Organization of USAAF Echelons

Air Force (1944 Re-Organization)

[NUM] Fighter Command
[NUM] Bomber Command
[NUM] Tactical Air Command (see note)
[NUM] Air Defense Command
[NUM] Troop Carrier Command
[NUM] Air Force Service Command
[NUM] Engineer Command

NOTE: For example, 8th Air Force would have VIII Fighter Command and VIII Bomber Command. These high level commands held all of that specific type of aircraft. In some Air Forces (such as the Ninth), there were multiple Commands (IX Tactical Air Command and XIX Tactical Air Command) assigned to that Air Force.

Organization varied; in the Ninth (OOB) there were no Air Divisions; with each Command having three Combat Wings. In the Eighth, up to three Air (or Bombardment) Divisions were assigned to VIII Bomber Command.

Air Division

3 to 5 Combat Wings (9 to 15 groups)

NOTE: The use of this level of organization was mainly used in the ETO as an extra layer of organization for Bombardment Aviation, although there were short-lived fighter divisions like the 1st Fighter Division (Provisional) of VIII Air Support Command.

Air Wing

3 x Groups (Usual)

NOTE: The Wing was the basic tactical unit of the USAAF during World War II.

Group

NOTE: The Group was basic operational unit of the USAAF during World War II. All the squadrons of a typical Group were usually based at a single airfield. During this period of time, it was typical for a group to operate with 50% reserves; thus a B-29 Bomb Group (VH), with 28 UE aircraft would actually have 42 aircraft.

Typical Group Organizations were:

Very Heavy Bombardment Group (1943 Plan): 4 squadrons, each with 7 aircraft for a total of 28 x B-29s or B-32s. (2 crews per UE aircraft)

Very Heavy Bombardment Group (1944 Plan): 3 squadrons, each with 10 aircraft for a total of 30 x B-29s or B-32s. (1.7 crews per UE aircraft)

Heavy Bombardment Group: 4 Squadrons, each with 12 aircraft for a total of 48 x B-17s or B-24s.

Medium Bombardment Group: 4 Squadrons, each with 13 aircraft plus HQ element of 5 planes for a total of 57 x B-25s or B-26s.

Light Bombardment Group: 4 Squadrons, each with 13 aircraft plus HQ element of 5 planes for a total of 57 x A-20s or A-26s.

Fighter Group: 3 squadrons, each with 25 aircraft for a total of 75 Fighters.

Troop Carrier Group: 4 Squadrons, each with between 13 planes, for a total of 52 Cargo Aircraft.

Early USAAF Very, Very Heavy Bombardment (B-36) Unit Organization

In the mid 1940s, the original concept was for VVHB units to have the following organizational scheme:

VVHB Bomb Wings: 2 Groups (instead of usual three), with a total of 36 (Original Plan) or 60 (1948 Plan) B-36s.

VVHB Bomb Group (Original): 3 Squadrons, each with 6 aircraft for a total of 18 x B-36s
VVHB Bomb Group (Late 1948): 3 Squadrons, each with 10 aircraft for a total of 30 x B-36s