Our History

Established: July 11, 1951

Training Squadron TWENTY-SEVEN was initially established on July 11, 1951 as Advanced Training Unit-B at Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi. The command moved to Naval Air Station, Kingsville in 1952 and again to Naval Air Station, New Iberia, Louisiana in 1960. It was there the squadron was redesignated VT-27. In July 1964, the "Boomers" were returned to Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi where we continue to be an important member of the community.

One of just five Navy primary training squadrons, VT-27 is one of two located on the Coastal Bend; we take pride in representing our area and the State of Texas.

In 1973, the squadron began a transition to the role of primary training squadron with the arrival on 1 August of the first T-28 Trojan. By 1 October 1973, the last TS-2A, had departed, signifying the end of the advanced training role and the completion of the transition to primary training. In August 1983, the squadron took delivery of the first T-34C Mentor aircraft. The last T-28 was retired in the following year, and the T-34C remained the mainstay of primary flight training at VT-27 until June of 2013, when the squadron took delivery of its first Beechcraft T-6B Texan II. VT-27 flew its last sortie T-34C only one month later, and to this day exclusively flies the Texan.

The "Boomers" average well over 11,000 training missions a year, and more than 70 sorties per training day. Since taking delivery of the T-34C, and continuing into the T-6B era, our safety record sets the standard for excellence in CNATRA. Expected to achieve high levels of production while maintaining the highest standards of safety, VT-27 consistently accomplishes its important mission by producing Navy and Marine Corps pilots of the highest quality for our nation's defense.