417th Night Fighter Squadron

Squadron
 A P-61 Black Widow (serial number 42-39533) nickinamed "Markey" of the 417th Night Fighter Squadron, 12th Air Force. Image via R Woolner. Written on slide casing: '415 NFS?? Germany '45. media-394896.jpg FRE 7565 A P-61 Black Widow (serial number 42-39533) nickinamed "Markey" of the 417th Night Fighter Squadron, 12th Air Force. Image via R Woolner. Written on slide casing: '415 NFS?? Germany '45. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 7565 - A P-61 Black Widow (serial number 42-39533) nickinamed "Markey" of the 417th Night Fighter Squadron, 12th Air Force. Image via R Woolner. Written on...

The 417th Night Fighter Squadron was activated 20 February 1943. After organisation and training at Kissimmee Air Base near Orlando, Florida, the 417th departed for oversees duty on 5 May 1943 on the Queen Elizabeth, arriving in Scotland six days later on 11 May 1943.



The 417th Night Fighter Squadron was then sent stationed at RAF Twinwood, near Bedford, where the pilots experienced flying a new type aircraft, the Bristol Beaufighter. This aircraft was very unlike the P-70's which the pilots had trained in at Florida.



From Twinwood, the Squadron moved to Scorton, England where twelve new Beaufighters were received. On the morning of 7 August 1943, eleven Beaufighters of the 417th took off for their new station in Algeria where combat operations were started consisting of convoy patrols and fighter sweeps. In the latter part of April 1944 the 417th moved from Algeria to Corsica where operations were again resumed consisting of night patrols off the coasts of Corsica, Spain, and France. Also the first intruder missions were flown from Corsica against airdromes in southern France and northern Italy.



During the invasion of southern France, the squadron supplied cover for the invasion fleet. After the invasion was well under way, the squadron moved from Corsica to southern France where intruder and patrol missions were resumed. The squadron received the presidential citation for this combat work done in this section.



In March 1945 the squadron converted from the British Beaufighter to the new P-61 Black Widow. Three weeks were spent in training on this new aircraft. The 417th NFS moved from France to Germany flying intruder and patrol missions in the new P-61's, protecting the bridgeheads at Ulm, Dillingen, and Donauworth. Intruder and patrol missions were flown until the end of the war and then a training program was started.



The organisation was made an occupational unit in June 1945. The present station of the 417th Night Fighter Squadron is air drome R-12 at Kassel/Rothwesterm, Germany. The unit is under the 64th Fighter Wing, XII tactical air command, Ninth Air Force.'

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Ayr 12 May 1943 - 10 June 1943

Based

Uxbridge 14 May 1943 - 10 June 1943

Based

Coltishall 14 May 1943 - 10 June 1943

Based

Bristol 14 May 1943 - 10 June 1943

Based

Scorton 23 May 1943 - 8 August 1943

Based

Tafaraoui 8 August 1943 - 10 January 1944

Based

Twinwood Farm 7 August 1943

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 417th Night Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: T-34329997
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Passenger
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 417th Night Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-801742
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 417th Night Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O754478
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 50th Fighter Group 417th Night Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38115782
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Mechanic
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 417th Night Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O556081
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Observer

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: Beaufighter
  • Nicknames: Sad Sack II
  • Unit: 417th Night Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Beaufighter
  • Unit: 417th Night Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Hurricane
  • Unit: 417th Night Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Beaufighter
  • Unit: 417th Night Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Beaufighter
  • Unit: 50th Fighter Group 417th Night Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Brought together information from duplicate record drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

417th Night Fighter Squadron: Gallery (3 items)