1st Proving Ground Group

1st Proving Ground Group
	1st Proving Ground Group- Emblem
Active	1939-1944
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Role	Test and Development

The 1st Proving Ground Group is a disbanded United States Army Air Forces unit. It was last active with the Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command, based at Eglin Field, Florida. It was disbanded on 1 April 1944. The unit's personnel/equipment/mission was taken over by the 610th Army Air Forces Base Unit (AAF Base Unit) and 611th AAF Base Unit.

History[]

The group was established at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida in August 1939. It was assigned the 1st Pursuit Squadron,^[1] 24th Bombardment Squadron (Light)^[2] (not manned until 1940) and 54th Bombardment Squadron (Medium).^[3] It transferred from Orlando for permanent assignment to Eglin Field to conduct flight testing activities in June 1941.^[4]

In 1944, the group conducted "Operation Crossbow" program to determine the best method of attacking German V-1 “buzz bomb” sites along the French and Dutch coasts, February 1944. Began testing the Republic-Ford JB-2 Loon, an American version of the German V-1, which became the foundation of the Air Force guided missile program, October 1944.^[5]

The AAF found standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to the support mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.^[6] Accordingly, the group was disbanded and the testing mission and associated personnel of the group were assumed by the 611th AAF Base Unit (Flight Test) (later 611th AF Base Unit (Proof Test Group)). At the same time the 610th Army Air Forces Base Unit (Proving Ground Complement) assumed the equipment, and personnel of the group associated with base support as well as those of the 118th WAC Post Headquarters Company,^[7] 2051st Ordnance Company, Aviation (Service),^[8] 869th Signal Service Company (Aviation), 24th Aviation Squadron, 4th AAF Emergency Rescue Boat Squadron,^[4] and 1453d Quartermaster Service Company (Aviation). Later in 1944, the 610th assumed the electronics^[9] and flight test^[10] activities of the 611th and became the 610th AAF Base Unit (Flight Test).

The 610th transferred its base support activities to the 609th AAF Base Unit (Airdrome Group) in January 1947^[11] and was discontinued on 1 August 1947 with its mission assumed by Army Air Forces Proving Ground (Provisional).^[12] The 611th AAF Base Unit was discontinued on 9 July 1948, when the Air Proving Ground Command reorganized according to the Wing/Base (Hobson Plan) model.^[13]

Lineage[]

Constituted as: 23d Composite Group, and activated on 1 August 1939^[4]^[12]

Redesignated as: Air Corps Proving Ground Detachment on 1 July 1941

Redesignated as: Air Corps Proving Ground Group on 10 April 1942

Redesignated as: 1st Proving Ground Group on 16 April 1943

Disbanded on 1 April 1944.

Assignments[]

Air Corps Training Center, 1 August 1939^[12]
Southeast Air Corps Training Center, 27 August 1940
Air Corps Proving Ground (later Proving Ground Command), 15 May 1941 - 1 April 1944

Stations[]

Army Air Base, Orlando, Florida, 1 August 1939^[4]^[12]
Eglin Field, Florida, 30 June 1941- 1 April 1944

Components[]

1st Pursuit Squadron (later 1st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)): 1 August 1939 - 1 May 1942
1st Proving Ground Torpedo Squadron: 27 August 1942 - 1 April 1944
24th Bombardment Squadron (Light): 1 December 1939 - 1 May 1942
54th Bombardment Squadron (Medium): 1 October 1939 - 1 May 1942

At Maxwell Field until 2 September 1940

1000 Quartermaster Boat Company (Aviation)^[4](later 4th AAF Emergency Rescue Boat Squadron): 9 September 1942 - 1 April 1944
2051st Ordnance Company, Aviation (Service):^[4] By 1 June 1943 - 1 April 1944
3062d Ordnance Company, Aviation (Service)^[4]

Aircraft[]

Curtiss A-12 Shrike, 1940-1942^[2]^[3]
Curtiss A-18 Shrike, 1940-1942^[2]
Douglas A-20 Havoc, 1940-1942^[2]
Stearman XA-21, 1940-1942^[2]
Martin B-10, 1940-1942^[1]^[2]
Martin B-12, 1939-1940^[1]^[2]^[3]
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1939-1942^[3]
Douglas B-18 Bolo, 1940-1942^[2]^[3]
Douglas B-23 Dragon, 1940-1942^[2]^[3]

North American B-25 Mitchell, 1940-1942^[2]^[3]
Martin B-26 Marauder, 1941-1942^[3]
North American BC-1A, 1941-1942^[1]
Lockheed C-36 Electra, 1940-1942^[2]
Lockheed C-40 Electra, 1939-1940^[1]^[2]
Douglas O-38, 1939-1940^[1]^[2]^[3]
Grumman OA-9 Goose, 1939-1942^[3]
Bell YFM-1 Airacuda, 1939-1940^[1]^[2]

Consolidated P-30, 1939-1940^[1]^[2]^[3]
Curtiss P-36 Hawk, 1939-1942^[1]
Curtiss YP-37, 1939-1940^[1]
Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1941-1942^[1]
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1941-1942^[1]
Waco PT-14, 1939-1942^[3]
Stearman PT-17, 1939-1940^[1]^[2]^[3]
Douglas SBD Dauntless, 1939-1940^[2] (Navy)

References[]

Notes[]

↑ ^1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 ^1.11 ^1.12 Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 9. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
↑ ^2.00 ^2.01 ^2.02 ^2.03 ^2.04 ^2.05 ^2.06 ^2.07 ^2.08 ^2.09 ^2.10 ^2.11 ^2.12 ^2.13 ^2.14 ^2.15 ^2.16 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 125
↑ ^3.00 ^3.01 ^3.02 ^3.03 ^3.04 ^3.05 ^3.06 ^3.07 ^3.08 ^3.09 ^3.10 ^3.11 ^3.12 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 223
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 ^4.3 ^4.4 ^4.5 ^4.6 Abstract, History 23d Composite Group August 1939-Sep 1943
↑ History of Eglin Air Force Base. Air Armament Center Office of History
↑ Goss, William A (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L. The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. p. 75. LCCN 48-3657.
↑ Abstract, History Section W, 610th AAF Base Unit Apr 1943-Aug 1945 (retrieved Dec 15, 2012)
↑ Abstract, History Section D, 610th AAF Base Unit Aug 1943-Dec 1944 (retrieved Dec 15, 2012)
↑ Abstract, History Electronics Section, 610th AAF Base Unit Apr-Dec 1944 (retrieved Dec 15, 1944)
↑ Abstract, History Section H, 610th AAF Base Unit Sep 1944 (retrieved Dec 15, 2012)
↑ Abstract, History Squadron S, 609th AAF Base Unit Jan-Jun 1947 (retrieved Dec 15, 2012)
↑ ^12.0 ^12.1 ^12.2 ^12.3 Mueller, Robert (1989). Volume 1: Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force, Washington, D.C. ISBN 0-912799-53-6, ISBN 0-16-002261-4
↑ Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 10. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_wings.pdf.

Bibliography[]

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L, ed (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48-3657.
Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. http://www.afhso.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-100921-026.pdf.
Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_wings.pdf.

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at 1st Proving Ground Group and the edit history here.

[Maurer9-1] 1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 ^1.11 ^1.12 Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 9. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.

[Maurer125-2] 2.00 ^2.01 ^2.02 ^2.03 ^2.04 ^2.05 ^2.06 ^2.07 ^2.08 ^2.09 ^2.10 ^2.11 ^2.12 ^2.13 ^2.14 ^2.15 ^2.16 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 125

[Maurer223-3] 3.00 ^3.01 ^3.02 ^3.03 ^3.04 ^3.05 ^3.06 ^3.07 ^3.08 ^3.09 ^3.10 ^3.11 ^3.12 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 223

[A155482-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 ^4.3 ^4.4 ^4.5 ^4.6 Abstract, History 23d Composite Group August 1939-Sep 1943

[site.nwfdailynews.com-5] History of Eglin Air Force Base. Air Armament Center Office of History

[6] Goss, William A (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L. The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. p. 75. LCCN 48-3657.

[7] Abstract, History Section W, 610th AAF Base Unit Apr 1943-Aug 1945 (retrieved Dec 15, 2012)

[8] Abstract, History Section D, 610th AAF Base Unit Aug 1943-Dec 1944 (retrieved Dec 15, 2012)

[9] Abstract, History Electronics Section, 610th AAF Base Unit Apr-Dec 1944 (retrieved Dec 15, 1944)

[10] Abstract, History Section H, 610th AAF Base Unit Sep 1944 (retrieved Dec 15, 2012)

[11] Abstract, History Squadron S, 609th AAF Base Unit Jan-Jun 1947 (retrieved Dec 15, 2012)

[Mueller-12] 12.0 ^12.1 ^12.2 ^12.3 Mueller, Robert (1989). Volume 1: Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force, Washington, D.C. ISBN 0-912799-53-6, ISBN 0-16-002261-4

[13] Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 10. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_wings.pdf.

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