Origins 1st Fighter Wing

71st fighter squadron lockheed p-80s march afb 1948.

the 1st fighter wing activated @ march field california on 15 august 1947. assigned twelfth air force, tactical air command (tac).

in december 1948 twelfth air force assigned tactical air command continental air command (conac), established on 1 december 1948. conac assumed jurisdiction on both tac , air defense command (adc). move reflected effort concentrate fighter forces deployed within continental united states strengthen air defense of north american continent. move largely administrative convenience: units assigned conac dual-trained , expected revert primary strategic or tactical roles after air defense battle won. 1st fighter wing subsequently transferred twelfth air force/tac fourth air force/conac on 20 december 1948. organizational , equipment changes continued throughout 1949. first f-86 sabre, assigned 94th fighter squadron, arrived on 15 february. end of june wing had received seventy-nine of eighty-three authorized f-86s. on 1 may wing transferred conac strategic air command (sac) , fifteenth air force. wing subsequently attached 22d bombardment wing on 1 july.

at march, wing trained in large formation flying , competed establish various formation records. 71st fighter squadron struck first in september 1949, when launched twelve , later eighteen-aircraft formation. 27th , 94th countered on 21 october. on day 94th launched 3 thirteen-plane formations, 27th topped 2 twenty-one plane formations, purpose of exercise became clear in january 1950, when wing deployed sizable contingent of aircraft participate in filming of rko film jet pilot. group claimed final formation record on 4 january when passed twenty-four plane formation (consisting of 8 aircraft each squadron) before cameras. group formed own aerial demonstration team in january 1950. team, dubbed sabre dancers , composed of 5 members of 27th fighter squadron. sabre dancers made viewed flight on 22 april 1950, when performed before armed forces day audience @ eglin afb, florida, included president harry s. truman, of cabinet, , numerous other political leaders.