1707th Air Transport Wing
Encyclopedia
The 1707th Air Transport Wing is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the Western Transport Air Force, Military Air Transport Service
, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base
, Oklahoma
. It was inactivated on 8 January 1966.
With the disestablishment of MATS, the assets of the Wing were reassigned to the 443d Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command
.
assumed jurisdiction of the facility. Was operated as a joint Civil-Military facility with Palm Beach International Airport
.
Mission of 1707th ATW was training USAF personnel on operation and maintenance of MATS heavy-lift transports. Known as the "University of MATS", training included C-124 Globemaster II, C-118 Liftmaster, C-97 Stratofreighter, and C-54 Skymaster maintenance training along with aircrew and transition pilot training. Nearly 23,000 airmen were trained at Palm Beach Air Force Base. The MATS Air Weather Service used Palm Beach AFB as a headquarters for hurricane research, flying the first WB-50D Superfortress "Hurricane Hunter" aircraft from the base in 1956.
Was moved to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma due to urban encroachment and local opposition to military presence at the airport. Continued training mission, receiving the first USAF C-141 Starlifter aircraft in 1964 and expanding training mission to include Starlifter operation and maintenance. In addition to the training mission, the 1707th ATW maitained a high state of combat readiness to airlift armed forces personnel and equipment, including evacuations in the event of national emergencies.
Discontinued on 8 January 1966 along with MATS, equipment and personnel reassigned to MAC 443d MAW same date.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last was assigned to the Western Transport Air Force, Military Air Transport Service
Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base
Tinker Air Force Base
Tinker Air Force Base is a major U.S. Air Force base, with tenant U.S. Navy and other Department of Defense missions, located in the southeast Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area, directly south of the suburb of Midwest City, Oklahoma.-Overview:...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. It was inactivated on 8 January 1966.
With the disestablishment of MATS, the assets of the Wing were reassigned to the 443d Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
.
History
Established in 1951 at Palm Beach AFB, Florida when Military Air Transport ServiceMilitary Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
assumed jurisdiction of the facility. Was operated as a joint Civil-Military facility with Palm Beach International Airport
Palm Beach International Airport
Palm Beach International Airport is a public airport located 3 nautical miles west of Palm Beach, Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and serves Palm Beach County. The airport is operated and maintained by Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is available...
.
Mission of 1707th ATW was training USAF personnel on operation and maintenance of MATS heavy-lift transports. Known as the "University of MATS", training included C-124 Globemaster II, C-118 Liftmaster, C-97 Stratofreighter, and C-54 Skymaster maintenance training along with aircrew and transition pilot training. Nearly 23,000 airmen were trained at Palm Beach Air Force Base. The MATS Air Weather Service used Palm Beach AFB as a headquarters for hurricane research, flying the first WB-50D Superfortress "Hurricane Hunter" aircraft from the base in 1956.
Was moved to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma due to urban encroachment and local opposition to military presence at the airport. Continued training mission, receiving the first USAF C-141 Starlifter aircraft in 1964 and expanding training mission to include Starlifter operation and maintenance. In addition to the training mission, the 1707th ATW maitained a high state of combat readiness to airlift armed forces personnel and equipment, including evacuations in the event of national emergencies.
Discontinued on 8 January 1966 along with MATS, equipment and personnel reassigned to MAC 443d MAW same date.
Lineage
- Established as 1707th Air Transport Wing, Heavy (Training) on 1 Sep 1951
- Activated on 16 Sep 1951
- Discontinued on 8 Jan 1966, personnel and equipment reassigned to: 443d Airlift Wing
Components
- 1707th Flying Training Squadron, 16 Sep 1951-8 Jan 1966
- 1707th Air Transport Squadron, 16 Sep 1951- 8 Jan 1966
- 1740th Air Transport Squadron, 16 Sep 1951-30 Jun 1959
- 1741st Air Transport Squadron, 1 Jul 1958-8 Jan 1966
- 1742d Air Transport Squadron, 1 Mar 1956-8 Jan 1966
Stations
- Palm Beach AFB, Florida, 16 Sep 1951
- Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, 1 Jun 1959-8 Jan 1966
Aircraft
- C-118 Liftmaster, 1951-1966
- C-124 Globemaster IIC-124 Globemaster IIThe Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shakey", was a heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California....
, 1951-1966 - C-97 StratofreighterC-97 StratofreighterThe Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long range heavy military cargo aircraft based on the B-29 bomber. Design work began in 1942, with the prototype's first flight being on 9 November 1944, and the first production aircraft entered service in 1947. Between 1947 and 1958, 888 C-97s in several...
, 1951-1959 - C-54 SkymasterC-54 SkymasterThe Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
, 1951-1959 - C-141 StarlifterC-141 StarlifterThe Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was a military strategic airlifter in service with the Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force...
, 1964-1966