494th Fighter Squadron

Callsign : PANTHERS

Nato Tiger Association status : former member

The 494th Fighter Squadron was activated on 15 January 1941 as the 57th Bombardment Squadron (Light), a training squadron preparing pilots and maintenance crews for eventual combat, flying the Curtis A-18 "Shrike" and the Douglas A-20 "Havoc".

After the Pearl Harbor Attack, the squadron flew anti-submarine patrols between March and April 1942.  The squadron was redesignated 57th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 28 August 1942 operating the Vultee A-31 and A-35 "Vengeance".

It resumed aircrew training with many of the group's members serving in squadrons stationed in Europe and the Pacific theaters with the Curtiss P-40N "Warhawk" and the Bell P-39N "Airacobra" and was redesignated as the 494th Fighter Bomber Squadron on 10 August 1943.

Eventually coming under the III Fighter Command in 1944, 494 FS trained replacement pilots, operating Republic P-47D and P-47G "Thunderbolts".

The Squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), with their Thunderbolts, being assigned to the 48th Fighter-Bomber Group of the Ninth Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe, in England in March 1944 and was redesignated as 494th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 30 May 1944.   The 494th assisted the Normandy invasion by dropping bombs on bridges and gun positions, attacking rail lines and trains, and providing visual reconnaissance reports.

In mid-June 1944 they moved to France to provided support for the 1st US Army.  On V-E Day they were stationed in Occupied Germany.

On 5 July 1945, the squadron arrived in Laon, France and after a few weeks there the squadron received orders to return to the US.  Two months later, on 7 November 1945, the squadron inactivated as part of the massive postwar draw down.

Reactivated on 25 June 1952 as the 494th Fighter-Bomber Squadron they were assigned to Chaumont AB in France.  Initially Equipped with Republic F-84F and F-84G Thunderjets, they upgraded to F-86F Sabre aircraft in 1954.

Then, in late 1956, the squadron upgraded to the F-100D Super Sabre.

The squadron was redesignated 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1958.

On 15 January 1960, the squadron and its host 48th TFW moved to RAF Lakenheath, UK.

Late 1971 the squadron started its conversion to the McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II, with the aircraft being transferred from the 81st TFW at RAF Bentwaters. The conversion to the F-4D took several years, with the last F-100 departing in August 1974.

Unlike the previous F-4 transition, the F-111 change in early 1977 took place quickly and without any significant problems

They were redesignated 494th Fighter Squadron on 30 November 1991.

In the midst of organizational changes, the squadron switched aircraft again, exchanging the F-111s for the F-15E Strike Eagle in early February 1992.  The Strike Eagle represented a change from a strictly ground attack role to a dual role mission : air interdiction and air superiority.

(all aircraft are to scale, not all drawings show an aircraft in 494 markings)

Aircraft

Curtis A-18 Shrike (1941)

Douglas A-20 Havoc (1941–1942)

Vultee A-31 Vengeance (1942–1943)

Vultee A-35 Vengeance (1942–1943)

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk (1943)

Bell P-39N Airacobra (1943–1944)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (1944–1945)

Republic P-47G Thunderbolt (1944–1945)

Republic F-84F Thunderjet (1952–1954)

Republic F-84G Thunderjet (1952–1954)

North American F–86F Sabre (1953–1956)

North American F–100D Super Sabre (1956–1972)

North American F–100F Super Sabre (1956–1972)

McDonnell Douglas F–4D Phantom II (1974–1977)

General Dynamics F-111F Aardvark (1977–1992)

McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle (1992-present)

57th Bombardment Squadron

494th Fighter-Bomber Suadron

494th Fighter Suadron

48th Fighter-Bomber Group

48th Fighter Group

Ninth Air Force

United States Air Forces in Europe (WWII)

1st US Army

48th Fighter-Bomber Wing

494th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

48th Tactical Fighter Wing

494th Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-111)

494th Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-15)

48th Fighter Wing

494th Fighter Squadron

494th Fighter Squadron (current version)

United States Air Forces in Europe

Unit awards

Distinguished Unit Citation

Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

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text & picture sources : own collection & library + the world wide web / No copyright infringement intended : drawings, photos, etc. belong to the rightful owners.