29th Training Systems Squadron The 29th Training Systems Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit . Its assignment is with the 53d Test Management Group , based at Eglin Air Force Base , Florida . The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force , its origins dating to 10 October 1918 , being organized at Camp Knox , Kentucky , as a training Squadron during World War I . The squadron saw combat during World War II , and became part of the Air Defense Command ( ADC ) during the Cold War . Heraldry . On and over a blue disc bordered golden yellow a gamecock in the position of attack ( body , head , neck , wings , and feathers , brown ; legs , feet , beak , and eyes , yellow ; comb and wattles , red ) . ( Approved 15 March 1935 ) Overview . The 29th Training Systems Squadron has personnel located at Eglin AFB and 11 geographically separated units around the nation : Barksdale , Beale , Creech , Dyess , Hill , Offutt , Robins , Tinker , Tyndall , and Whiteman AFBs as well as an operating location in Mesa , Ariz . The squadron serves as the Combat Air Force ' s center of expertise for Aircrew Training Devices ( ATD ) . Squadron personnel provide technical expertise on all aspects of ATD life - cycle management , including acquisition , modification , acceptance testing and certification testing for all A - 10 , B - 1 , B - 2 , B - 52 , E - 3 , E - 4 , E - 8 , EC - 130 , F - 15C / E , F - 16 , F - 22 , F - 35 , HH - 60 , HC - 130 , MQ - 1 / 9 , RC - 135 , RQ - 4 and U - 2 ATDs . Unit personnel also manage the CAF Simulator Certification Program . The squadron ' s efforts incorporate ATD oversight and management from concept development and preliminary design review through sustainment and program deactivation . By keeping training devices concurrent , cost effective and viable , the 29th TSS guarantees training systems meet present and future warfighters ' needs while supporting evolving training demands with modern technology . History . Formed during World War I as the 29th Aero Squadron . Served in the United States as the aerial arm of field artillery brigade firing center at Camp Knox , Kentucky , 1918 – 1919 . Demobilized on 12 September 1919 , Reactivated in the Panama Canal Zone at Albrook Field on 1 October 1933 . On 6 December 1939 , it was re designated as the 29th Pursuit Squadron ( Interceptor ) and , between 1933 and 1939 , had operated , in series , the Boeing P - 12 , P - 26A Peashooter and Curtiss P - 36A . World War II . After the Pearl Harbor Attack , the Squadron had nine new Curtiss P - 40E ' s , one of the very first Canal Zone units to receive the new fighters , although at least one P - 40C was also on hand . The Squadron was placed on General Alert at 15 : 00 , 7 December 1941 , at which time all 10 P¬40E ' s on hand were basically combat ready . Still at Albrook at the time , the unit later was the first to move to Calzada Larga Airfield , Panama ( later named Madden Field ) . The unit was redesignated as the 29th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942 . On 29 August 1942 , Flight " C " of the Squadron was transferred from Madden to remote Talara Airport , Peru , to provide aerodrome defense for the installations there and was relieved there by " E " Flight by December ( although this was redesignated as " 0 " Flight , 51st Fighter Squadron concurrently that month ) . By January 1943 , with the main body still at Madden Field with 18 aircraft , the unit was starting conversion to Bell P - 39K Aircobra s . By October 1943 , still at Madden Field , the Squadron also had a flight detached to Aguadulce Army Airfield , Panama . Effective 1 November 1943 , with the dissolution of the 16th Fighter Group , the Squadron was subordinated directly to the XXVI Fighter Command . The Squadron continued on at Madden Field until 25 March 1944 , when the unit was officially transferred to Lincoln Army Airfield , Nebraska and being assigned to IV Fighter Command as a replacement training unit ( RTU ) , flying predominantly P - 38 Lightning s . The squadron was later assigned to California where it was assigned to perform testing of the Bell P - 59 Airacomet and Lockheed P - 80 Shooting Star jet aircraft based at Muroc Dry Lake ( later Edwards AFB ) . The early jets provided USAAF pilots and ground crews with valuable data about the difficulties and pitfalls involved in converting to jet aircraft . This information proved quite useful when more advanced jet fighters finally became available in quantity . The squadron later moved to several other airfields in California providing transisiton training to new jet pilots until being inactivated in July 1946 . Air Defense Command . Reactivated in 1953 as part of Air Defense Command as an air defense squadron , initially equipped with F - 94C Starfire day interceptors , being assigned to Great Falls AFB , Montana with a mission for the air defense of the Upper Midwest region . Re - equipped in 1957 with F - 89H Scorpion Interceptor and later with the F - 89J . Received the new McDonnell F - 101B Voodoo supersonic interceptor , and the F - 101F operational and conversion trainer in 1960 . The two - seat trainer version was equipped with dual controls , but carried the same armament as the F - 101B and were fully combat - capable . Inactivated in July 1968 as part of the drawdown of ADC interceptor bases , the aircraft being passed along to the Air National Guard .