The 3205th Drone Group is a discontinued United States Air Force unit that operated obsolete aircraft during the 1950s as radio-controlled aerial targets for various tests. It was the primary post-World War II operator of surplus Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress aircraft, and also operated Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star and a few Boeing RB-47 Stratojet bombers that were converted into drone aircraft during the early years of the Cold War. It was last active with the Air Proving Ground Center, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where it was discontinued on 1 February 1961.
Lockheed P-80B-1-LO Shooting Star 44-58641 as QF-80 drone, about 1952
Image: QB 17 Drone Holloman AFB 1959
Duke Field, also known as Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3, is a military airport located three miles (5 km) south of the central business district of Crestview, in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States.
A Dornier C-146A Wolfhound of the 919th Special Operations Wing based at Duke Field.
A MC-130E Combat Talon I, takes off for the final time from Duke Field, moments after it was officially retired from the 919th Special Operations Wing on 18 September 2012.
A parachuted bundle soars out of the back of a C-145 Skytruck during an air-drop mission over the Eglin Air Force Base range.
