3rd Air Depot Group

  March 1941 to April 1946

  United States of America

TYPE: USAAF unit

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Duncan Field, TX (1941-1942), Karachi, Sindh, India (1942), RAF Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India (1942-1946)

FORMER NAME: Nil

SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil

The 3^rd Air Depot Group was formed at Duncan Field, TX on 28 March 1941. It was the first Air Depot Group to be assigned overseas, shipping from Charleston on 19 March 1942 bound to Karachi. The group arrived at its final destination RAF Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India on 25 June 1942. In those days, Agra was merely an empty field, and everything had to be built on the spot. Fifty men were assigned to immediately erect 14 Butler steel buildings, 40' x 80', to be used as shops and warehouses. Accessory and engine overhaul departments were set up. Two 100' x 120' hangars were constructed, and a 6,000-foot runway was built with native help. The 3^rd Air Depot Group was the only air depot group that had to erect its own buildings in order to perform its mission. On 4 January 1943, most of the infrastructure was operational and the first aircraft landed at the depot.

In 1942, the group consisted in 43 officers, 6 warrant officers and 834 enlisted men. Eventually, its strength rose to about 4000 men and officers as it formed the heart of the Central India Air Depot. The runway was later lengthened to 11,000 feet to accomodate larger aircraft.

1944 to 1946

A large part of the ATC India-China Wing Commandos were probably processed at some point or another by the 3^rd Air Depot Group, however dates and serial numbers are mostly unknown.

• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: 42-96619