440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Squadron F-86D Sabre[note 1]
Active	1943–1944; 1953–1960
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Fighter-Interceptor
Nickname(s)	Mad Dogs
Insignia
Patch with 440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem[note 2][1]

The 440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Erding Air Station, Germany, where it was inactivated on 1 January 1960. The squadron served as a NATO air defense unit from February 1953. The squadron was originally established as a Replacement Training Unit during World War II in February 1943, but was disbanded when the Army Air Forces reorganized its training units in 1944.

History[]

World War II[]

The squadron was first activated as the 440th Fighter Squadron at Sarasota Army Air Field, Florida in 1943 when the 337th Fighter Group expanded from three to four squadrons.^[1][2] It served as a III Fighter Command North American P-51 Mustang Replacement Training Unit. The squadron was disbanded in May 1944^[1] and its personnel and equipment transferred to the 341st AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Fighter).

European air defense[]

Reactivated in 1953 as a North American F-86D Sabre interceptor squadron. Moved to West Germany, attached to the 86th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Landstuhl Air Base. The squadron moved to Erding Air Base in Bavaria, operating as a forward-deployed squadron near the Czech border until inactivated in January 1960^[1] with the withdrawal of the F-86D from West Germany.

Lineage[]

• Constituted as the 440th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine 12 February 1943

Activated on 24 February 1943

Disbanded on 1 May 1944

• Reconstituted, and redesignated 440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 3 February 1953

Activated on 18 February 1953

Inactivated on 1 January 1960^[1]

Assignments[]

• 337th Fighter Group, 24 February 1943 – 1 May 1944
• 530th Air Defense Group, 18 February 1953
• Twelfth Air Force (attached to 86th Fighter-Bomber Wing), 1 July 1954
• 7486th Air Defense Group (later 7486th Air Base Group), 2 December 1954
• 86th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 3 January 1956
• 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 8 March 1958 – 1 January 1960^[1]

Stations[]

• Sarasota Army Air Field, Florida, 24 February 1943
• Pinellas Army Air Field, Florida, 15 April 1943 – 1 May 1944
• Geiger Field, Washington, 18 February 1953
• Landstuhl Air Base, Germany, 4 July 1954
• Erding Air Base, Germany, 17 February 1956 – 31 December 1959^[1]

Aircraft[]

• Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1943–1944
• North American P-51 Mustang, 1944
• North American F-86D Sabre, 1953–1960^[1]

References[]

Notes[]

Explanatory notes

Citations

Bibliography[]

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• "ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". The Interceptor. Aerospace Defense Command. 21 (1): 5–11, 26–31, 40–45, 54–59. January 1979.

External links[]