The 566th Air Defense Group is a disbanded
unit of the
United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the
28th Air Division at
Hamilton Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The
group was originally activated as the 566th Air Service Group, a support unit for a combat group at the end of
World War II but never deployed before it was inactivated in 1945.
The group was activated once again in 1952 at
Hamilton Air Force Base, California as the 566th Air Base Group to replace the support elements of the inactivating
78th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. A year later
Air Defense Command (ADC) established it as an operational headquarters for
fighter-interceptor squadrons as well. It was replaced in 1955 when ADC transferred its mission, equipment, and personnel to the
78th Fighter Group in a project that replaced air defense groups commanding fighter
squadrons with fighter groups with distinguished records during World War II.
History
World War II
The group was activated at
Robins Field, Georgia toward the end of
World War II as the 566th Air Service Group in 1944 and trained to support a single combat
group.[1] Its 984th Air Engineering Squadron[2] would provide maintenance that was beyond the capability of the combat group, its 1004th Air Materiel Squadron[2] would handle all supply matters, and its Headquarters & Base Services Squadron would provide other support.[1] The group was inactivated before it could be deployed overseas.[3] It was disbanded in 1948.[4]
Cold War
During the
Cold War the group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 566th Air Base Group, and activated at
Hamilton Air Force Base, California in 1952[5] in a major reorganization of
Air Defense Command (ADC) responding to ADC's difficulty under the existing wing base organizational structure to deploy fighter squadrons to best advantage.[6] It replaced the 78th Air Base Group as host unit for Hamilton. The 566th was assigned eight
squadrons and one
flight to perform its support responsibilities.[7][8][9][10] The group also assumed responsibility to maintain aircraft stationed at Hamilton from the inactivating 78th Maintenance & Supply Group,[11] while the operational elements of the
78th Fighter-Interceptor Wing[12] were assigned to the
28th Air Division.
The 496th FIS was initially equipped with outmoded
World War II era
North American F-51 Mustang Aircraft.[17] In April, the 83rd FIS traded its Scorpions for
Lockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft.[13] and to later model Starfire, armed with
Mighty Mouse rockets, before the end of the year.[13] The 496th FIS, in turn, converted to
North American F-86 Sabres (also with radar and Mighty Mouse rockets) during 1953.[17] In February 1954, the
325th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at
Travis Air Force Base, California, also flying Sabres,[18] was assigned to the group.[19] Ten days after its assignment, the 325th FIS moved from Travis to Hamilton.[19] A few months later, in July, the group once again had only two operational squadrons when the 496th FIS moved to Europe and was assigned elsewhere.[16]
The 566th was inactivated[5] and replaced by the
78th Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 18 August 1955[20] as result of ADC's 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] The group was disbanded once again in 1984.[22]
^Aircraft is Northrop F-89C-5-NO Scorpion, serial 50-746.
^In foreground is Lockheed F-94C-1-LO Starfighter, serial 51-5641. This aircraft was transferred to the
Military Aircraft Storage and Disposal Center on 26 October 1957 and salvaged on 1 August 1958. Baugher, Joe (7 April 2023).
"1951 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
^Aircraft in foreground is North American F-86D-45-NA Sabre, serial 52-3938. Photo taken after squadron moved to Europe. Transferred to the
Royal Danish Air Force in 1962 for use as a ground trainer. Baugher, Joe (7 April 2023).
"1952 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
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)
Coleman, John M (1950). The Development of Tactical Services in the Army Air Forces. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.