The 440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Erding Air Station, Germany, where it was inactivated on 1 January 1960. The squadron served as a NATO air defense unit from February 1953. The squadron was originally established as a Replacement Training Unit during World War II in February 1943, but was disbanded when the Army Air Forces reorganized its training units in 1944.

History

World War II

The squadron was first activated as the 440th Fighter Squadron at Sarasota Army Air Field, Florida in 1943 when the 337th Fighter Group expanded from three to four squadrons. It served as a III Fighter Command North American P-51 Mustang Replacement Training Unit. The squadron was disbanded in May 1944 and its personnel and equipment transferred to the 341st AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Fighter).

European air defense

Reactivated in 1953 as a North American F-86D Sabre interceptor squadron. Moved to West Germany, attached to the 86th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Landstuhl Air Base. The squadron moved to Erding Air Base in Bavaria, operating as a forward-deployed squadron near the Czech border until inactivated in January 1960 with the withdrawal of the F-86D from West Germany.

Lineage

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft