1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight

Flight
A T-6 Texan of the 495th Fighter Training Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 1 G&TTFLT, 131367 A.' media-377341.jpg FRE 576 Vultee A-35B Vengeance 41-31367, a tow-target tug with the 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight. Handwritten caption on reverse: 1 G&TTFLT, 131367 A.' Roger Freeman Collection

Mighty Eighth War Manual (Roger A Freeman. 1984, 2001)

Object Number - FRE 576 - Vultee A-35B Vengeance 41-31367, a tow-target tug with the 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight. Handwritten caption on reverse: 1 G&TTFLT, 131367 A.'

Activated on 1 February 1943 as 1st Provisional Gunnery Flight at Atcham as part of VIII Fighter Command's fighter training establishment.



Redesignated 2025th Gunner Flight on 24 February 1943 with a strength of 5 Officers and 34 Enlisted men. The unit was moved to Llanbedr in March 1943 and was a lodger with the RAF.



On 26 August 1943 the unit was redesginated as 1st Gunnery and Tow Target Flight, it was assigned to VIII Composite Command on 14 February 1944.



The unit was reassigned to VIII Fighter Command on 29 September 1944, and then on 19 November 1944 assigned to the 65th Fighter Wing.



Disbanded in May 1945.



Commanding Officers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 418th Bomb Squadron 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Service Numbers: O-399681
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot, Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Service Numbers: O-390284
  • Highest Rank: Captain

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Atcham 1 February 1943 - 3 March 1943

Based

Llanbedr 3 March 1943 - 6 July 1943

Based

Warton 6 July 1943 - 14 December 1943

Based

Templeton 14 December 1943 - 8 May 1944

Based

Atcham 8 May 1944 - 10 May 1944

Based

Sutton Bridge 10 May 1944 - 21 November 1944

Based

Little Walden 21 November 1944 - 10 January 1945

Based

Halesworth 10 January 1945

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Service Numbers: 17077392 / O-767085
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Service Numbers: O-390284
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

A T-6 Texan of the 495th Fighter Training Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 1 G&TTFLT, 131367 A.'
  • Aircraft Type: A-31 Vengeance
  • Unit: 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: The Flying Ute / Windy
  • Unit: 495th Fighter Training Group 56th Fighter Group 552nd Fighter Training Squadron 63rd Fighter Squadron 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Powers Girl
  • Unit: 6th Fighter Wing 495th Fighter Training Group 56th Fighter Group 552nd Fighter Training Squadron 61st Fighter Squadron 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: 67th Observation Group 109th Observation Squadron Headquarters (VIII Fighter Command) 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual, p 128

Date
ContributorPaul Bellamy
Changes
Sources

Mighty Eighth War Manual (Roger A Freeman 1984, 2001)

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight: Gallery (1 items)