United States Air Forces in Europe 81st Training Wing

527th f-16c block 30a fighting falcon 85-1479 @ raf bentwaters, england, 1988 upon squadron receipt of aircraft. first european based aggressor aircraft , shown parked in front of hardened aircraft shelter adorned russian bear , star. 527th usafe squadron in uk assigned f-16.



a 91st tfs a-10a in 1987 flying though pyrenees mountains between france , spain.



mcdonnell f-4d-28-mc phantom serial no. 65-0738 of 78th tactical fighter squadron, september 1972. aircraft retired amarc on 13 june 1990.



92d tfs f-101c voodoo 56-035



91st tfs f-84f 52-6852



78th fbs north american f-86f sabre - 51-13234

after fourteen months @ redesignated larson air force base, 81st received movement orders deploy england. on 1 august 1951, 81st flew raf shepherds grove, when in september transferred headquarters raf bentwaters, wing stationed next 40 years part of united states air forces in europe (usafe). 81st fighter-bomber group inactivated on 16 june 1952 when group considered redundant part of air force tri-deputate reorganization.

the 81st first sabre jet unit based in europe, , first form integral part of peacetime air defense of great britain. in role, wing came under operational control of royal air force fighter command no. 11 group during actual defense of united kingdom, , combined operational training. under usafe, 81st came under control of third air force coordinated activities raf. although pilots had relatively short time acquaint raf techniques , procedures , methods of fighter control, unit made , excellent showing. in november 1952 when 116th fighter-interceptor squadron inactivated , returned washington state control, replaced 78th fighter-interceptor squadron, assumed mission, personnel , equipment. 78th moved raf sculthorpe in may 1956. 78th briefly returned shepherds grove in may 1957 before being reassigned raf woodbridge in december 1958 when usaf turned shepherds grove british ministry of defence.

in october 1954 mission of 81st changed fighter-interceptor fighter-bomber operations, carrying both conventional , nuclear weapons. wing charged tactical operations in support of usafe , nato, air defense secondary mission. reflect change, unit redesignated 81st fighter-bomber wing , traded in north american f-86 sabres republic f-84f thunderstreak.

on 8 july 1958 bentwaters operated twin base raf woodbridge , single unit under newly designated 81st tactical fighter wing. along 91st , 92d tactical fighter squadrons, 78th tactical fighter squadron transferred raf shepherds grove when usaf returned shepherds grove ministry of defense. 78th tfs operated woodbrige, while 91st , 92d squadrons operated bentwaters.

beginning in fall of 1958, 81st tfw requipped mcdonnell f-101 voodoo. f-101 configured fighter bomber, intended carry single nuclear weapon use against battlefield targets such airfields. voodos equipped low angle drogued delivery , low altitude bombing system equipment primary mission of delivering nuclear weapons @ extremely low altitudes. pilots trained one-way missions soviet territory increase effective range @ cost in negating pilot recovery.

in november 1965, 81st received mcdonnell f-4 phantom iis replace voodoos. receiving f-4c later upgraded more capable f-4d during late 1972 , 1973.

the 81st began conversion fairchild republic a-10 thunderbolt ii in june 1979. a-10 being single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft designed provide close air support (cas) of ground forces attacking tanks, armored vehicles, , other ground targets. a-10, wing s mission changed close air support , battlefield air interdiction in support of nato ground forces.

this arrangement continued until june 1988 when 10th tactical reconnaissance wing @ raf alconbury became tactical fighter wing, , 2 of 81st tfw squadrons, 509th , 511th tactical fighter squadrons transferred there on 1 june , 1 september, respectively. transfer of a-10s alconbury, 527th aggressor squadron transferred bentwaters. mission of 527th provide dissimilar air combat training nato pilots, using soviet tactics. squadron flew northrop f-5 freedom fighter @ alconbury, after 12 years of intense flying, 1988 fleet of aggressor f-5es getting rather worn out result of sustained exposure rigors of air combat maneuvering. decided re-equip squadron general dynamics f-16c fighting falcons when squadron assigned bentwaters.

the 527th squadron flew last f-5e sortie alconbury on 22 june 1988. on 14 july 1988 squadron transferred, transitioning f-16cs mid-january 1989 @ bentwaters. however, in 1990 collapse of soviet union, decision made terminate entire usaf aggressor program. 527th inactivated on 30 september 1990.

an a-10 forward operating location established @ sembach air base west germany on 1 september 1978 when det. 1, 81st tactical fighter wing activated. revetments , dozen hardened aircraft shelters built , a-10a single-seat forward air control versions began operations @ sembach during may 1979. additional detachments subsequently established @ leipheim, alhorn , norvenich air bases , @ 2 rear-ward forward operating locations remain classified day, in west germany. a-10 s , support resources routinely rotated these forward operating locations raf bentwaters training , tactical evaluations. in event of war in 1980s, bentwater a-10 s fight germany, , bentwaters host f-16 s nellis air force base , myrtle beach air force base, south carolina.

with end of cold war, usaf presence @ bentwaters gradually phased down. announced base closed , 81st tfw inactivated. began preparation base closure in december 1992, ending flying operations on 1 april 1993. last a-10 aircraft departed bentwaters on 23 march 1993, , 81st tactical fighter wing inactivated on 1 july 1993.