4729th Air Defense Group

The 4729th Air Defense Group was established to provide a headquarters for the two Air Defense Command (ADC) fighter-interceptor squadrons stationed at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base. SAC's 814th Air Base Group acted as host organization for the base. The group was assigned the 324th and 337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons, flying radar equipped and Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket armed North American F-86D Sabre aircraft as its operational components, to provide air defense of New England. These squadrons were already stationed at Westover and had been assigned to the Boston Air Defense Sector. The 324th and 337th upgraded to newer model F-86L Sabres with data link for interception control through the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system in the fall of 1957. In the spring of 1958, the 337th converted to Lockheed F-104 Starfighter aircraft. The group was discontinued when the 324th departed for Morocco, leaving only a single operational ADC squadron at Westover. The 603rd CAMS was also inactivated, while the 337th was then assigned directly to the Boston Air Defense Sector. ==Lineage==

• Designated and organized as: 4729th Air Defense Group on 8 July 1957 : Discontinued on 25 June 1958 Assignments • Boston Air Defense Sector, 8 July 1957 – 25 June 1958 Stations • Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 8 July 1957 – 25 June 1958 Components • 324th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 8 July 1957 – 25 June 1958 • 337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 8 July 1957 – 25 June 1958 • 603rd Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 8 August 1957 – 8 February 1958 Aircraft • North American F-86D Sabre 1957 • North American F-86L Sabre 1957–1958 • Lockheed F-104A Starfighter 1958 ==See also==