South Africa Patch Training SAAF South African Air Force b 85 Advanced Flying School b

SAAF Patch South African Air Force 85 Advanced Flying School Impala Flight Operations Badge 1970s Embroidered on twill grey compressed stiffener back 55mm two and one eighth inches diameter.

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History 1942 – 2013

Motto: – Detrimento Sumus Destruction is our Business

In 1946 a single Bombing Gunnery and Navigation School was established at Langebaanweg AFB following the disbandment of the separate and various wartime flying bombing and gunnery schools. The School was renamed Air Operations School in the 1950s and was equipped with Harvards Spitfire MkIXs Vampire T11s FB52s and T55s. The Air Operations School relocated to Pietersburg AFB in October 1967 and in 1970
the Vampires were replaced by the Impala Mk I. The School again changed its name to the Advanced Flying School.

On 1 August 1972 Advanced Flying School was renamed 85 Advanced Flying School and by 1973 the School was completely re-equipped with Impala MkIs. On 30th October 1974 the School formed Mirage Flight to operate the Mirage III DZ D2Z and EZ assigned to the School from 3 Squadron. The School formed Sabre Flight in January 1976 to operate Sabres Mk6s previously used by 1 Squadron. The Sabres were relinquished in February 1980 and the Impala MkII was added to the fleet. 85 AFS was renamed 85 Combat Flying School in 1982 and on 1 July 1986 the Mirage Flight was separated from the 85 CFS to form 89 Combat Flying School. The School has a wartime reserve role to become a front line unit if an urgent need arises and was operationally deployed during the Border War. 85 CFS was deactivated at AFB Pietersburg on 29th November 1992.

 On 1st January 1993 85 Combat Flying School absorbed 83 Jet Flying School and was reactivated at Hoedspruit AFB. The School relocated to Makhado AFB in January 2005 where it retired its Impala Mk1 and IIs in 2006 and reequipped with Hawk Mk120s.

This patch dates from 1970s