31st Flying Training Wing (World War II)

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31st Flying Training Wing
AAF Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active1943–1945
Disbanded30 December 1945
Country United States
BranchArmy Air Forces
TypeCommand and Control
RoleTraining
SizeWing
Part ofCentral Flying Training Command
Garrison/HQEnid Field
Colors   Ultramarine blue and golden orange
Engagements
World War II – American Campaign
Insignia
Central Flying Training Command Distinctive Insignia

The 31st Flying Training Wing was a training formation of the U.S. Army Air Forces (AAF) during World War II.

The wing's mission was to train personnel of the U.S. Army Air Forces Training Command. Headquartered at Enid Field, Oklahoma, for most of its operational service, it controlled contract pilot schools primarily in the Central United States. There is no lineal connection to the 31st Fighter Wing.

History[edit]

Central Flying Training Command area of operations during the war.

Until 1939, the U.S. 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.[1]

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. The Primary Pilot Training used Boeing PT-17 or Fairchild PT-19 two-seater single-engine training aircraft. Also, the wing controlled specialized schools for Liaison Pilots using the Stinson L-5 Sentinel, and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) primary training was conducted exclusively at Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas.[1]

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.[1] 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.[1]

Lineage[edit]

  • Established as 31st Flying Training Wing on 17 December 1942
Activated on 16 January 1943
Disbanded on 30 December 1945[2]

Assignments[edit]

  • Army Air Forces Gulf Coast Training (later, AAF Central Flying Training) Command, 16 January 1943 – 30 December 1945[2]

Stations[edit]

  • Chickasha, Oklahoma, trained 8,000 troops at the Wilson and Bonfis Flying School that opened in October 1941, after the war it became Chickasha Municipal Airport.
  • Enid Field, Oklahoma, 16 January 1943
  • Fort Worth Field, Texas, 31–30 May 30 December 1945[2]

Training aircraft[edit]

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.[1]

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.[3]

Contract Pilot Schools[edit]

[2][25]

Contract Glider Pilot Schools[edit]

See also[edit]

  • Other Training Command Primary Flight Training Wings:
29th Flying Training Wing (Primary flight training wing for AAF Eastern Flying Training Command)
36th Flying Training Wing (Primary flight training wing for AAF Western Flying Training Command)
  • Other Central Flying Training Command Flight Training Wings:
32d Flying Training Wing (Basic Flight Training)
33d Flying Training Wing (Advanced Flight Training, Two Engine)
34th Flying Training Wing (Bombardier and Specialized Two/Four-Engine Training)
77th Flying Training Wing (Advanced Flight Training, Single Engine)
78th Flying Training Wing (Classification/Preflight Unit)
80th Flying Training Wing (Navigation and Glider)

List of wing commanders[edit]

  • BG Warren R. Carter, 16 January 1943
  • BG T.W. Blackburn, 26 April 1943
  • Col Henry W. Door, 10 April 1944
  • BG Aubry Hornsby, 22 May 1944
  • Col James F. Powell, 15 June 1944
  • Col Walter S. Lee, 31 July 1944
  • BG Charles T. Myers, c. Nov 1944 (Additional Duty)
  • Col Walter S. Lee, 16 December 1944
  • BG John F. Egan, 4 January 1945
  • Col Hilbert M. Wittkop, 23 Apr–31 Oct 1945
  • Unknown through 30 December 1945.

Notes[edit]

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas OCLC 71006954, 29991467
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y 31st Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
  3. ^ Combat Glider Pilot Training
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af "W.W.II Army Air Forces Contract Flying School Airfields – Database Summary". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  5. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Arledge Field". Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  6. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Avenger Field". Archived from the original on 17 September 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  7. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Bruce Field". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  8. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Chickasha Municipal Airport". Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  9. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Cimarron Field". Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  10. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Coleman Municipal Airport". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  11. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Corsicana Field". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  12. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Cuero Municipal Airport". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  13. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Fort Stockton Field". Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  14. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Garner Field". Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  15. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Grider Field". Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  16. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Harvey Parks Airport". Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  17. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Hatbox Field". Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  18. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Hicks Field". Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  19. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Jones Field". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  20. ^ a b Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004
  21. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Mustang Field". Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  22. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Parks Metropolitan Airport". Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  23. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Tulsa Municipal Airport". Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  24. ^ "www.accident-report.com: Tulsa Municipal Airport". Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  25. ^ "World War II Airfields and seaplne bases by state". Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l WW2 US Army Air Force CG-4A Combat Glider History Report
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