USAF use Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base

1 usaf use

1.1 36th fighter-bomber wing
1.2 117th tactical reconnaissance wing
1.3 10th tactical reconnaissance wing
1.4 7330th flying training wing

usaf use

when allied forces moved in take possession of field in late april, found prisoners of war , townspeople had looted until left deserted installation. fürstenfeldbruck occupied american forces , @ first home of army engineering battalion. after reconstruction, fürstenfeldbruck became headquarters, uaaf/et replacement depot (provisional) in november 1945. tens of thousands of fresh army air force replacement troops zone of interior (zi), usa referred to, arrived in trains le havre , housed in stone barracks week or before being assigned final airbase or other destination, replaced veteran airmen redeployed home discharge, through replacement depot. offices , base personnel housing excellent , included equipped theater, natatorium (indoor swimming pool), mess hall, , 4-man bedrooms, each own bathroom, housed in stone buildings rather wooden barracks or tents.

several other usaaf units performed occupation duty @ fürstenfeldbruck:

70th fighter wing (28 july - 9 november 1945)
306th bombardment group (16 august - 13 september 1946)

assigned 128th replacement battalion, aaf/et replacement depot.
45th reconnaissance group (april - june 1947)

the 306th bomb group engaged in special photographic mapping duty in western europe , north africa. 34th reconnaissance squadron flew these missions b-17s. assignment continued 160th photographic reconnaissance squadron of 10th recon group flying f-5 (p-38) , f-6 (p-51) aircraft.

during first berlin crisis, b-29-equipped 301st bombardment group stationed @ fürstenfeldbruck short period in july/august 1948.

the replacement depot functioned until august 1948, when usafe decided use fürstenfeldbruck operational jet base.

36th fighter-bomber wing


t-33 (former tf-80c) 49-1007 of 22d fs, 36th fighter wing, 1950



republic f-84e-10-re thunderjet serial 49-2299 of 23d fighter-bomber squadron, 1951, flown wing commander col. robert l. scott. note 23d fighter group emblem on nose, col. scott flying tiger in china during world war ii

on 13 august 1948 36th fighter wing assigned fürstenfeldbruck air base operational unit. unit transferred germany howard air force base, canal zone. when wing arrived in germany, became first usafe unit jet-equipped lockheed f-80a/b shooting star .

active squadrons of 36th fw were:

22d fighter (f-80a/b, red color band)
23d fighter (f-80a/b, blue color band)
53d fighter (f-80a/b, green color band)

markings of squadrons consisted of color band under fin, , long lightning flash arrowhead tip on forward end, extending nose center of fuselage.

in may 1949, hq usafe authorized 36th fighter group form skyblazers aerial demo team perform @ european , mediterranean area air shows. new usafe skyblazers team fürstenfeldbruck ab made first-ever performance in october 1949 @ raf gütersloh in british zone of then-occupied germany.

on 20 january 1950, 36th fw redesignated fighter-bomber wing (fbw) when 89 republic f-84e thunderjets arrived. f-80s sent conus equipp air national guard units.

the squadrons retained same color designations f-84s, f-84 markings consisted of solid geometric shape painted on vertical stabilizer, above radio call number, capital letter specific each aircraft @ center. these markings gave way medium blue/white striping angled 15 degrees on vertical stabilizer surfaces, squadron colors being painted on them.

the 36th fbw remained @ fürstenfeldbruck until 1952 when reassigned bitburg air base, west of rhine.

117th tactical reconnaissance wing

on 27 january 1952 activated air national guard 117th tactical reconnaissance wing deployed europe assigned toul-rosieres air base, france. in 1952, toul air base unfinished @ time of wings activation/deployment , not yet ready jet aircraft. meant wing hq in france, , 2 attached rf-80a squadrons moved germany. 160th neubiberg air base; 112th , 157th fürstenfeldbruck.

the mission of 1117th trw provide tactical, visual, photographic , electronic reconnaissance both day , night, required military forces within european command. rf-80 s responsible daylight operations, , rb-25s night reconnaissance.

the wing s complement of aircraft 15 rb-26cs , 14 rf-80as, assigned follows:

112th tactical reconnaissance (rb-26c, yellow stripes on tail)
157th tactical reconnaissance (rf-80a, red stripes on tail)

in addition, each squadron had t-33a trainer assigned it.

on 9 july 1952 activated air national guard 117th trw released active duty.

10th tactical reconnaissance wing


lockheed p/rf-80a-5-lo shooting star serial 45-8330 of 38th tac recon squadron / 10th trw

on 9 july 1952 10th tactical reconnaissance wing activated in europe, being reassigned pope army air field, north carolina. squadrons of 117th trw redesignated follows:

1st tactical reconnaissance (rb-26c) (formerly 112th trs)
38th tactical reconnaissance (rf-80a) (formerly 157th trs)

the 10th tactical reconnaissance wing designated successor of world war ii 10th reconnaissance group, being awarded lineage , honors. 10th rg stationed @ fürstenfeldbruck in 1947.

with re-designation of 117th trw, found runway conditions @ toul air base still considered unsatisfactory safe operations of jet aircraft, base in france completed enough operation of propeller aircraft. therefore, rf-80 equipped 32nd trs remained @ fürstenfeldbruck in deployed status, while propeller-driven rb-26 s of 1st trs reassigned toul.

the 32nd trs rf-80s repainted red lightning bolts painted on vertical stabilizers, , blue lightning flashes painted on center fuselage , wing tip tanks.

the 32nd trs remained @ fürstenfeldbruck until 9 may 1953 when 10 trw reassigned spangdahlem air base in germany part of usafe reorganization.

7330th flying training wing

in november 1953, 7330th flying training wing activated @ fürstenfeldbruck. mission of wing provide upgrading , instructor training students of map (mutual assistance pact) – recipient countries in t-33 trainers; operate , maintain fürstenfeldbruck air base; provide administrative , logistical support tenant units; prepare reception , provide necessary support tactical units using fürstenfeldbruck staging base; , operate , maintain siegenburg gunnery range.

in 1955 french, british , american occupation of germany ended , permission given west german government re-establish armed forces. in 1957 fürstenfeldbruck air base became joint-use facility new west german air force.

joint-use continued until 1958 7330th wing, organization redesigned 7367th flying training group until discontinued in 1960.