412th Test Wing

412th Test Wing
Active	20 November 1943 — present
Country	United States
Branch	Air Force
Type	Developmental Test and Evaluation
Size	5,000
Part of	Air Force Material Command Air Force Flight Test Center
Garrison/HQ	Edwards Air Force Base
Motto	Proof by Trial
Decorations	AFOUA
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Dawn Dunlop

The 412th Test Wing (412 TW) is a wing of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Overview

The 412th Test Wing plans, conducts, analyzes, and reports on all flight and ground testing of aircraft, weapons systems, software and components as well as modeling and simulation for the USAF.

There are three core components for this mission: flying operations, maintenance, and engineering.

The wing maintains and flies an average of 90 aircraft with upwards of 30 different aircraft designs and performs over 7,400 missions (over 1,900 test missions) on an annual basis.

The Test Pilot School, also part of the test wing, is where the Air Force's top pilots, navigators and engineers learn how to conduct flight tests and generate the data needed to carry out test missions.

The Engineering Division and the Electronic Warfare Division provide the central components in the conduct of the Test and Evaluation mission. They provide the tools, talent and equipment for the core disciplines of aircraft structures, propulsion, avionics and electronic warfare evaluation of the latest weapon system technologies.

The Project and Resource Management Divisions who provide the foundation for the successful program management of test missions.

Assigned Units

• 412th Operations Group (412 OG)

410th Flight Test Squadron (410 FLTS)

411th Flight Test Squadron (411 FLTS)

412th Flight Test Squadron (412 FLTS)

416th Flight Test Squadron (416 FLTS)

417th Flight Test Squadron (417 FLTS)

418th Flight Test Squadron (418 FLTS)

419th Flight Test Squadron (419 FLTS)

445th Flight Test Squadron (445 FLTS)

452d Flight Test Squadron (452 FLTS)

461st Flight Test Squadron (461 FLTS)

• 412th Maintenance Group (412 MXG)

• Test Pilot School

• Engineering Division

• Electronic Warfare Division

• Project Management Division

• Resource Management Division

History

Lineage

• Established as 412 Fighter Group (Single Engine) on 20 November 1943

Activated on 29 November 1943

Inactivated on 3 July 1946

• Established as: 527th Air Defense Group on 16 February 1953
• Redesignated 412 Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 June 1955

Activated on 18 August 1955 by redesignation of 527th Air Defense Group

Discontinued on 1 April 1960

• Redesignated 412 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985 but remained inactive.
• Consolidated (1 October 1992) with 6510 Test Wing, which was established, and activated, on 1 March 1978.

Redesignated 412 Test Wing on 2 October 1992.

Assignments

• IV Fighter Command, 29 November 1943
• 321st Wing (Special), 3 December 1945
• IV Fighter Command, 28 January 1946
• Tactical Air Command, 21 March 1946
• Twelfth Air Force, 15 May-3 July 1946
• 4708th Air Defense Wing, 18 August 1955
• 30th Air Division, 8 July 1956-1 April 1960

Attached to Detroit Air Defense Sector, 1 April 1959-1 April 1960

• Air Force Flight Test Center, 1 March 1978–present

Components

Groups

• 412 Operations: 1 October 1993-Current
• 6545 (later, 545) Test: 1 January 1979-1 August 1996
• 6510 (later, 412) Test: 10 March 1989-30 December 1997

Squadrons

• 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron20 August 1957-1 April 1960
• 29th Fighter Squadron: 21 July 1944-3 July 1946
• 31 Fighter (later, 31 Fighter-Interceptor): 19 August 1944-3 July 1946; 8 June 1956-20 August 1957
• 39 Photo (later, 39 Tactical) Reconnaissance: attached 5 November 1945-3 July 1946
• 445 Fighter (later, 445 Fighter-Interceptor): 18 March 1944-3 July 1946; 18 August 1955-1 April 1960
• 6510 (later, 410) Test: 10 March 1989-1 October 1993
• 6511 Test: 1 March-1 July 1978
• 6511 (later, 411) Test: 10 March 1989-1 October 1993
• 6512 (later, 445) Test: 1 March 1978-1 October 1993
• 6513 (later, 413) Test: 1 March 1978-1 October 1993
• 6514 Test: 1 March 1978-1 January 1979
• 6515 (later, 415) Test: 10 March 1989-1 October 1993
• 6516 (later, 416) Test: 10 March 1989- 1 October 1993
• 6517 (later, 417) Test: 10 March 1989-1 October 1993
• 6518 (later, 418) Test: 10 March 1989-1 October 1993
• 6519 (later, 419) Test: 10 March 1989-1 October 1993

Schools

• U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School: 1 March 1978–present

Stations

• Muroc AAF, California, 29 November 1943
• Palmdale AAF, California, 1 June 1944
• Bakersfield Airport, California, 11 October 1944
• Santa Maria Army Airfield, California, 10 July 1945
• March Field, California, c. 29 November 1945-3 July 1946
• Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, 18 August 1955-1 April 1960
• Edwards AFB, California, 1 March 1978–present

Aircraft assigned

• F-89 Scorpion (1955–1960)
• T-33 Shooting Star (1955–1960)
• F-102 Delta Dagger (1956–1960)
• F-101 Voodoo (1959–1960)

Tested from 1978–1992:

• A-7 Corsair II
• A-10 Thunderbolt II
• A-37 Dragonfly
• B-1 Lancer
• B-2 Spirit
• B-52 Stratofortress
• C-17 Globemaster III
• C-23 Sherpa
• C-130 Hercules (several variants)
• NC-131 Samaritan
• F-4 Phantom II

• F-15 Eagle
• F-16 Falcon
• F-111 Aardvark
• HH-60 Pave Hawk
• HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant
• KC-135 Stratotanker
• T-33 Shooting Star
• T-38 Talon
• T-39 Sabreliner
• T-46 Eaglet

Tested from 1993 – present:

• C-130 Hercules (several variants)
• F-15 Eagle
• F-16 Falcon
• T-38 Talon
• T-39 Sabreliner
• B-2 Spirit
• C-17 Globemaster III

• F-22 Raptor
• F-117 Nighthawk
• B-1 Lancer
• U-2 Dragon Lady
• C-18 Stratoliner
• C-135 Stratolifter (several variants)
• F-35 Lightning II

Operational history

The 412th tested a wide variety of Army Air Force aircraft from 1943-1946. It was the first U.S. jet fighter group to be activated, and spent most of its early existence in experimental testing of the P-59A and P-80 aircraft. The group developed training programs and trained aircrew and ground personnel as cadres for newly formed jet aircraft-equipped units. It was deactivated in 1946.

The group was reactivated from 1955–1960 and served in an air defense role in Michigan.

From 1 March 1978, the wing managed flight operations for the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Using a mixed fleet of support aircraft, the wing annually tested both experimental and USAF inventory aircraft, as well as others on loan from US government agencies and foreign governments. Component systems flight-testing included weapons and ordnance, avionics and sensors, flight controls, and aircrew life-support equipment. It operates the Air Force Test Pilot School, training students from around the world. It performed free-flight testing of the Space Transportation System (STS) for NASA from 1978–1980, and in April 1981 recovered the shuttle Columbia following the first-ever orbital mission of a reusable spacecraft. The wing continues to provide an alternate landing site services for STS recovery, most recently for the Atlantis during its STS-117 mission.

The wing deployed support personnel and equipment to Southwest Asia for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm from, August 1990-March 1991. While deployed, it performed tests on radar and weapons system accuracy. On 2 October 1992 the 6510th Test Wing, the previous Edwards test organisation, deactivated and the 412th took its place. It transitioned into an objective test wing in 1992 to enhance its mission of air vehicle development, testing, and evaluation. It has tested and evaluated both manned and unmanned aerospace vehicles for U.S. and foreign governments.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1984. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.