North Atlantic Wing / Division

  July 1942 to July 1944

  United States of America

TYPE: USAAF unit

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Presque Isle AAF, ME (until 1 January 1944), Grenier Field, NH (after 1 January 1944)

FORMER NAME: 23^rd Ferrying Wing

SUBSEQUENT NAME: North Atlantic Division

Air Transport Command's North Atlantic Wing transported aircraft, cargo and personnel over the North Atlantic route opened back in 1941 by the Air Corps Ferrying Command. The route, which linked Presque Isle AAF, ME to Prestwick, Scotland via Greenland and Iceland, became one of the major transport and supply routes of World War II. It included enroute bases such as RCAF Gander and Stephenville AB in Newfoundland, Goose Bay AB in Labrador and several bases in Greenland.

The route was inaugurated in the spring of 1942, with large movements of aircraft taking place during the summer. Many serious problems were encountered, and the total loss rate on the route approached 10%. On 22 November 1942, Air Transport Command suspended the transportation of passengers across the North Atlantic for the duration of the winter, and traffic to Great Britain was diverted to the South Atlantic.

On 1 July 1944, along with all other ATC wings, the North Atlantic Wing was upgraded to North Atlantic Division.

In 1945, the North Atlantic Wing also opened a transport route from Iceland to Oslo, Norway, and to Stockholm, Sweden.

1943 to 1945

• Curtiss C-46A-1-CU Commando: 41-5195, 41-5201
• Curtiss C-46A-1-CK Commando: 43-46955
• Curtiss C-46A-5-CU Commando: 41-12292
• Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando: 42-3636, 42-3653, 42-3669
• Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando: 42-107333, 42-107350, 42-107351
• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: 42-96556, 42-96655, 42-96686
• Curtiss C-46A-50-CU Commando: 42-96807, 42-101201