The
wing was established in 1952 at Otis as the 4707th Defense Wing in a general reorganization of ADC, which replaced
wings responsible for a base with wings responsible for a geographical area. It assumed control of several
fighter Interceptor squadrons that had been assigned to the
33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing. In early 1953 it also was assigned six
radar squadrons in New England, some of which were
Air National Guard squadrons mobilized for the
Korean War and its dispersed fighter
squadrons were combined with colocated air base squadrons into air defense groups. The wing was discontinued in 1956 and its units transferred to other ADC commands, primarily the 33d Fighter Wing for units at Otis and the 26th Air Division for units at other locations.
Shortly after joining the wing, the 58th FIS converted from F-86 to F-94 aircraft.[7] Although it remained assigned to the wing until February 1953, the 59th FIS moved to
Goose Bay Airport, Labrador on 28 October 1952 and was detached from the wing to
Northeast Air Command until it was reassigned. In November its place at Otis was taken by the newly activating
437th FIS. The same month the
48th FIS activated at Grenier[10] to replace the 133d FIS, which was inactivated and returned to the control of the ANG.[8]
1953–1954 changes
The wing was reassigned to
32d Air Division as part of complete reorganization of
Eastern Air Defense Force in February 1953. This reorganization also resulted in the activation of Air Defense Groups at ADC fighter bases, and the new
groups assumed direct command of the fighter squadrons at these stations. The 564th Air Base Group redesignated as the 564th Air Defense Group[4] and the 58th FIS was reassigned to it at Otis,[6] The
518th Air Defense Group activated at
Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, New York[11] and was assigned the 47th FIS, which had been assigned to another wing.[12]
Another result of this reorganization is that the wing assumed the
radar detection, warning, and control mission and assigned six Aircraft Control & Warning Squadrons (AC&W Sq) to perform this mission.[13][14][15][16] Two of these squadrons, the 113th AC&W Sq and the 119th AC&W Sq, were federalized ANG squadrons, which were returned to state control in December,[13] while their personnel and equipment were transferred to the 700th AC&W Sq.[17] In the spring of 1953, five new AC&W Sqs were activated at Grenier AFB for transfer to stations in Canada.[18] These squadrons were all reassigned to Northeast Air Command shortly after their activation.[18] The 614th AC&W Sq moved to
Georgia and was reassigned later in December.[14]
The wing was assigned an additional Air Defense Group in September 1954 when the 4700th Air Base Group at
Stewart Air Force Base, New York was assigned an operational fighter squadron and redesignated the
4700th Air Defense Group.[19] The 4707th was also assigned an additional
radar unit two months later.[20]
Project Arrow and replacement
In 1955, ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.[21] As a result of Project Arrow, the
15th Fighter Group (Air Defense)[22] replaced the 518th Air Defense Group at Niagara Falls,[11] the
33d Fighter Group (Air Defense)[23] replaced the 564th Air Defense Group at Otis.[4] The 4700th Air Defense Group at Stewart[19] was replaced by the
329th Fighter Group (Air Defense), although the 329th group was assigned to another wing until mid-1956 due to shifting areas of air defense responsibility.[24]
Because Project Arrow called for fighter squadrons to be assigned to their traditional group headquarters, the 60th FIS at Westover returned to Otis and was replaced at Westover by the
337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which took over its personnel and aircraft.[25][26] Later in 1955, the wing assumed command of two other fighter squadrons, the
49th FIS at
Laurence G. Hanscom Airport, Massachusetts,[7][27] and the
324th FIS, which activated at Westover. Both squadrons flew F-86D aircraft.[7][28]
The wing was reassigned to the
26th Air Division in March 1956[1] when the 26th Air Division region of responsibility was extended, resulting in reassignment of radar and
interceptor aircraft units as well.[15][29][30][31] Shortly thereafter, ADC reactivated Fighter Wings at its large installations and the 4707th was discontinued later that year[1] with its equipment and personnel being reassigned to the unit it had originally replaced, now designated the 33d Fighter Wing (Air Defense).[3]
Lineage
Designated as the 4707th Defense Wing and organized on 1 February 1952
Redesignated 4707th Air Defense Wing on 1 September 1954
Discontinued on 18 October 1956
Assignments
Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952
32d Air Division, 16 February 1953
26th Air Division, 1 March – 18 October 1956
Components
If no station is given, units were at Otis Air Force Base.
^Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956), p.6
Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956)