58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron

Activated as the 400th Fighter Squadron in early 1943 under Fourth Air Force; spent World War II in the United States as an Operational Training Unit (OTU), initially equipped with P-39 Airacobras for advanced fighter training. Reassigned to Third Air Force in 1944, becoming a Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for A-36 Apache fighter-dive bomber ground attack aircraft.

Reassigned to Stuttgart AAB, Arkansas in 1945 and redesignated as the 58th Reconnaissance Squadron (Weather), a long-range strategic weather reconnaissance squadron, training with B-25 Mitchells and long-ranger P-61C Black Widow Night Fighters modified for weather reconnaissance missions. Reassigned to Rapid City AAB, South Dakota in late 1945, using P-61Cs as part of a NACA/Air Weather Service Thunderstorm Project to learn more about thunderstorms and to use this knowledge to better protect civil and military airplanes that operated in their vicinity. The P-61's radar and particular flight characteristics enabled it to find and penetrate the most turbulent regions of a storm, and return crew and instruments intact for detailed study. Inactivated in 1946 as part of the general demobilization of the AAF.

WB-50 of the 58th Weather Squadron, Elelson AFB, Alaska

WB-50 and personnel of the 58th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron in 1951

Reactivated as part of Strategic Air Command in 1951 in Alaska, Equipped with very long range WB-29 Superfortresses 1951, upgrading to extended long-range WB-50D Superfortresses in 1956. Conducted long-range weather flights over the Arctic and along the northern periphery of the Soviet Union; the aircraft being equipped with sensors for detecting radioactive debris to gather evidence when the Soviets tested nuclear devices. Inactivated in 1958 as part of the phaseout of the WB-50s from SAC and development of faster jet aircraft for the long-range intelligence mission.

The squadron was reactivated in 1963 at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, assuming the assets of the discontinued 1211th Test Squadron.[3] The squadron was equipped with twelve RB-57F Canberra (later WB-57F) reconnaissance aircraft. Most of the RB-57Fs were converted B-57Ds (a few were B-57Bs) equipped with two TF33 engines in place of the B-57B's J65, plus a pair of auxiliary J60s for high altitude and long range reconnaissance.[4] Part of their duties involved high-altitude atmospheric sampling and radiation detection work in support of nuclear test monitoring. Over the next decade the RB-57Fs were flown on a worldwide basis at very high altitudes at high speeds. Stress cracks began appearing in the wing spars and ribs of the RB-57Fs after a few years of service. Some were sent to General Dynamics for repairs. Due to the excessive cost of repairing all the aircraft, nine were placed in storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, in 1972.

The 58th WRS, the last squadron in the Air Force to use the WB-57F Canberra, was inactivated on July 1, 1974, after placing its planes in storage at Davis-Monthan.

• Constituted as the 400th Fighter Squadron on 26 May 1943

Activated on 1 August 1943

Redesignated 400th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 5 April 1944

Redesignated 400th Fighter Squadron on 5 June 1944

Redesignated 58th Reconnaissance Squadron (Weather) on 7 July 1945

Inactivated on 31 May 1946

• Redesignated 58th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, Weather on 22 January 1951

Activated on 21 February 1951

Redesignated 58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron on 15 February 1954

Inactivated on 8 August 1958[5]

• Activated in 1963 (not organized)
• Organized on 8 June 1963

Inactivated on 30 June 1974

• 58 Weather Reconnaissance Squadron - Lineage and History
• Air Weather Reconnaissance Association
• The Golden Heart Accident
• RB-29 Superfortress