View source for 40th Flight Test Squadron

{{Use American English|date=December 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{more footnotes|date=December 2012}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=40th Flight Test Squadron
|image=40th Flight Test Squadron F-16 with a Stand-in Attack Weapon.jpg
|image_size=300
|caption=40th Flight Test Squadron [[F-16 Fighting Falcon]]
|dates=1940–1970; 1971–1982; --present
|country={{USA}}
|branch={{air force|USA}}
|type=
|role=Flight Testing
|size=
|command_structure=[[Air Force Materiel Command]]
|garrison=
|nickname=Fighting Fortieth (1959–1982)
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=[[Southwest Pacific Theater]]<br/>[[Korean War]]<ref name=40TSfacts>{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/434069/40-flight-test-squadron/ |title=Factsheet 40 Flight Test Squadron|date=11 December 2007|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=28 February 2018}}</ref>
|decorations=[[Distinguished Unit Citation]]<br/>[[Air Force Outstanding Unit Award]]<br/>[[Philippine Presidential Unit Citation]]<br/>[[Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation]]<ref name=40TSfacts/>
|anniversaries=
|notable_commanders=
<!-- Insignia -->
|identification_symbol=[[File:40thflighttestsquadron.jpg|150px]]
|identification_symbol_label=40th Flight Test Squadron emblem<ref group=note>Approved 27 July 1983.</ref><ref name=40TSfacts/>
|identification_symbol_2=[[File:40 Fighter-Interceptor Sq emblem.png|40 Fighter-Interceptor Sq emblem|150px]]
|identification_symbol_2_label=40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem<ref group=note>Approved 9 July 1959.</ref><ref name=Maurer40FS>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 187-188</ref>
|identification_symbol_3=[[File:40 Pursuit Sq emblem.png|150px]]
|identification_symbol_3_label=40th Pursuit Squadron emblem<ref group=note>Approved 19 June 1941.</ref><ref name=40TSfacts/><ref>Hubbard, p. 720</ref>
}}

The '''40th Flight Test Squadron''' is a [[United States Air Force]] unit.  It is assigned to the [[96th Operations Group]], based at [[Eglin Air Force Base]], Florida.

==History==
[[File:40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Convair TF-102A-45-CO Delta Dagger 56-2360.jpg|thumb|40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Convair TF-102A-45-CO Delta Dagger 56-2360, Johnson AB, Japan, 1963]]
"Combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 2 June 1942 – 14 August 1945. Served in the occupation force in Japan, 1945–1950. Combat in Korea, 8 July 1950 – 25 May 1951. Air defense in Japan and Korea, June 1951 – June 1965. Trained cadres for transfer to Southeast Asia, 1966–1969. Not manned, 10 May 1969 – 15 October 1970 and 1 June 1972 – 30 April 1982."<ref name=40TSfacts/>

Conducted test and evaluation missions, using the various aircraft, 1982–present.

In 2022, the squadron added the [[Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie]] to its inventory.  This semi-autonomous [[unmanned aerial vehicle]] is capable of determining an optimal mission flight path 
based on inputs from ground stations or airborne fighter aircraft.  Testing will be led by the Autonomous Aircraft Experimentation Team.<ref name=XQ58>{{cite web |url= https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/xq-58a-valkyrie-drone-has-joined-eglin-air-force-bases-test-wing |last1=Helfrich|first1=Emma|title=XQ-58A Valkyrie Drone Has Joined Eglin Air Force Base's Test Wing|date=November 11, 2022|publisher=The Warzone|access-date=November 12, 2022}}</ref>

==Lineage==
; 40th Tactical Fighter Squadron
* Constituted as the '''40th Pursuit Squadron''' (Interceptor) on 22 December 1939
: Activated on 1 February 1940
: Redesignated '''40th Fighter Squadron''' on 15 May 1942
: Redesignated '''40th Fighter Squadron''', Single Engine on 20 August 1943
: Redesignated '''40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron''' on 20 January 1950
: Redesignated '''40th Tactical Fighter Squadron''' on 20 June 1965
: Inactivated on 15 October 1970
* Activated on 1 October 1971
: Inactivated on 30 April 1982
* Consolidated with the '''3247th Test Squadron''' on 1 October 1992 as the '''40th Flight Test Squadron'''<ref name=40TSfacts/>

; 40th Flight Test Squadron
* Designated as the '''3247th Test Squadron''' and activated on 25 June 1982
* Consolidated with the '''40th Tactical Fighter Squadron''' as the '''40th Test Squadron''' on 1 October 1992
: Redesignated '''40th Flight Test Squadron''' on 15 March 1994<ref name=40TSfacts/>

===Assignments===
* [[31st Pursuit Group]], 1 February 1940
* [[35th Pursuit Group]] (later 35th Fighter Group, 35th Fighter-Interceptor Group), 15 January 1942 (attached to [[35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing]], 15 January–14 July 1954 and 8 October 1956 – 1 July 1957)
* [[41st Air Division]], 1 October 1957 (attached to [[3d Bombardment Wing]], 1 December 1961 – 31 May 1962
* [[Tactical Air Command]], c. 17 June 1965
* [[33d Tactical Fighter Wing]], 20 June 1965 – 15 October 1970
* [[355th Tactical Fighter Wing]], 1 October 1971 – 1 June 1972
* 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 June 1972 – 30 April 1982
* [[3246th Test Wing]], 25 June 1982
* [[46th Test Wing]], 1 October 1992
* [[46th Operations Group]], 8 September 1993<ref>Assignment information in Factsheet, 40 Flight Test Squadron, except as noted.</ref>
* 96th Operations Group, 1 October 2012 – present<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/862272/96-operations-group-afmc/ |last1=Haulman|first1=Daniel L.|title=Factsheet 96 Operations Group (AFMC)|date=4 December 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref>

===Stations===
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break|width=50%}}
* [[Selfridge Field]], Michigan, 1 February 1940
* [[Baer Field]], Indiana, 6 December 1941
* [[Port Angeles, Washington]], 16 December 1941 – c. 22 January 1942
* [[Brisbane]], Australia, 25 February 1942
* [[Ballarat Airport]], Australia, 9 March 1942
* [[Mount Gambier Airport]], Australia, 16 March 1942
* [[Townsville Airport]], Australia, April 1942
* [[Berry Airfield (12 Mile Drome)]],{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} New Guinea, 2 June 1942
* Townsville Airport, Australia, 30 July 1942
* [[Rogers Airfield (30 Mile Drome)]],{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} New Guinea, c. 25 November 1942
* [[Tsili Tsili Airfield]], New Guinea, 11 August 1943
* [[Nadzab Airfield]], New Guinea, October 1943
* [[Gusap Airfield]], New Guinea, 5 February 1944
* Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea, 9 June 1944
* [[Kornasoren Airfield]]{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} [[Noemfoor]], [[Schouten Islands]], Netherlands East Indies, 4 August 1944
* [[Owi Airfield]], Schouten Islands, Netherlands East Indies, 14 September 1944
* [[Wama Airfield]], [[Morotai]], Netherlands East Indies, 17 October 1944
* [[Mangaldan Airfield]], [[Luzon]], Philippines, 21 January 1945
* [[Lingayen Airfield]], Luzon, Philippines, 11 April 1945
{{Col-break|width=50%}}
* [[Clark Field]], Luzon, Philippines, 19 April 1945
* [[Yontan Airfield]],{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], Ryuku Islands, 30 June 1945
* [[Irumagawa Air Base]], Japan, 10 October 1945
* [[Yokota Air Base]], Japan, 13 March 1950
* [[Ashiya Air Base]], Japan, 7 July 1950
* [[Pohang Air Base]] (K-3), South Korea, 17 July 1950
* [[Tsuiki Air Base]], Japan, 13 August 1950
* Pohang AB (K-3), South Korea, 7 October 1950
* [[Yonpo Air Base]] (K-27), North Korea, 18 November 1950
* [[Pusan West Air Base]] (K-1), South Korea, 3 December 1950
* [[Misawa Air Base]], Japan, 25 May 1951
* [[Johnson Air Base]], Japan, 1 July 1951 (detachment at [[Komaki Air Base]], Japan, 13 July 1953 – 17 February 1955)
* Yokota Air Base, Japan, 13 August 1954 – c. 15 June 1965
* [[Eglin Air Force Base]], Florida, 20 June 1965 – 15 October 1970
* [[Davis–Monthan Air Force Base]], Arizona, 1 October 1971
* [[George Air Force Base]], California, 1 June 1972 – 30 April 1982
* Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 25 June 1982 – present<ref>Station information in Fact Sheet 40 Flight Test Squadron excpt as noted.</ref>
{{Col-end}}

===Aircraft===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Bell P-39 Airacobra]], 1941–1944
* [[Republic P-47 Thunderbolt]], 1944–1945
* [[North American P-51 Mustang]] (later F-51, 1945–1950, 1950–1953
* [[Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star]], 1950, 1953–1954
* [[North American F-86D Sabre]], 1953–1961
* [[Convair F-102 Delta Dagger]], 1960–1965
* [[McDonnell F-4 Phantom II]] 1965–1969, 1982–present
* [[LTV A-7 Corsair II]], 1971–1972
* [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II]], 1982–present
* [[McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle]], 1982–present
* [[General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon]], 1982–present
* [[General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark]], 1982–1996
* [[Northrop T-38 Talon]], 1982–present
* [[North American T-39 Sabreliner]], 1982–unknown
* [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]], 1982–present
* [[Bell Boeing CV-22 Osprey]], 1982–present
* [[Bell UH-1 Huey]], 1982–present<ref name=40TSfacts/>
* [[F-15EX|Boeing F-15EX Eagle II]], 2021-present<ref name="AFMMAY21-7">{{cite book|title=[[AirForces Monthly]]|date=May 2021|publisher=[[Key Publishing|Key Publishing Ltd]]|location=[[Stamford, Lincolnshire|Stamford]], Lincolnshire, England|pages=7}}</ref>
* Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie, 2022–present<ref name=XQ58/>
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[United States Army Air Forces in Australia]]

==References==

===Notes===
; Explanatory notes
{{Reflist|group=note}}

; Citations
{{Reflist|40em}}

===Bibliography===
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}
* {{cite journal|url=  http://archive.nationalgeographic.com/dynamic/National%20Geographic%20Society/National%20Geographic/Landing.aspx  |last1=Hubbard|first1=Gerard|title= Aircraft Insignia, Spirit of Youth |year=1943|volume=LXXXIII |issue=6|pages=718–722|journal=The National Geographic Magazine|publisher=National Geographic Society|access-date=1 September 2017}} (subscription required for web access)
* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180735/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 December 2016|access-date= 17 December 2016|edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher= Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}
* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |archive-url= https://archive.today/20230820144531/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 August 2023 |edition= reprint|access-date= 17 December 2016|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}
* {{cite book|last=Ravenstein|first=Charles A.|title=Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977|url=https://archive.org/details/airforcecombatwi0000rave|access-date=17 December 2016|year=1984|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-12-9|url-access=registration}}

{{USAF Korea}}
{{USAAF 5th Air Force World War II}}

[[Category:Flight test squadrons of the United States Air Force|040]]