Welcome To the U.S.A.A.F. Resource Center (2024)

FIFTH AIR FORCE

– 418th Night Fighter Squadron (April 1943–February 1947).
Deployed to Southwest Pacific, November 1943; received P-61s in September 1944 at
Hollandia Airfield, NEI. Operated in Netherlands East Indies, Philippines, Okinawa.
Inactivated on Okinawa. After inactivation personnel, equipment and aircraft assigned
to 4th Fighter Squadron (All Weather).

– 421st Night Fighter Squadron (May 1943–February 1947).
Deployed to Southwest Pacific, January 1944; received P-61s in June 1944 at
Nadzab Airfield, PNG. Operated in Papua New Guinea, Netherlands East Indies, Philippines,
and Okinawa. Inactivated in Japan. After inactivation personnel, equipment and aircraft
assigned to 68th Fighter Squadron (All Weather).

– 547th Night Fighter Squadron (March 1944–February 1946).
Deployed to Southwest Pacific, September 1944; received P-61s in October 1944 at
Owi Airfield, NEI. Operated in Netherlands East Indies, Philippines, Okinawa.
Inactivated in Japan.

SEVENTH AIR FORCE

– 6th Night Fighter Squadron (Formerly 6th Pursuit Squadron) (January 1943–Feb. 1947).
Received P-61s in May 1944 at John Rogers Field, Hawaii Territory. Deployed to
Mariana Islands, Central Pacific June 1944-May 1945. Inactivated in Japan.
After inactivation, personnel, equipment and aircraft assigned to
339th Fighter Squadron (All Weather).

– 548th Night Fighter Squadron (April 1944–December 1945).
Received P-61s in September 1944 at Hickam Field, Hawaii Territory. Deployed to
Central Pacific, December 1944. Operated in Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa.
Inactivated on Okinawa.

– 549th Night Fighter Squadron (May 1944–February 1946).
Received P-61s in October 1944 at Kipapa Gulch Airfield, Hawaii Territory. Deployed
to Central Pacific, February 1945. Operated in Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa.
Inactivated on Guam.

THIRTEENTH AIR FORCE

– 419th Night Fighter Squadron (April 1943–February 1947).
Deployed to South Pacific, February 1943; received P-61s in May 1944 at Buka Airfield,
Bougainville, Solomon Islands. Operated in Solomon Islands, Admiralty Islands, Netherlands
East Indies, New Guinea, Philippines. Inactivated in Philippines.

P-61A-1-NO Black Widow (s/n 42-5506) of the 419th NFS taxiing at Carney Airfield, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, shortly after the P-61's arrival in early 1944.
[Source: USAF Photo]

European Theatre

NINTH AIR FORCE

– 422nd Night Fighter Squadron (August 1943–September 1945).
Deployed to ETO, March 1944; received P-61s in May 1944 at RAF Scorton, England.
Operated in England, France, Belgium, Germany. Inactivated in France.

– 425th Night Fighter Squadron (December 1943–August 1947).
Deployed to ETO, March 1944; received P-61s in June 1944 at RAF Scorton, England.
Operated in England, France, Germany. Inactivated in France.

TWELFTH AIR FORCE

– 414th Night Fighter Squadron (January 1943–September 1947).
Deployed to MTO, May 1943; received P-61s in December 1944 at Pontedera Airfield, Italy.
Operated in Algeria, Sardinia, Corsica, Italy, plus detachment to Belgium. Reassigned to
Shaw AAF, South Carolina, August 15, 1946 and inactivated March 16, 1947. Personnel and
aircraft were reassigned to the 319th Fighter Squadron (All Weather) and flown
to Rio Hato AB, Panama.

– 415th Night Fighter Squadron (February 1943–September 1947).
Deployed to MTO, May 1943; received P-61s in May 1945 at Braunshardt Airfield (Y-72),
Germany. Operated in Algeria, Italy, Corsica, France, Germany. Reassigned to Shaw AAF,
South Carolina, July 13, 1946 and reassigned to Alaskan Air Command, May 19, 1947.
Inactivated on September 1, 1947, personnel and aircraft assigned to Alaskan Air Command
449th Fighter Squadron (All Weather).

– 416th Night Fighter Squadron (February 1943–November 1946).
Deployed to ETO, May 1943; MTO, August 1943. Received P-61s in September 1944 at
Rosignano Airfield, Italy. Operated in Italy, Corsica, France, Germany.
Inactivated November 9, 1946 and personnel, equipment and aircraft assigned to
2nd Fighter Squadron (All Weather).

– 417th Night Fighter Squadron (February 1943–November 1946).
Deployed to ETO, May 1943; MTO, August 1943. Received P-61s in September 1944 at
Borgo Airfield, Corsica. Operated in England, Algeria, Tunisia, Corsica, France,
and Germany. Inactivated November 9, 1946 and personnel, equipment and aircraft
assigned to 5th Fighter Squadron (All Weather).

– 427th Night Fighter Squadron (February 1944-October 1945).
Deployed to MTO, August 1944; received P-61s in August 1944 at Payne Airfield, Egypt.
Was designated for assignment to Poltava Airfield, Ukraine on the Eastern Front, for night
defense of USAAF airfields as part of the Operation Frantic shuttle bombing missions. When
the Soviets did not allow USAAF night fighters to defend the Ukraine bomber bases, the
squadron flew some missions from Pomigliano Airfield, Italy, then was reassigned to
Tenth Air Force in China-Burma-India Theater.

China-Burma-India Theatre

TENTH AIR FORCE/FOURTEENTH AIR FORCE

– 426th Night Fighter Squadron (January 1944–November 1945).
Deployed to CBI, June 1944; received P-61s in September 1944 at Madhaiganj Airfield, India.
Operated briefly from India (10th AF), but moved to China (14th AF) in October where it
operated until September 1945. Inactivated in India October 1945.

– 427th Night Fighter Squadron (February 1944–October 1945).
Reassigned to CBI from Twelfth Air Force in Italy in October 1944; equipped with P-61s.
Flights of aircraft operated from widely dispersed airfields in India and Burma (10th AF),
and China (14th AF). Squadron consolidated in India and inactivated, September 1945.

Postwar P-61 squadrons

AIR DEFENSE COMMAND

– 2nd Fighter Squadron (All Weather)
Formed from equipment and personnel of 416th Night Fighter Squadron in November 1946 at
AAF Station Schweinfurt, Germany. Assigned to 52nd Fighter Group (All Weather) at
Mitchel AAF, New York in June 1947. Transitioned to F-82 Twin Mustangs at
McGuire AFB, New Jersey in October 1949.

– 5th Fighter Squadron (All Weather)
Formed from equipment and personnel of 417th Night Fighter Squadron in November 1946 at
AAF Station Schweinfurt, Germany. Assigned to 52nd Fighter Group (All Weather) at
Mitchel AAF, New York in June 1947.
Transitioned to F-82 Twin Mustang at McGuire AFB, New Jersey in October 1949.

– 317th Fighter Squadron (All Weather)
Assigned to 325th Fighter Group (All Weather) at Mitchel AAF, New York in May 1947 and
assigned P-61s. Reassigned to Hamilton AAF, California in November 1947. Reassigned to
Moses Lake AFB, Washington in November 1948 where it transitioned to F-82 Twin
Mustangs.

CARIBBEAN AIR COMMAND

– 319th Fighter Squadron (All Weather)
Formed from equipment and personnel of 414th Night Fighter Squadron. Ground echelon of
unit formed at Rio Hato AB, Panama in March 1947; air echelon acquired P-61 aircraft at
Shaw Field, South Carolina and flew them to Panama for air defense of the Panama Canal.
Assigned to 6th FW. Squadron was subsequently reassigned to France AFB, Canal Zone in
January 1948. Transitioned to F-82 Twin Mustangs in December 1948.

ALASKAN AIR COMMAND

– 449th Fighter Squadron (All Weather)
Formed from equipment and personnel of 415th Night Fighter Squadron at Adak Air Field,
Aleutian Islands, Alaska on September 1, 1947.
Later transitioned to F-82 Twin Mustang in December 1948.

FAR EAST AIR FORCE

– 4th Fighter Squadron (All Weather)
Formed from equipment and personnel of 418th Night Fighter Squadron in August 1948 at
Naha Air Base, Okinawa. Assigned to 347th Fighter Group. Transitioned to F-82 Twin
Mustang in September 1948.

– 68th Fighter Squadron (All Weather)
Formed from equipment and personnel of 421st Night Fighter Squadron in August 1948 at
Bofu Air Base, Japan. Assigned to 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing.
Transitioned to F-82 Twin Mustangs in February 1950.

– 339th Fighter Squadron (All Weather)
Formed from personnel and equipment of 6th Night Fighter Squadron in February 1947 at
Johnson AB Japan. Transitioned to F-82 Twin Mustangs in February 1950.
Note: The 339th was the last USAF squadron equipped with F-61s, the last aircraft being
sent to reclamation at Tachikawa AB in May 1950.

– 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
Flew F-15A (RF-61C) Reporter (1947–1949) from Johnson AB, Japan. Aircraft reassigned to
82d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron until inactivated on April 1, 1949

CONTINENTAL AIR FORCES

– 57th Reconnaissance Squadron and 58th Reconnaissance Squadron.
Performed Weather Reconnaissance training at Rapid City AAF, South Dakota
(July 1945–January 1946).