431st Air Refueling Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 431st Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 4440th Air Delivery Group, stationed at Biggs Air Force Base, Texas
. It was inactivated on 8 Mar 1965.
to provide dedicated in flight refueling, initially for F-100 Super Sabre
s and later for other in-flight refueling capable TAC fighter and fighter bombers. Briefly equipped on activation in Jan 1957 with transferred Strategic Air Command
KB-29M Stratofortrresses that were converted to aerial tankers using a British-developed hose refueling system.
Re-equipped in June 1957 with KB-50 Superfortress in 1958 which provided greater speed to refuel jet aircraft. KB-50s were modified about 1960 to KB-50J configuration which added a J-47 turbojet engine underneath each wing in place of the auxiliary fuel tanks to increase the speed of the aircraft.
By 1964 aircraft were phased out due to age and being replaced by SAC KC-97 and KC-135s; squadron inactivated in early 1966 when KB-50Js sent to AMARC at Davis-Monthan.
When inactivated was the last USAF KB-50 unit.
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 4440th Air Delivery Group, stationed at Biggs Air Force Base, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It was inactivated on 8 Mar 1965.
History
Established in 1957 by Tactical Air CommandTactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
to provide dedicated in flight refueling, initially for F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
s and later for other in-flight refueling capable TAC fighter and fighter bombers. Briefly equipped on activation in Jan 1957 with transferred Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
KB-29M Stratofortrresses that were converted to aerial tankers using a British-developed hose refueling system.
Re-equipped in June 1957 with KB-50 Superfortress in 1958 which provided greater speed to refuel jet aircraft. KB-50s were modified about 1960 to KB-50J configuration which added a J-47 turbojet engine underneath each wing in place of the auxiliary fuel tanks to increase the speed of the aircraft.
By 1964 aircraft were phased out due to age and being replaced by SAC KC-97 and KC-135s; squadron inactivated in early 1966 when KB-50Js sent to AMARC at Davis-Monthan.
When inactivated was the last USAF KB-50 unit.
Lineage
- Established as 431st Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Jan 1957
- Activated on 8 Jan 1957
- Inactivated on 8 Mar 1965
Assignments
- Eighteenth Air ForceEighteenth Air ForceEighteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It was activated on 1 October 2003 and headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois...
, 8 Jan 1957 - 4505th Air Refueling Wing4505th Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 4505th Air Refueling Wing was an Air Refueling unit located at Langley AFB, Virginia. It was established on 1 Jul 1958 at Langley AFB, Virginia. The 4505th was the only aerial refueling wing in the Tactical Air Command structure. The wing flew the KB-50J, a derivative...
, 1 Jul 1958 - 4440th Air Delivery Group, 8 Oct 1963-8 Mar 1965
Stations
- Turner AFB, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, 8 Jan 1957 - Biggs AFB, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 1 Jul 1959-8 Mar 1965
Aircraft
- KB-29M SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, 1957 - KB-50/KB-50J SuperfortressBoeing B-50 SuperfortressThe Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
, 1957-1965