Lineage

Constituted 420 Night Fighter Squadron on 25 May 1943. Activated on 1 Jun 1943. Disbanded on 31 Mar 1944. Reconstituted, and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 420 Air Refueling Squadron, Fighter-Bomber, which was constituted on 8 Dec 1953. Activated on 18 Mar 1954. Redesignated 420 Air Refueling Squadron, Tactical on 8 Aug 1958. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Mar 1964. Consolidated (1 Oct 1992) with the 6520 Test Squadron, which was designated, and activated, on 10 Mar 1989. Redesignated: 420 Test Squadron on 2 Oct 1992; 420 Flight Test Squadron on 1 Mar 1994. Inactivated on 30 Dec 1997. Redesignated 420 Flight Test Flight on 24 Sep 2001. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 2001.

Assignments

Air Defense Department, AAF School of Applied Tactics, 1 Jun 1943 (attached to 481 Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 17-25 Jul 1943); 481 Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 26 Jul 1943-31 Mar 1944. Ninth Air Force, 18 Mar 1954 (attached to 366 Fighter-Bomber Wing, 18 Mar 1954-22 Sep 1955); Third Air Force, 9 Oct 1955 (attached to 47 Bombardment Wing, 15 Mar 1960-1 Jul 1961); Seventeenth Air Force, 1 Jul 1961 (remained attached to 47 Bombardment Wing; 47 Bombardment Wing, 8 Nov 1961; Seventeenth Air Force, 22 Jun 1962 (attached to 7375 Combat Support Group, unkn-30 Sep 1962); 7375 Combat Support Group, 1 Oct 1962-25 Mar 1964. 6510 (later, 412) Test Group, 10 Mar 1989-30 Dec 1997. 622 Flight Test Group, 1 Oct 2001-.

Stations

Orlando AB, FL, 1 Jun 1943; Kissimmee AAFld, FL, 1 Jun 1943; Dunnellon AAFld, FL, 20 Aug 1943; Hammer Field, CA, 18 Jan-31 Mar 1944. Alexandria (later, England) AFB, LA, 18 Mar 1954-22 Sep 1955; Sculthorpe RAF Station (later, RAF Sculthorpe), England, 9 Oct 1955-25 Mar 1964. Edwards AFB, CA, 10 Mar 1989-30 Dec 1997. Mesa, AZ, 1 Oct 2001-.

Commanders

Lt Col William C. Odell, 1 Jun 1943; Capt Porter B. Williamson, 22-31 Mar 1944. Maj J. F. Groom, by Dec 1954; Maj James B. Young, by Jun 1955; Lt Col James R. Sheffield, by Dec 1955; Lt Col Henry A. Dafler, by Jan 1959; Maj Clyde G. Miller, by Jan 1960; Lt Col Theodore J. Tanner, 4 Mar 1960; Lt Col Lawrence E. Spears, 15 Jun 1961; Lt Col Joseph F. McAllister, 14 Aug 1963-25 Mar 1964. Lt Col John Small, 10 Mar 1989; Maj Perry L. Lamy, 24 Apr 1991; Lt Col Steven E. Cameron, 1 Jul 1994; Lt Col Walter A. Grady Jr., 28 Jun 1996; Lt Col Ronald E. Johnston, 28 Apr-30 Dec 1997.

Aircraft

AT-11, A-20, P-70, BT-13, and C-78, 1943-1944; P/YP-61, 1944. KB-29, 1954-1959; KB-50, 1956-1964. B-2, 1989-1997.

Operations

Replacement training unit, Jun 1943-Mar 1944. Air refueling operations, 1954-1964. Tested and evaluated B-2 aircraft, 1989-1997.

Service Streamers

None.

Campaign Streamers

None.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

None.

Decorations

Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan-31 Dec 1995; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1996; 1 Jan-30 Dec 1997.

Emblem

Approved on 22 May 1996.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 22 Apr 2002.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 30 Dec 1997.