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481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group
The 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group was a unit of the United States Army Air Forces. It was inactivated on 31 March 1944 at Hammer Field, California.
The group was the primary night fighter Operational Training Unit and Replacement Training Unit of the Army Air Forces during World War II. Its mission was to train either new graduates of AAF Training Command advanced flying schools or transition experienced pilots into the Northrop P-61 Black Widow night fighter. It trained them in the flight characteristics of the aircraft and also night fighter interceptor techniques prior to the operational squadrons or replacement pilots being deployed to one of the overseas combat theaters.
Specialized training in night fighter interceptor tactics began in March 1942 upon the return of Air Corps observers from England prior to the United States' entry into World War II. During World War I, the 1st Pursuit Group 185th Aero Squadron had flown night interception of enemy aircraft, primarily bombers and observation aircraft. It was engaged in combat for less than a month before the 1918 Armistice with Germany.
In the 1920s and 1930s night fighting became the responsibility of regular Pursuit squadrons. These units had enough problems preparing for day war, much less confronting the obstacles of darkness. Yet, despite minimal budgets, pioneering airmen still strove to conquer the night by developing blind-flying techniques, primarily at the Army Air Service’s Engineering Division at McCook Field, and later at the Army Air Corps’ Materiel Division at Wright Field, both in Ohio.
Upon review of the recommendations presented by the observers, the Air Defense Operational Training Unit was established by Third Air Force on 26 March; it was re-designated as the Interceptor Command School on 30 March. Initially established at Key Field, Mississippi, the school was moved to Orlando Army Air Base, Florida.
"To fly these night fighters, the United States needed a different breed of aviator. So difficult and dangerous was the assignment that the [Army Air Forces] relied on volunteers only. Yet the mission was so exciting that there were always plenty of volunteers." V Interceptor Command was given initial responsibility for night training at Orlando. En route to the Philippines in 1941 when the Japanese launched their invasion, the unit was ordered back to Orlando, Florida, to train personnel for defense wings.
Night Fighter Training began in July, 1942 at the Fighter Command School, Night Fighter Division, Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida. AAFSAT was ordered to develop a training program to produce pilots with night fighting skills. Immediate requirements were to train night fighter pilots for two operational squadrons that were destined for Hawaii and for Panama. By the end of September, AAFSAT had re-designated the program as the Night Fighter Department (Dark) and the first training was carried out by the 50th Pursuit Group, which was assigned to the AAFSAT Fighter Command School.
Initially, the school received a B-18 Bolo and a number of Douglas P-70 Havocs to initiate the program. Production delays at Northrop for the P-61 Black Widow fighter aircraft required the unit to use what it had until the first YP-61s were received in early 1944. In October, it was decided to form specialized night fighter training squadrons, and the 348th and 349th Night Fighter Squadrons were formed, largely from elements of the 50th Fighter Group, 81st Fighter Squadron. In January 1943 the school was expanded from Orlando to Kissimmee Army Air Field due to the expansion of AAFSAT and the Fighter Command School.
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481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group
The 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group was a unit of the United States Army Air Forces. It was inactivated on 31 March 1944 at Hammer Field, California.
The group was the primary night fighter Operational Training Unit and Replacement Training Unit of the Army Air Forces during World War II. Its mission was to train either new graduates of AAF Training Command advanced flying schools or transition experienced pilots into the Northrop P-61 Black Widow night fighter. It trained them in the flight characteristics of the aircraft and also night fighter interceptor techniques prior to the operational squadrons or replacement pilots being deployed to one of the overseas combat theaters.
Specialized training in night fighter interceptor tactics began in March 1942 upon the return of Air Corps observers from England prior to the United States' entry into World War II. During World War I, the 1st Pursuit Group 185th Aero Squadron had flown night interception of enemy aircraft, primarily bombers and observation aircraft. It was engaged in combat for less than a month before the 1918 Armistice with Germany.
In the 1920s and 1930s night fighting became the responsibility of regular Pursuit squadrons. These units had enough problems preparing for day war, much less confronting the obstacles of darkness. Yet, despite minimal budgets, pioneering airmen still strove to conquer the night by developing blind-flying techniques, primarily at the Army Air Service’s Engineering Division at McCook Field, and later at the Army Air Corps’ Materiel Division at Wright Field, both in Ohio.
Upon review of the recommendations presented by the observers, the Air Defense Operational Training Unit was established by Third Air Force on 26 March; it was re-designated as the Interceptor Command School on 30 March. Initially established at Key Field, Mississippi, the school was moved to Orlando Army Air Base, Florida.
"To fly these night fighters, the United States needed a different breed of aviator. So difficult and dangerous was the assignment that the [Army Air Forces] relied on volunteers only. Yet the mission was so exciting that there were always plenty of volunteers." V Interceptor Command was given initial responsibility for night training at Orlando. En route to the Philippines in 1941 when the Japanese launched their invasion, the unit was ordered back to Orlando, Florida, to train personnel for defense wings.
Night Fighter Training began in July, 1942 at the Fighter Command School, Night Fighter Division, Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida. AAFSAT was ordered to develop a training program to produce pilots with night fighting skills. Immediate requirements were to train night fighter pilots for two operational squadrons that were destined for Hawaii and for Panama. By the end of September, AAFSAT had re-designated the program as the Night Fighter Department (Dark) and the first training was carried out by the 50th Pursuit Group, which was assigned to the AAFSAT Fighter Command School.
Initially, the school received a B-18 Bolo and a number of Douglas P-70 Havocs to initiate the program. Production delays at Northrop for the P-61 Black Widow fighter aircraft required the unit to use what it had until the first YP-61s were received in early 1944. In October, it was decided to form specialized night fighter training squadrons, and the 348th and 349th Night Fighter Squadrons were formed, largely from elements of the 50th Fighter Group, 81st Fighter Squadron. In January 1943 the school was expanded from Orlando to Kissimmee Army Air Field due to the expansion of AAFSAT and the Fighter Command School.