfield, Cape Giardeau, Missouri
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 73d Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: January 1943, Closed: March 1944 (PT-18, PT-19, PT-23)
 * Operated by: Cape Institute of Aeronautics, Inc


 * Carlstrom Field, Arcadia, Florida
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 53d Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: June 1941, Closed: August 1944 (PT-17)
 * Operated by: Embry-Riddle Company; Former World War I training field; Used for RAF pilot training


 * Chester Field, McBride, Missouri.
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 74th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: June 1943, Closed: March 1944 (PT-17)
 * Also known as: Chester Army Airfield; Operated by: unknown contract operator


 * Decatur Airport, Decatur, Alabama
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 65th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: October 1941, Closed: September 1945 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Also known as: Pryor Field; Operated by: Southern Regional Airways, Inc.; had five axillary airfields


 * Douglas Airport, Douglas, Georgia
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 63d Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: May 1941, Closed: December 1944 (PT-17)
 * Also known as: Douglas Army Airfield; Operated by: South Georgia College; had four axillary airfields


 * Dorr Field, Arcadia, Florida
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 54th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: October 1941, Closed: October 1944 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Former World War I training airfield; Operated by: Embry-Riddle Company; Used for RAF pilot training


 * Fletcher Field, Clarksdale, Mississippi
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 69th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: August 1942, Closed: August 1944 (PT-17, PT-19, PT-23)
 * Operated by: Clarksdale School of Aviation; two auxiliary landing fields


 * Union City Airport, Union City, Tennessee
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 67th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: August 1943, Closed: April 1944 (PT-17, PT-19, PT-23, PT-27)
 * Operated by: Riddle-McKay Company. of Tennessee and Riddle Aeronautical Institute; three auxiliary landing fields.


 * Harrell Field, Camden, Arkansas
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * Opened: August 1942, Closed: April 1944 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Operated by: Wiggings-Marden Aero Company.


 * Hawthorne Airport, Orangeburg, South Carolina
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 58th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Hawthorne School of Aeronautics; Was used to training both AAF and Free French Airmen


 * Lodwick Field, Lakeland, Florida
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * Opened: September 1940, Closed: August 1945 (PT-17)
 * Operated by: Lodwick School of Aeronautics; had seven auxiliary airfields; Used for RAF pilot training


 * Lafayette Airport, Lafayette, Louisiana
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 70th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: September 1941, Closed: April 1944 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Operated by: Lafayette School of Aeronautics


 * McKellar Field, Jackson, Tennessee
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 68th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: July 1942, Closed: October 1944 (PT-17, PT-19, PT-23, PT-27)
 * Operated by: Georgia Air Services, Incorporated


 * Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 66th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: June 1941, Closed: October 1945 (PT-13, PT-14, PT-17)
 * Operated by: Tuskegee Institute; primary training airfield for Tuskegee Airmen; three axillary airfields


 * Palmer Airport, Bennettsville, South Carolina
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 53d Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: October 1941, Closed: October 1944 (PT-17)
 * Operated by: Georgia Air Service, Incorporated and Southeastern Air Service, Incorporated


 * Souther Field, Americus, Georgia
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 56th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: February 1941, Closed: October 1944 (PT-17)
 * Operated by: Graham Aviation Co; Former World War I airfield; Used for RAF pilot training


 * Taylor Field, Ocala, Florida
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * Opened: December 1941, Closed: September 1944 (PT-17)
 * Operated by: Greenville Aviation School


 * Thompson-Robbins Field, Helena, Arkansas
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 59th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: October 1941, Closed: August 1944 (PT-17, PT-19, PT-23)
 * Operated by: Helena Aerotech; had five auxiliary airfields


 * Van de Graaff Field, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 51st Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: September 1939, Closed: August 1944 (PT-11, PT-17, PT-19)
 * Operated by: Alabama Institute of Aeronautics, Inc.; had five auxiliary airfields; Free French Air Force flying training


 * Woodward Field, Camden, South Carolina
 * AAF Contract Pilot School (Primary)
 * 64th Flying Training Detachment
 * Opened: April 1941, Closed: August 1944 (PT-17)
 * Operated by: Southern Aviation School; also RAF Flying Training