Army Air Forces in Europe

world war II

52nd Fighter Group


8th Air Force 52 FG

Squadrons of the 52nd FG

2nd Fighter Squadron
4th Fighter Squadron
5th Fighter Squadron

Assigned 8th AAF: 13 Jul. 1942-14 Sep. 1942

Wing/Command Assignment

VIII FC, 6 FW: 18 August 1942

Combat Aircraft:

Spitfire V

Stations

EGLINTON 13 Jul. 42 - 25 Aug. 42 (5FS remained until 13 Sep. 42).
GOXHILL 26 Aug. 42 - 21 Oct. 42 (Main air echelons 2 & 4FS in 13 Sep. 42).
(2FS at Biggin Hill 25 Aug. - 13 Sep. 42; 4FS at Kenley 25 Aug.-13 Sep. 42). (Maydown also used from 7 Aug. 42-Sep. 42 as satellite for Eglington)

Group COs

Lt Col Dixon M. Allison: 27 Feb 1942 - 1 March 1943

Total sorties: 83
MIA: 0

Early History:

Activated 15 January 1941 at Selfridge Field, Mich. Trained with P-40 and P-39 aircraft. Completely equipped with P-39s early 1942 and moved to Florence AB, SC, 18 Feb. 1942 and Wilmington NC, 27 Apr. 1942. Scheduled to move to United Kingdom flying its aircraft via northern ferry route and moved to Grenier Fd, NH, mid-Jun. 1942 to prepare, but project cancelled. Second and Fourth Fighter Squadrons flew sorties up to squadron strength between 27 Aug. 1942 and 11 Sep. 1942 in conjunction with RAF Fighter Command. 5FS did not take part in operations from UK

Subsequent History:

Assigned 12AF, Xll FC 14 Sep. 1942. Spitfires shipped to Gibraltar. Personnel sailed in convoy 26 Oct. 1942. Fought with 12AF in North Africa and Italy. Converted to P-51s in Apr. 1944 and flew escort for 15AF. Inactivated Nov. 1945. Activated again, in Germany, in 1946. Transferred to the US in 1947 and established as all weather fighter group with P-61 and later F-82s. Active in air defence role for twenty years, chiefly at Suffolk County. AFB. NY.

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