41st Flying Training Squadron

The 41st Flying Training Squadron is part of the 14th Flying Training Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates Beechcraft T-6 Texan II aircraft conducting flight training.

41st Flying Training Squadron
14th Flying Training Wing T-6 Texan II
Active1940–1960; 1990–1997; 1998–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RolePilot Training
Part ofAir Education and Training Command
Garrison/HQColumbus Air Force Base
Nickname(s)Flying Buzzsaws
Motto(s)A Cut Above
EngagementsSouthwest Pacific Theater
Korean War[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation[1]
Commanders
Current
commander		Lt Col. Timothy "Bogey" Thoren
Insignia
41st Flying Training Squadron emblem (approved 10 May 1990)[1]
41st Pursuit Squadron emblem (approved 4 October 1941)[2]
41st FIS F-86D 52–9989 over Japan, 1955
F-80s – Johnson Air Base – (Deployed at Misawa AB, Japan), January 1951

The squadron's mission is to train future Air Force military aviators in Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Phase 2 in the T-6A. Additionally, the 41st trains several foreign military pilots each year in the T-6, through both Foreign Military Sales program and the international Aviation Leadership Program. To accomplish its mission, the squadron annually flies over 17,200 sorties and 22,000 flight hours. The squadron also qualifies and sustains 80–90 mission-ready T-6 instructor pilots. The "Flying Buzzsaws" are currently commanded by Lt Col Timothy "Bogey" Thoren.[3]

History

The squadron flew antisubmarine patrols off the coast of Washington from 14 December 1941 – 21 January 1942.

Transferred to the Southwest Pacific theater in early 1942, the 41st converted to the Bell P-39 Airacobra at Sydney, Australia. Scrambled in response to an attack on Sydney Harbour by Japanese submarines, 1/Lt George Cantello died when his P-39 crashed, soon after takeoff.

On 23 July 1942, the squadron commenced frontline combat sorties in New Guinea, including air patrols, bomber escort, and close air support. It later converted to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. Combat sorties continued until 14 August 1945.

During the Korean War, the squadron flew air defense sorties over Japan. It had been re-designated the 41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. It conducted academic training for pilots and managed the accelerated copilot enrichment training program from, 1990–1991 and has conducted student flight training since 1998.[1]

Lineage
  • Constituted as the 41st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 December 1939
Activated on 1 February 1940
Redesignated 41st Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
Redesignated 41st Fighter Squadron, Single-Engine on 14 February 1944
Redesignated 41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950
Discontinued and inactivated on 8 March 1960
  • Redesignated 41st Flying Training Squadron on 1 January 1990
Activated on 10 January 1990
Inactivated on 15 May 1991
  • Activated on 1 October 1998[1]

Assignments

Stations
Detachments operated from Misawa Air Base, Japan 6 September 1950 – August 1951 and Niigata Air Base, Japan c. 25 May 1951 – 31 October 1954

Aircraft operated

References

Notes
  1. Robertson, Patsy (14 April 2014). "Factsheets : 41 Flying Training Squadron (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015.
  2. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 190–191
  3. No byline (14 August 2014). "Fact Sheets: 41st Flying Training Squadron". 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2018.

Bibliography
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