29th Flying Training Wing (U.S. Army Air Forces)

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 wing controlled World War II 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 connection between the 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 United States 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 vast majority of contract primary pilot training ended in the spring of 1944 as part of the rundown of Army pilot training. The ones remaining open 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
CPS Primary Trainers were primarily PT-17 Stearman biplanes and Fairchild PT-19s monoplanes, although a wide variety of other types could be found at the airfields. The Fairchild PT-19 aircraft also could have the student pilot covered with a hood for "Blind" instrument flying training.

Glider pilot schools used Aeronca TG-5As, Taylorcraft TG-6As, and Piper TG-8As unpowered glider conversions of powered light observation aircraft which had similar characteristics to the military gliders under development.

Contract Pilot Schools

 * Albany Army Airfield, Albany Georgia
 * 52d Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Darr Aero-Tech Primary Flying School
 * Opened: October 1940, Closed: November 1944 (PT-17)
 * Controlled four auxiliary airfields


 * Augustine Field, Madison, Mississippi
 * 62d Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Mississippi Institute of Aeronautics
 * Opened: 1941, Closed: June 1944 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Was a sub-base to Jackson Army Airbase, CFS controlled three auxiliary airfields


 * Avon Park Municipal Airport, Avon Park, Florida
 * 61st Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Lodwick Aviation Military Academy
 * Opened: October 1941, Closed: June 1944 (PT-17)
 * Controlled four auxiliary airfields


 * Carlstrom Field, Arcadia, Florida
 * 53d Flying Training Detachment
 * 2148th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Contract Pilot School, Primary), April 1944
 * Operated by: Embry-Riddle Company
 * Opened: June 1941, Closed: June 1945 (PT-17)
 * Controlled four auxiliary airfields (Joint with Dorr Field)


 * Chester Field, McBride, Missouri
 * 74th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Anderson Air Activities
 * Opened: June 1943, Closed: March 1944 (PT-17)


 * Decatur Airport, Decatur, Alabama
 * 65th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Southern Regional Airways, Inc
 * Opened: October 1941, Closed: September 1945 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Controlled five auxiliary airfields


 * Douglas Airport, Douglas, Georgia
 * 63d Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: South Georgia College
 * Opened: May 1941, Closed: December 1944 (PT-17)
 * Controlled four auxiliary airfields


 * Dorr Field, Arcadia, Florida
 * 54th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Embry-Riddle Company
 * Opened: October 1941, Closed: October 1944 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Controlled four auxiliary airfields (Joint with Carlstrom Field)


 * Fletcher Field, Clarksdale, Mississippi
 * 69th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Clarksdale School of Aviation
 * Opened: August 1942, Closed: August 1944 (PT-17, PT-19, PT-23)
 * Controlled two auxiliary airfields


 * Harrell Field, Camden, Arkansas
 * 59th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Wiggings-Marden Aero Corp
 * Opened: August 1942, Closed: April 1944 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Controlled two auxiliary airfields


 * Harris Army Airfield, Cape Giardeau, Missouri
 * 73d Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Cape Institute of Aeronautics, Inc
 * Opened: January 1943, Closed: March 1944 (PT-18, PT-19, PT-23)
 * Controlled three auxiliary airfields


 * Hawthorne School of Aeronautics, Orangeburg, South Carolina
 * 58th Flying Training Detachment
 * 2162d Army Air Forces Base Unit (Contract Pilot School, Primary), April 1944
 * Operated by: Hawthorne School of Aeronautics
 * Opened: October 1941, Closed: November 1945 (PT-18, PT-19, PT-23)
 * Also conducted Free French Air Force pilot training
 * Controlled three auxiliary airfields


 * Lodwick Field, Lakeland, Florida
 * 61st Flying Training Detachment
 * 2160th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Contract Pilot School, Primary), April 1944
 * Operated by: Lodwick School of Aeronautics
 * Opened: September 1940, Closed: August 1945 (PT-17)
 * Controlled seven auxiliary airfields


 * Lafayette Airport, Lafayette, Louisiana
 * 70th Flying Training Detachment
 * Lafayette School of Aeronautics
 * Opened: September 1941, Closed: April 1944 (PT-17, PT-19)
 * Controlled four auxiliary airfields


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


 * Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama
 * 66th Flying Training Detachment
 * 2564th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Contract Pilot School, Primary) (Colored), April 1944
 * Operated by: Tuskegee Institute
 * Opened: June 1941, Closed: October 1945 (PT-13, PT-14, PT-17)
 * Controlled two auxiliary airfields


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


 * Souther Field, Americus, Georgia
 * 56th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Graham Aviation Co.
 * Opened: February 1941, Closed: October 1944 (PT-17)


 * Taylor Field, Ocala, Florida
 * 57th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Greenville Aviation School
 * Opened: December 1941, Closed: September 1944 (PT-17)


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


 * Van de Graaff Field, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
 * 51st Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Alabama Institute of Aeronautics, Inc
 * Opened: September 1939, Closed: August 1944 (PT-11, PT-17, PT-19)
 * Also conducted Free French Air Force pilot training
 * Controlled five auxiliary airfields


 * Embry Riddle Aeronautical Institute, Union City, Tennessee
 * 67th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Riddle-McKay Company of Tennessee and Riddle Aeronautical Institute
 * Opened: August 1943, Closed: April 1944 (PT-17, PT-19, PT-23, PT-27)
 * Controlled three auxiliary airfields


 * Woodward Field, Camden, South Carolina
 * 64th Flying Training Detachment
 * Operated by: Southern Aviation School
 * Opened: April 1941, Closed: August 1944 (PT-17)
 * Controlled two auxiliary airfields

Contract Glider Pilot Schools

 * Antigo Airport, Antigo, Wisconsin
 * 14th Glider Training Detachment
 * Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-8A)
 * Operated by: Anderson Air Activities


 * Bates Field, Mobile Alabama
 * 18th Glider Training Detachment
 * Basic Glider Training School (TG-2, TG-4A, TG-5, TG-8A)
 * Operated by: Mobile Area Soaring Corp.


 * Greenville Municipal Airport, Greenville, South Carolina
 * 48th Glider Training Detachment
 * Basic/Advanced Glider Training School (TG-8A, CG-4A)
 * Operated by: Southern Airways, Inc.


 * Grand Forks Airport, Grand Forks, North Dakota
 * 24th Glider Training Detachment (TG-8A)
 * Pre-Glider/Primary Training School
 * Operated by: Jolly Flying Service


 * Kirkwood Field, Crookston, Minnesota
 * 33D Glider Training Detachment
 * Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-8A)
 * Operated by: L. Millar-Wittig


 * Lobb Field, Rochester, Minnesota
 * 32d Glider Training Detachment
 * Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-6A)
 * Operated by: Fontana School of Aeronautics


 * Stillwater Airport, Stillwater, Minnesota
 * 34th Glider Training Detachment
 * Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-6A)
 * Operated by: North Aviation Company


 * Monticello Field, Monticello, Minnesota
 * 35th Glider Training Detachment
 * Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-6A)
 * Operated by: Hinck Flying Service, Inc.