Harman Patil (Editor)

122d Fighter Wing

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Active
  
1942–present

Allegiance
  
Indiana

Type
  
Wing

Country
  
United States

Branch
  
Air National Guard

Role
  
Close Air Support

122d Fighter Wing

The 122d Fighter Wing (122 FW sometimes 122d) is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard, stationed at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Fort Wayne, Indiana. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.

Contents

Units

  • 163rd Operations Group (Tail code formerly "FW" (F-16), now "IN" (A-10))
  • 163rd Fighter Squadron, Transitioning from F-16C Falcons to A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft
  • 122nd Maintenance Group
  • 122nd Mission Support Group
  • 122nd Medical Group
  • History

    The 358th Fighter Group trained in the Mid-Atlantic United States with P-40 Warhawks, 1943. While in training also used for air defense of Philadelphia area. Moved to England during September and October 1943, they were equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts and began operations on 20 December 1943 and served in combat with Eighth and later, Ninth Air Forces until V-E Day.

    In 2005 the wing introduced the reconnaissance Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, becoming one of the first units to fly with it.

    In 2008, after having flown for 17 years with the block 25 aircraft, at which point the aircraft were nearing the end of their planned operational lifespans. More modern is quite relative since the aircraft they received were Block 30 F-16C/Ds manufactured between 1987 and 1989. These models were mainly coming from the Michigan Air National Guard 107th Fighter Squadron which was transitioning to the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the time. With the upgrade to the Block 30 aircraft, the tail code of the 163rd was changed from "FW" (Fort Wayne) to "IN" (Indiana) in 2009 when the 181st Fighter Wing at Hulman Field became a non-flying unit. However, only a few of the F-16s were re-coded.

    In 2009 – the year the unit honored its predecessor unit – the 358th FG – with an heritage jet – it was decided that the squadron was to retire their 20-year-old F-16s and become an A-10 Thunderbolt II squadron. The conversion happened in 2010.

    Lineage

  • Constituted as 358th Fighter Group on 20 December 1942
  • Activated on 1 January 1943 Inactivated on 7 November 1945
  • Re-designated: 122nd Fighter Group and allocated to Indiana ANG on 24 May 1946
  • Extended federal recognition on 9 December 1946 Federalized and ordered to active service on: 10 February 1951
  • Established as 122nd Fighter-Interceptor Wing, extended federal recognition and activated on 10 February 1951
  • Inactivated on 7 February 1952 Released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control, 1 November 1952
  • Re-activated on 1 November 1952
  • Re-designated: 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1954 Group re-designated 122nd Tactical Fighter Group Re-designated: 122nd Tactical Fighter Wing (Special Delivery), 1 July 1959 Group re-designated 122nd Tactical Fighter Group (Special Delivery) Federalized and ordered to active service on: 1 October 1961 Operated as: 7122nd Tactical Wing (Special Delivery), 1 October 1961-31 August 1962 Released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control, 31 August 1962 Re-designated: 122nd Fighter Wing, 16 March 1992-Present Group re-activated and re-designated 122nd Operations Group

    Assignments

  • I Fighter Command, 1 January–September 1943
  • Attached to: Philadelphia Fighter Wing, 28 April–September 1943
  • IX Fighter Command
  • Attached to: VIII Fighter Command, 20 October 1943
  • 71st Fighter Wing
  • Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 1 August 1944
  • 70th Fighter Wing
  • Attached to: IX Tactical Air Command, 1 October 1944
  • XIX Tactical Air Command, 16 January–July 1945
  • Second Air Force, 3 August – 7 November 1945
  • 66th Fighter Wing, 9 December 1946
  • 55th Fighter Wing, 7 December 1947
  • Indiana Air National Guard, 31 October 1950
  • Gained by: Tenth Air Force, Continental Air Command
  • Eastern Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command, 10 February 1951
  • Central Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command, 1 December 1951 – 7 February 1952
  • Indiana Air National Guard, 1 November 1952
  • Gained by: Eastern Air Defense Force, Air Defense Command Gained by: Tactical Air Command, 1 July 1954
  • Ninth Air Force, 1 October 1961
  • Attached to Seventeenth Air Force, 1 October 1961-31 August 1962
  • Indiana Air National Guard, 1 September 1962
  • Gained by: Tactical Air Command Gained by: Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992-Present

    Components

  • 122nd Fighter-Interceptor (later Tactical Fighter) Group, 10 February 1951 – 30 June 1974
  • Re-designated: 163rd Operations Group, 16 March 1992-Present
  • 112th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, Tactical Fighter) Squadron, 9 December 1946 – 30 September 1962 (Ohio ANG)
  • 113th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, Tactical Fighter) Squadron, 9 December 1946 – 30 September 1962 (GSU at Terre Haute, IN)
  • 163rd Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor, Tactical Fighter, Fighter) Squadron, 9 December 1946 – Present
  • 365th Fighter Squadron: 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945
  • 366th Fighter Squadron: 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945
  • 367th Fighter Squadron: 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945
  • References

    122d Fighter Wing Wikipedia