RAF Patch b 17 Squadron Royal Air Force Crest Tornado Strike

RAF Patch 17 Squadron Royal Air Force Crest Patch Tornado Strike Attack 1980s Tornado RAF Bruggen 105mm by 80mm four and one sixteenth inches by three and one eighth inches

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Squadron history 1949-2013 

17 Squadron reactivated at RAF Chivenor on 11 February 1949 on the renumbering of 691 Squadron for anti-aircraft co-operation duties and was disbanded on 13 March 1951. 

17 Squadron reformed at RAF Wahn Germany on 1 June 1956 with Canberras tasked with photographic reconnaissance disbanding on 31 December 1969. On 1 September 1970 the Squadron reactivated at RAF Bruggen with Phantom F 4s in the strike attack role. Converting to Jaguars in 1985 the Squadron was assigned to SACEUR for tactical strike attack with conventional and tactical nuclear weapons to support land forces in a high-intensity European war. 

In January 1985 the Squadron began to convert to Tornado GR1s with the Jaguar element disbanding on 1 March 1985 when 17 Squadron became fully equipped with Tornados. In 1990 – 1991 the Squadron played a significant role in the Gulf war being deployed to Al Muharraq AB in Bahrain. 

17 Squadron disbanded in September 2002 and the numberplate was immediately transferred to the new Eurofighter Typhoon operational evaluation unit formed to test and introduce the Typhoon into the RAF at BAE Systems Warton airfield where a special facility had been constructed. The Squadron relocated to RAF Coningsby on 1 April 2005 and was officially re-formed at its new base on 19 May 2005 as XVII Reserve Squadron Typhoon Operational Evaluation Unit TOEU.

With the Typhoon fully operational the requirement for a separate OEU ended and the Squadron will be disbanded in April 2013 with its functions taken over by the Test and Evaluation Squadron 41 R Squadron.  

The newly formed F-35 Lightning test and evaluation unit to be based initially at Edwards AFB in California is due to be renamed 17 Squadron. 

This patch dates from the 1980s.