71st Flying Training Wing

The 71st Flying Training Wing conducts Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training. Its mission is to develop professional United States and allied nation pilots who are combat ready. It is responsible for training Air Force and allied student pilots for worldwide deployment and Aerospace Expeditionary Force support. Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training is conducted in three phases. Phase I is preflight, Phase II is Primary and is conducted with the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II. Phase III may be either fighter-bomber track, conducted with the Northrop T-38 Talon or tanker-airlift track, conducted with the Raytheon T-1 Jayhawk. ==Units==

• 71st Operations Group :: 3d Flying Training Squadron "Jayhawks" T-1 Jayhawk :: 5th Flying Training Squadron "Spittin' Kittens" Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, T-1 Jayhawk, Northrop T-38 Talon ::: The mission of the 5th is to train and provide a reserve of experienced instructor pilots to augment the Air Education and Training Command’s instructor cadre in the event of wartime mobilization. • 71st Comptroller Squadron ==History==

The 71st Observation Group trained with B-25, P-38, and P-40 aircraft beginning in October 1941. It moved to California in December 1941 and flew antisubmarine patrols off the west coast, then moved to the Southwest Pacific in the fall of 1943 and flew reconnaissance missions. Initial activation The wing was first activated at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa in August 1948 in the wing base reorganization of the United States Air Force, but was a viable entity for only a few days. Its tactical group was detached to the 32d Composite Wing and the wing had only one single reconnaissance squadron to perform photographic reconnaissance attached for its first week of existence. When the squadron was reassigned, the wing became non-operational and its manning was withdrawn. The wing was inactivated in late October. The tests revealed that the "parasite" concept was achievable but not practical. Hook-ups with the GRB-36 were nearly impossible to achieve in turbulence and would likely be unworkable under combat conditions. In addition, ground clearance with the fighter mounted was around 6 inches when the RF-84K was equipped with external fuel tanks. The problem of drag was even worse. The stowed fighter reduced the range of the GRB-36 by five to ten percent. In 1956 the entire FICON project was canceled, but the wing continued strategic reconnaissance until it was inactivated in 1957. Missile warning In 1962 the wing was activated again at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado as the 71st Surveillance Wing. It operated and maintained the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, including sites in Alaska, Greenland, and England. It also operated the sea-launched ballistic missile detection and warning system and supported the USAF Spacetrack system, and monitored the over-the-horizon radar system, 1969–1971. Flying training The wing was redesignated the 71st Flying Training Wing and replaced the 3575th Pilot Training Wing at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma in November 1972, assuming control of the undergraduate pilot training for USAF, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and allied countries there. In addition, it supported the Accelerated Co-Pilot Enrichment (ACE) program at numerous operating locations between 1978 and 1991. The wing provided initial flight training, and follow-on training for fighter, bomber and airlift/tanker aircraft crews for USAF, US Navy, Marine Corps and allied forces. ==Lineage==

• Established as the 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 10 August 1948 : Activated on 18 August 1948 : Inactivated on 25 October 1948 • Redesignated 71st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Fighter on 4 November 1954 : Activated on 24 January 1955 : Inactivated on 1 July 1957 • Redesignated 71st Surveillance Wing (Ballistic Missile Early Warning System) and activated on 6 December 1961 (not organized) : Organized on 1 January 1962 : Redesignated 71st Missile Warning Wing on 1 January 1967 : Inactivated on 30 April 1971 • Redesignated 71st Flying Training Wing on 14 April 1972 : Activated on 1 November 1972 • 13th Missile Warning Squadron, 1 January 1967 – 30 April 1971 :: Clear Air Force Station, Alaska • 23d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: attached 18–24 August 1948 • 25th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (later 25 Flying Training Squadron): 24 January 1955 – 1 July 1957; 1 November 1972 – 15 December 1991 • 26th Flying Training Squadron: 19 January 1990 – 15 December 1991 • 82d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron: 24 January 1955 – 1 July 1957 • 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron: 24 January 1955 – 1 July 1957 Stations • Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, 18 August – 25 October 1948 • Larson Air Force Base, Washington, 24 January 1955 – 1 July 1957 • Ent Air Force Base, Colorado, 1 January 1962 • McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, 21 July 1969 – 30 April 1971 • Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1 November 1972 – present Aircraft • Boeing RB-17 Flying Fortress, 1948 • Boeing RB-29 Superfortress, 1948 • Republic RF-84F Thunderflash, 1955–1957 • Republic RF-84K (GRF-84) Thunderflash, 1955–1956 • Cessna T-41 Mescalero, 1972–1973 • Cessna T-37 Tweet, 1972–2006 • Northrop T-38 Talon, 1972–present • Raytheon T-1 Jayhawk, 1994–present • Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, 2004–present ==See also==