German Air Force Patch 73 JG Phantom F 4F 732 Staffel Laage a

German Air Force Patch Jagdgeschwader JG 73 F 4F Phantom 732 Staffel 1997 QRA Fighter Bomber Laage AB Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 88mm by 70mm three and one half inches by two and three quarter inches.

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History   

Jagdgeschwader 73 Fighter Wing 73 was activated on 1 April 1959 at RAF Ahlhorn Leipheim and Oldenburg equipped with F 86 Sabre fighter aircraft. The Wing adopted a stylised speed bird on German cross emblem. Training was assisted by Tactical Advisors from RCAFs Canadian Advisory Group at WS 10 carrying out joint training missions with RCAF Sabre Squadrons. JG 73 relocated to Pferdsfeld Sobernheim on 12 October 1961 and was declared operational in 1962 and assigned for operations under Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force 4 ATAF. 

The Wing comprises a Headquarters and three Groups namely Flying Group Technical Group and Aerodrome Group. Flying Group controls the two flying Squadrons of the Wing 731 and 732. Technical Group provides aircraft technical services including maintenance and repair weapons and ammunition survival equipment fuelling Aerodrome fire protection while Aerodrome Group provides non-aeronautical activities and tasks including transportation supplies medical services Aerodrome security and defence runway and airfield repair. 

Close Air Support for the German Army was added to JG 73s tasking and the Wing was redesignated Jagdbombergeschwader 42 Fighter Bomber Wing 42 on 1 October 1964. 

The Wing was officially reactivated as Jagdgeschwader JG 73 Fighter Wing 73 on 18 September 1997 at Laage AB on the redesignation of Jagdbombergeschwader 35 equipped with Mg 29s as 731 Staffel Squadron and F 4F Phantoms as 732 Staffel Squadron was awarded of the name Steinhoff and regained its stylised speed bird on German cross emblem emblem. JG 73 retained the traditions and emblems of Jabog 35. 

In March 2002 the 2 Staffel Squadron with the Wings F 4F Phantom II fighters was decommissioned and was reactivated to restructure as a training squadron for the Eurofighter Typhoon. NATO Squadrons regularly deployed to Laage to exercise with JG 73 Mig 29 Fulcrum fighters. The Migs displayed in Key West Florida USA and Switzerland in 2002 and returned to Eglin USA in 2003. JG 73 was the German Air Forces first Eurofighter unit and received its first six twin seat Eurofighter Typhoons on 30 April 2004. In August 2004 the Wings MiG 29s were sold to Poland with the Wing concentrating on Typhoon pilot conversion instructor and weapons training while retaining Typhoon QRA for air policing. JG 73 commenced training Austrian Typhoon pilot instructors in January 2005.  

JG 73 was redesignated Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader TaktLwG 73 Tactical Air Force Wing 73 on 1 October 2013 following a restructuring of the German Air Force. 

This patch dates from 1997.