418th Flight Test Squadron

418th Flight Test Squadron History and Lineage 

Lineage: Constituted 28th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Redesignated 418th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 Apr 1942. Activated on 1 Jun 1942. Redesignated 418th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 19 Dec 1945. Redesignated 418th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 13 May 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 29 May 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated 418th Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 1 Dec 1958. Activated on 1 Mar 1959. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Jan 1962. Consolidated (1 Oct 1992) with the 6518th Test Squadron, which was designated, and activated, on 10 Mar 1989. Redesignated: 418th Test Squadron on 2 Oct 1992; 418th Flight Test Squadron on 1 Mar 1994.  

Assignments: 100th Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1942-19 Dec 1945. 100th Bombardment Group, 29 May 1947-27 Jun 1949. 100th Bombardment Wing, 1 Mar 1959-1 Jan 1962. 6510th (later, 412th) Test Wing, 10 Mar 1989; 412th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1993-.  

Stations: Orlando AB, FL, 1 Jun 1942; Barksdale Field, LA, 18 Jun 1942; Pendleton Field, OR, 26 Jun 1942; Gowen Field, ID, 28 Aug 1942; Walla Walla, WA, 31 Oct 1942; Wendover Field, UT, 30 Nov 1942; Sioux City AAB, IA, 6 Jan 1943; Kearney AAFld, NE, 4 Feb-1 May 1943; Thorpe Abbots, England, 2 Jun 1943-11 Dec 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 17-19 Dec 1945. Miami AAFld, FL, 29 May 1947-27 Jun 1949. Pease AFB, NH, 1 Mar 1959-1 Jan 1962. Edwards AFB, CA, 10 Mar 1989-.  

Aircraft: B-17, 1942-1945. Unkn, 1947-1949. B-47, 1959-1961. MC-130; AC-130H Hercules, 1990-1995; CV-22 Osprey, 2000–Present; EC-18B Stratoliner, Oct 2000-Aug 2001; KC-135R Stratotanker, 2000–Present; C-12 Huron, 1997–Present; C-141 Starlifter, 1993-1998; NC-130H Hercules, 1995–Present; C-17A Globemaster III, 1995–present; NKC-135E, 2000-2006; C-23 Sherpa, 1993-1997; T-39 Sabreliner, 1993–Present

Operations: Combat in ETO, 25 Jun 1943-20 Apr 1945. Strategic bombardment operations, Mar 1959-Oct 1961. Tested the MC-130H and AC-130U, 1989-present.  

Service Streamers: None.  

Campaign Streamers: World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.  

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers: None.  

Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citations: Germany, 17 Aug 1943; Berlin, Germany, 4, 6, 8 Mar 1944. French Croix de Guerre with Palm: 25 Jun-31 Dec 1944.  

Emblem: Azure, an orle Or overall and throughout the cipher "X" of the like surmounted by a triangle Gules upper point bendwise and bebruised by a Bengal tiger head erased close proper, all within a diminished bordure Yellow. Approved on 19 May 1994; replaced emblems approved on 9 Jun 1961 (K 12506) and 4 Oct 1943 (10043 A.C.).