4707th Air Defense Wing

The 4707th Air Defense Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 26th Air Division of Air Defense Command (ADC) at Otis Air Force Base (AFB), Massachusetts. It was discontinued in 1956

History

The wing was organized at the beginning of February 1952 as part of a major reorganization of ADC fighter units.^[1] The wing replaced 33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing (FIW) at Otis AFB five days later and assumed control of the 33 FIW's operational elements.^[1][2] The wing's 564th Air Base Group assumed support responsibilities for Otis AFB from the inactivating 33rd Air Base Group and 33rd Maintenance & Supply Gp.^[3] The operational units transferred from the 33rd FIW were the 58th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS) and 59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Otis AFB and the 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Westover AFB, Massachusetts.^[4][5] The 58th and 60th FIS flew F-86 Sabre aircraft,^[6] while the 59th FIS was equipped with F-94 Starfire aircraft.^[6] The wing also was assigned a federalized Air National Guard (ANG) squadron from the 101st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, the 133d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Grenier AFB, New Hampshire flying World War II era F-47 Thunderbolt aircraft.^[7] The wing mission was to train and maintain tactical flying units in state of readiness in order to defend the northeastern United States.

Shortly after joining the wing, the 58th FIS converted from F-86 to F-94 aircraft.^[6] Although it remained assigned to the wing until February 1953, the 59th FIS moved to Goose Bay Airport, Labrador on 28 October 1952 and was detached from the wing to Northeast Air Command (NEAC) until it was reassigned. In November 1952, its place at Otis AFB was taken by the newly activating 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. The same month the 48th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron activated at Grenier AFB, New Hampshire^[8] to replace the 133rd FIS, which was inactivated and returned to the control of the ANG.^[7]

The wing was reassigned to 32d Air Division as part of complete reorganization of Eastern Air Defense Force in February 1953. This reorganization also resulted in the activation of Air Defense Groups (Air Def Gp) at ADC fighter bases, and the new groups assumed direct command of the fighter squadrons at these stations. The 564th Air Base Group redesignated as the 564th Air Def Gp^[3] and the 58th FIS was reassigned to it at Otis AFB,^[5] The 518th Air Defense Group activated at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, New York^[9] and was assigned the 47th FIS, which had been assigned to another wing.^[10] Another result of this reorganization is that the wing was assigned the detection, warning, and control mission and assigned six Aircraft Control & Warning Squadrons (AC&W Sq) to perform this mission.^{[11][12][13][14]} Two of these squadrons, the 113th AC&W Sq and the 119th AC&W Sq, were federalized ANG squadrons, which were returned to state control in December,^[11] while their personnel and equipment were transferred to the 700th AC&W Sq.^[15] In the spring of 1953, five new AC&W Sqs were activated at Grenier AFB for transfer to stations in Canada.^[16] These squadrons were all reassigned to NEAC shortly after their activation.^[16] The 614th AC&W Sq moved to Georgia and was reassigned later December.^[12]

The wing was assigned an additional Air Defense Group in September 1954 when the 4700th Air Base Group at Stewart AFB, New York was assigned an operational fighter squadron and was redesignated the 4700th Air Defense Group.^[17] The 4707th was also assigned an additional radar unit two months later.^[18]

In 1955, ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars. ^[19]. As a result of Project Arrow, the 15th Fighter Group (Air Defense)^[20] replaced the 518th Air Def Gp at Niagara Falls,^[9] the 33d Fighter Group (Air Defense)^[21] replaced the 564th Air Def Gp at Otis AFB^[3] and the 4700th Air Def Gp at Stewart AFB^[17] was replaced by the 329th Fighter Group (Air Defense)^[22], although the 329th Ftr Gp(AD) was assigned to another wing until mid 1956 due to shifting areas of air defense responsibility. Because Project Arrow called for fighter squadrons to be assigned to their traditional group headquarters, the 60th FIS at Westover AFB returned to Otis AFB and was replaced at Westover by the 337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which took over its personnel and aircraft.^[23][24] Later in 1955, the wing assumed command of two other fighter squadrons, the 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Laurence G. Hanscom Airport, Massachusetts,^[6][25] and the 324th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which activated at Westover AFB, both flying F-86D aircraft^[6][26]

The wing was again reassigned to 26th Air Division in March 1956^[1] when the 26th Air Division region of responsibility was extended, resulting in reassignment of radar and fighter units as well.^{[27][13][28][29]} Shortly thereafter, ADC reactivated Fighter Wings at its large installations and the wing was discontinued later that year^[1] with its equipment and personnel being reassigned to the unit it had originally replaced, now designated the 33d Fighter Wing (Air Defense).^[2]

Lineage

• Designated as the 4707th Defense Wing and organized on 1 February 1952

Redesignated 4707th Air Defense Wing on 1 September 1954

Discontinued on 18 October 1956

Assignments

• Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 February 1952
• 32d Air Division, 16 February 1953
• 26th Air Division, 1 March - 18 October 1956

Components

If no station is given, units were at Otis AFB

Groups

Squadrons

Stations

• Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 6 February 1952 - 18 October 1956

Aircraft

• F-47D, 1952-1953
• F-80C, 1952-1953
• F-86A, 1952
• F-86D, 1953-1956
• F-86E, 1952-1953
• F-89D, 1955-1956
• F-89H, 1956
• F-94B, 1952-1953
• F-94C, 1953-1955

See also

• List of MAJCOM wings
• Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons
• List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadrons

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf. 
• Ravenstein, Charles A (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_wings.pdf. 

External links

	United States Air Force portal
	Military of the United States portal

• AFHRA Factsheet, 15th Wing (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 33rd Operations Group (accessed 7 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 52nd Operations Group (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 329th Armament Systens Group (accessed 12 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 47th Fighter Squadron (accessed 3 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 48th Flying Training Squadron (accessed 12 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 49th Flying Training Squadron (accessed 12 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 58th Fighter Squadron (accessed 12 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 59th Test & Evaluation Squadron (accessed 12 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 60th Fighter Squadron (accessed 12 Mar 2012)
• AFHRA Factsheet, 337th Flight Test Squadron (accessed 3 Mar 2012)

v t e Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) Bases CONUS Ethan Allen Amarillo Beale Charleston Davis-Monthan Dobbins Dover Dow Duluth Eglin Edwards Ellington Ellsworth England Ent Fairfax Fallon Fort Heath Fort Lee Geiger George Glasgow Grand Forks Grenier Griffiss Gunter Hamilton Hancock Homestead Hurlburt Hunter Jacksonville Key West Kincheloe Kingsley Kirtland Lackland Laredo Larson Luke MacDill March Malmstrom McCoy McChord McClellan McGhee Tyson McGuire Minneapolis-St. Paul Minot Mitchel New Castle Niagara Falls Norton O'Hare Otis Oxnard Paine Perrin Peterson Pittsburgh Portland Presque Isle R.I. Bong (unbuilt) Richards-Gebaur Robins K.I. Sawyer Selfridge Seymour Johnson Sioux City Stead Stewart Suffolk County Tinker Travis Truax Tyndall Vandenburg Vincent Walker Webb Westover Wright-Patterson Wurtsmith Youngstown Overseas Ernest Harmon Frobisher Bay Goose Bay Keflavik Pepperrell Pirinclik Thule Stations CONUS Adair Aiken Almaden Alpena Antigo Arlington Heights Baker Bedford Bellefontaine Belleville Benton Blaine Brookfield Brunswicck Bucks Harbor Burns Calumet Cambria Cape Charles Cape Cod (built during control) Carmi Caswell Chandler Charleston Cheyenne Mountain Claysburg Clear Colville Condon Continental Divide Cottonwood Cross City Crystal Springs Curlew Custer Cut Bank Dallas Center Dauphin Island Dickinson Duncanville Eldorado Empire Finland Finley Flintstone Fordland Fort Fisher Fort Lee Fortuna Gettysburg Grand Marais Grand Rapids Guthrie Hanna City Havre Highlands Houma Hutchinson Joelton Keno Killeen Kingman Kirksville Klamath Lake Charles Lake City Las Cruces Las Vegas Lewistown Lockport Lufkin Lyndonville Madera Makah Mica Peak Miles City Mill Valley Minot Montauk Moriarty Mount Hebo Mount Laguna Mount Lemmon Naselle North Bend North Charleston North Truro Oklahoma City Olathe Omaha Opheim Osceola Othello Owingsville Ozona Palermo Point Arena Port Austin Port Isabel Pyote Red Bluff Rochester Rockport Rockville (Indiana) Roslyn Rye Saint Albans San Clemente Island Santa Rosa Island Saratoga Springs Sault Ste Marie Shemya Snelling Snow Mountain Sweetwater Texarkana Tierra Amarilla Thomasville Tonopah Two Creeks Wadena Walnut Ridge Watertown Waverly West Mesa Willow Run Winnemucca Winslow Winston-Salem Woomera Yaak Zapata Overseas Armstrong Baldy Hughes Beausejour Cartwright Frobisher Bay Hofn Kamloops Langanes Latrar Puntzi Mountain Ramore Rockville (Iceland) Saskatoon Mountain Saglek Sioux Lookout Topsham Air Defense units Forces Central Air Defense Eastern Air Defense Iceland Western Air Defense First Fourth Tenth Fourteenth Air Divisions 8th 9th 20th 21st 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32nd 33rd 34th 35th 36th 37th 58th 64th 73rd 85th Sectors Albuquerque Bangor Boston Chicago Detroit Duluth Goose Grand Forks Great Falls Kansas City Los Angeles Minot Montgomery New York Oklahoma City Phoenix Portland Reno Sault Sainte Marie San Francisco Seattle Sioux City Spokane Stewart Syracuse Washington Wings 1st 4th 23nd 32nd 33d 46th 50th 52nd 56th 71st 73rd 78th 81st 325th 328th 507th 551st 552d 4620th 4621st 4622nd 4624th 4625th 4627th 4628th 4683rd 4700th 4702nd 4703rd 4704th 4705th 4706th 4707th 4708th 4709th 4710th 4711th 4750th 4751st 4752nd 4756th 4780th Groups Fighter 1st 4th 14th 15th 23rd 32nd 33rd 50th 52nd 53rd 54th 56th 57th 78th 79th 81st 82nd 84th 325th 326th 327th 328th 329th 337th 355th 408th 412th 414th 473rd 475th 476th 478th 507th Air Defense 10th 500th 501st 502nd 503rd 514th 515th 516th 517th 518th 519th 520th 521st 525th 527th 528th 529th 530th 533rd 534th 564th 566th 567th 568th 575th 637th 665th 678th 692nd 701st 751st 762nd 765th 778th 780th 827th 858th 4606th 4620th 4676th 4700th 4721st 4722nd 4727th 4728th 4729th 4730th 4731st 4732nd 4733rd 4734th 4735th 4750th 4756th Squadrons Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons Major weapon systems Electronic TB-29 EB-57 EC-121 Fighters Propellor: F-47 F-51 P-61 F-82 Subsonic Jet: P-80 F-84 F-86 F-89 F-94 Supersonic Jet: F-101 F-102 F-104 F-106 Missiles AIM-4 AIM-26 AIR-2 CIM-10 Ships Guardian Interceptor Interdictor Interpreter Investigator Locator Lookout Outpost Pickett Protector Scanner Searcher Skywatcher Tracer Watchman Vigil Miscellaneous Air Defense Command Emblem Gallery (On Wikimedia Commons) General Surveillance Radar Stations