1st Proving Ground Group

The 1st Proving Ground Group is a disbanded United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last active with the Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command, based at Eglin Field, Florida. It was disbanded on 1 April 1944. The unit's personnel/equipment/mission was taken over by the 610th Army Air Forces Base Unit (AAF Base Unit) and 611th AAF Base Unit.

History
The group was established at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida in August 1939. It was assigned the 1st Pursuit Squadron, 24th Bombardment Squadron (Light) (not manned until 1940) and 54th Bombardment Squadron (Medium). It transferred from Orlando for permanent assignment to Eglin Field to conduct flight testing activities in June 1941.

In 1944, the group conducted "Operation Crossbow" program to determine the best method of attacking German V-1 “buzz bomb” sites along the French and Dutch coasts, February 1944. Began testing the Republic-Ford JB-2 Loon, an American version of the German V-1, which became the foundation of the Air Force guided missile program, October 1944.

The AAF found standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to the support mission. Accordingly a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit. Accordingly the group was disbanded and the testing mission and associated personnel of the group were assumed by the 611th AAF Base Unit (Flight Test) (later 611th AF Base Unit (Proof Test Group)). At the same time the 610th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Proving Ground Complement) assumed the equipment, and personnel of the group associated with base support as well as those of the 118th WAC Post Headquarters Company, 2051st Ordnance Company, Aviation (Service), 869th Signal Service Company (Aviation), 24th Aviation Squadron, 4th AAF Emergency Rescue Boat Squadron, and 1453d Quartermaster Service Company (Aviation). Later in 1944, the 610th assumed the electronics and flight test activities of the 611th and became the 610th AAF Base Unit (Flight Test).

The 610th transferred its base support activities to the 609th AAF Base Unit (Airdrome Group) in January 1947 and was discontinued on 1 August 1947 with its mission assumed by Army Air Forces Proving Ground (Provisional). The 611th AAF Base Unit was discontinued on 9 July 1948, when the Air Proving Ground Command reorganized according to the Wing/Base (Hobson Plan) model.

Lineage

 * Constituted as: 23d Composite Group, and activated on 1 August 1939
 * Redesignated as: Air Corps Proving Ground Detachment on 1 July 1941
 * Redesignated as: Air Corps Proving Ground Group on 10 April 1942
 * Redesignated as: 1st Proving Ground Group on 16 April 1943
 * Disbanded on 1 April 1944.

Assignments

 * Air Corps Training Center, 1 August 1939
 * Southeast Air Corps Training Center, 27 August 1940
 * Air Corps Proving Ground (later Proving Ground Command), 15 May 1941 - 1 April 1944

Stations

 * Army Air Base, Orlando, Florida, 1 August 1939
 * Eglin Field, Florida, 30 June 1941- 1 April 1944

Components

 * 1st Pursuit Squadron (later 1st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)): 1 August 1939 - 1 May 1942
 * 1st Proving Ground Torpedo Squadron: 27 August 1942 - 1 April 1944
 * 24th Bombardment Squadron (Light): 1 December 1939 - 1 May 1942
 * 54th Bombardment Squadron (Medium): 1 October 1939 - 1 May 1942
 * At Maxwell Field until 2 September 1940


 * 1000 Quartermaster Boat Company (Aviation) (later 4th AAF Emergency Rescue Boat Squadron): 9 September 1942 - 1 April 1944
 * 2051st Ordnance Company, Aviation (Service): By 1 June 1943 - 1 April 1944
 * 3062d Ordnance Company, Aviation (Service)

Aircraft

 * Curtiss A-12 Shrike, 1940-1942
 * Curtiss A-18 Shrike, 1940-1942
 * Douglas A-20 Havoc, 1940-1942
 * Stearman XA-21, 1940-1942
 * Martin B-10, 1940-1942
 * Martin B-12, 1939-1940
 * Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1939-1942
 * Douglas B-18 Bolo, 1940-1942
 * Douglas B-23 Dragon, 1940-1942


 * North American B-25 Mitchell, 1940-1942
 * Martin B-26 Marauder, 1941-1942
 * North American BC-1A, 1941-1942
 * Lockheed C-36 Electra, 1940-1942
 * Lockheed C-40 Electra, 1939-1940
 * Douglas O-38, 1939-1940
 * Grumman OA-9 Goose, 1939-1942
 * Bell YFM-1 Airacuda, 1939-1940


 * Consolidated P-30, 1939-1940
 * Curtiss P-36 Hawk, 1939-1942
 * Curtiss YP-37, 1939-1940
 * Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1941-1942
 * Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1941-1942
 * Waco PT-14, 1939-1942
 * Stearman PT-17, 1939-1940
 * Douglas SBD Dauntless, 1939-1940 (Navy)