for all pictures Vincent van der Meer ©
The 53rd TFS dates back from in 1941, when the AAC (U.S. Army Air Corps) activated the 53rd Pursuit Squadron at Albrok Field, but immediately deployed the newly formed Squadron to the Panama Canal Zone. The First Aircraft to arrive, was the P-26 Peashooter, followed shortly by the P-36 Hawk.
In May 1943, the 53rd returned back to the US to be re-equipped with the P-47D Thunderbolt II. A year later in 1944 the squadron moved to Kingsnorth, England to participate in the Landing at Normandy (France). At the end of hostilities in Europe, the Squadron moved to Fürstenfeldbruck in Germany, to form together with the 22 FBW the 36th TFW. Later on, the 36th Moved to Bitburg AB, where they received it's first F-15A/B's in 1977, replacing its F-4E Phantoms. Flying the Eagle’s, the 53rd TFS scored 11 air-to-air kills during the 1991 Gulf War.
DATE CALLSIGN UNIT CREW AIRCRAFT SERIAL/BUNO TARGET ORDNANCE
27 Jan 1991 OPEC 01 53 TFS/36 TFW Jay "OP" Denney F-15C 84-025 MiG-23 AIM-9M
27 Jan 1991 OPEC 01 53 TFS/36 TFW Jay "OP" Denney F-15C 84-025 MiG-23 AIM-9M
27 Jan 1991 OPEC 02 53 TFS/36 TFW Ben "Coma" Powell F-15C 84-027 MiG-23 AIM-7M
27 Jan 1991 OPEC 02 53 TFS/36 TFW Ben "Coma" Powell F-15C 84-027 Mirage F-1EQ AIM-7M
6 Feb 1991 ZEREX 53 53 TFS/36 TFW Thomas "Vegas" Dietz F-15C 79-078 MiG-21 AIM-9M
6 Feb 1991 ZEREX 53 53 TFS/36 TFW Thomas "Vegas" Dietz F-15C 79-078 MiG-21 AIM-9M
6 Feb 1991 ZEREX 54 53 TFS/36 TFW Bob "Gigs" Hehemann F-15C 84-019 Su-25 AIM-9M
6 Feb 1991 ZEREX 54 53 TFS/36 TFW Bob "Gigs" Hehemann F-15C 84-019 Su-25 AIM-9M
22 Mar 1991 ZEREX 21 53 TFS/36 TFW Thomas "Vegas" Dietz F-15C 84-010 Su-22 AIM-9M
22 Mar 1991 ZEREX 22 53 TFS/36 TFW Bob "Gigs" Hehemann F-15C 84-015 PC-9 Ground
+ 1 Unkown what might be an temp deployed Pilot to the unit
In 1994 the Squadron moved its personnel and 18 of its 24 F-15C/D aircraft to Spangdalem AB, Germany, Joining the 52nd Fighter Wing. The 53rd Fighter Squadron was part of the NATO Tiger Association until it's inactivation on 31 March 1999.
Hosted the NTM 1965, 1974 and 1981 at Bitburg
 |
F-15D 84-0044/SP at Soesterberg1995 |
F-15C 84-0001/SP at Fairford 1997
|
 |