The 419th is responsible for developmental testing of Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, Rockwell B-1 Lancer, and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers. It conducts tests to extend the usable life of these airframes, upgrade their combat capabilities, and integrate new weapons systems into their operation. It works closely with Air Combat Command operational testing elements for these systems, often flying with them on the same missions. It receives overall testing oversight from the program management offices of these systems.[3]
History
World War II
Initial organization and training
The first predecessor of the squadron was organized as the 29th Reconnaissance Squadron, one of the four Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresssquadrons of the 301st Bombardment Group in February 1942.[4][5] In April 1942, it was redesignated the 419th Bombardment Squadron, a heavy bomber unit. In late May, it moved to Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, although the air echelon operated from Muroc Army Air Base, flying antisubmarine patrols off the California coast until early June 1942. The ground echelon moved to Virginia to prepare for movement overseas, leaving for Fort Dix and the Port of Embarkation on 19 July. The air echelon left for Brainard Field, Connecticut in late June. The squadron ferried its Flying Fortresses via the North Atlantic ferry route as part of Operation Bolero, the build up of American forces in the United Kingdom.[6][7] The squadron and its companion squadrons of the 301st Group were the first B-17F unit to arrive in England.[8][c]
The ground and air echelons were reunited at RAF Chelveston on 19 August 1942. The squadron flew its first mission on 5 September 1942. From England it attacked targets primarily in France, including submarine pens, airfields, railroad targets, and bridges. On 14 September, the 301st Group and its squadrons were reassigned to XII Bomber Command in preparation for Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, but they continued to operate under the control of VIII Bomber Command. Between 20 and 23 November 1942, the air echelon moved forward to bases in southeastern England, from which it flew directly to Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria. The ground echelon sailed for Algeria from Liverpool on 8 December 1942.[5][7]
Combat in the Mediterranean
B-17G of the 301st Bombardment Group in Italy, 1944
Until August 1943, the squadron operated from airfields in Algeria, bombing docks, shipping facilities, airfields and marshalling yards in Tunisia, Sicily, and Sardinia. It also attacked enemy ships operating between Sicily and Tunisia. On 6 April 1943, the squadron withstood heavy flak from shore defenses and enemy vessels, when it attacked a merchant convoy near Bizerte, Tunisia carrying supplies essential for the Axis defense of Tunisia. For this mission it was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). In May and June, it participated in Operation Corkscrew, the bombing and invasion of Pantelleria, prior to the invasion of Sicily.[5]
Starting in July 1943, the squadron began flying numerous missions to targets in Italy, moving forward to Oudna Airfield, Tunisia in early August. In November 1943, strategic and tactical forces in the Mediterranean were divided and the squadron became part of Fifteenth Air Force. It moved to Italy in December 1943 and in February 1944 it was established at Lucera Airfield, Italy, from which it would conduct combat operations for the remainder of the war. From its Italian base, it concentrated on the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, attacking oil centers, lines of communications, and industrial areas in Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. On 23 February 1944, it participated in an attack on the Messerschmitt aircraft factory at Regensburg, succeeding despite "viscous" attacks by enemy interceptors. For this mission, it was awarded a second DUC.[5]
Following V-E Day, the squadron remained in Italy until July 1945. In August, it was designated as a "very heavy" unit in preparation for conversion to the Boeing B-29 Superfortress and deployment to Pacific Theater. Before the squadron arrived at its planned training base, Pyote Army Air Field, Texas, Japan had surrendered and there was no need for additional bomber units. The squadron was inactivated in October 1945, shortly before Pyote ended training operations and became an aircraft storage depot.[6][10]
From 1958, the Boeing B-47 Stratojet wings of Strategic Air Command (SAC) began to assume an alert posture at their home bases, reducing the amount of time spent on alert at overseas bases. The SAC alert cycle divided itself into four parts: planning, flying, alert and rest to meet General Thomas S. Power's initial goal of maintaining one third of SAC’s planes on fifteen minute ground alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike.[11] To implement this new system B-47 wings reorganized from three to four squadrons.[11][12] The 419th was activated at Lockbourne Air Force Base as the fourth squadron of the 301st Bombardment Wing. The alert commitment was increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962 and the four squadron pattern no longer met the alert cycle commitment, so the squadron was inactivated on 1 January 1962.[12]
The squadron added the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit program from the inactivating 420th Flight Test Squadron on 30 December 1997.[14] It has also tested external weapons loads on the B-1 Lancer, in tests to increase its weapons loads both internally and by adding an external weapons carriage capability.[15] It has also tested the Litening targeting pod on the B-52.[16]
Squadron B-52H Stratofortress taking off on an AGM-183 test flight[g]
In the spring of 2015, the 445th Flight Test Squadron, which had been conducting "Test Operations" at Edwards was inactivated and its mission transferred to other test squadrons. In this reorganization, the squadron gained the Beechcraft C-12 Huron Formal Training Unit.[19]
Lineage
419th Bombardment Squadron
Constituted as the 29th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
Activated on 3 February 1942
Redesignated 419th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 April 1942
Redesignated 419th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 6 March 1944
Redesignated 419th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 5 August 1945
Inactivated on 15 October 1945
Redesignated 419th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 20 August 1958
Activated on 1 December 1958
Discontinued and inactivated on 1 January 1962
Consolidated with the 6519th Test Squadron as the 6519th Test Squadron on 1 October 1992[2]
419th Flight Test Squadron
Designated as the 6519th Test Squadron and activated on 10 March 1989
Consolidated with the 419th Bombardment Squadron on 1 October 1992
Redesignated 419th Test Squadron on 2 October 1992
Redesignated 419th Flight Test Squadron on 1 March 1994[2]
^Approved 11 August 1961. Description: On an Air Force blue disc bordered Air Force golden yellow, four white lightning flashes fretted, two issuing radiant from dexterchief, and two issuing radiant from sinister chief; all surmounted by an Air Force golden yellow shield, details and shading golden brown; in chief a large Air Force golden yellow star; encircling the lower half of the emblem nine small white stars.
^The 97th Bombardment Group had arrived earlier, but was equipped with B-17Es. Freeman, p. 13.
^The aircraft in the background is Boeing B-17F-1-BO Flying Fortress, serial 41-24352. This plane suffered severe battle damage on a mission to steel works at Lille, France (Although located in the Lille metropolitan area, the target was actually in Belgium, on the left bank of the Deûle River.) on 9 October 1942. The crew prepared to bail out but the bomber made it back to Chelveston with one engine on fire, two propellers feathered and a couple of hundred holes in it. Following this mission, it was named Holey Joe.
^Aircraft is Rockwell B-1B Lancer Lot IV, serial 85-0075, converted to Block D in 1998. Earlier named Banshee and Dakota Demolition.Baugher, Joe (10 June 2023). "1985 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. ISBN978-0-87938-638-2.
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