USAF 48th Tactical Fighter Wing TFW Patch F-111F EMS Equipment Maintenance Squadron 1983 – Subdued Variant B1

48th TFW Equipment Maintenance Squadron EMS Patch USAF F-111F Tactical Fighter Wing RAF Lakenheath USAFE 1983 (3 Inch) Subdued Variant B1

48th TFW Equipment Maintenance Squadron EMS Patch F-111F RAF Lakenheath 1983 Subdued Variant B1

This Taiwan made variant has the lightning flashes extending well beyond the edge which were a big problem during the attachment of these patches to garments or velcro for wear they are often damaged or missing from uniform removed examples.

Validation – Tangible authentic and original

Manufacturer – Taiwan made

Manufacture – fully embroidered through black twill white pressed fabric stiffener and black single warp gauze back with white synthetic return thread, a cut edge and no plastic coating

Visibility – subdued olive green kelly green blue grey and red

Condition – very good has not been sewn to uniform

Size – 77mm by 65mm

Approximate imperial size – three inches by two and one half inches

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48th TFW Equipment Maintenance Squadron EMS Patch F-111F USAFE

48th Tactical Fighter Wing F-111F Aardvark

This original 48th TFW Equipment Maintenance Squadron EMS patch is from the famous F-111F Aardvark era of the Liberty Wing. Operating from RAF Lakenheath during the height of the Cold War the Wing flew advanced F-111F Aardvark fighter bomber from 1977. 48th Tactical Fighter Wing became one of the most combat-capable tactical strike wings in USAF in Europe and NATO.

In 1977 the 48th TFW exchanged its F-4D Phantom II aircraft for the F-111F Aardvark transferred from the 347th TFW at Mountain Home Air Force Base. The successful transition earned the Wing its third Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The Wing’s flying Squadrons remained the 492nd, 493rd and 494th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. Equipped with the long-range strike capability of the F-111F, the Wing immediately expanded operational deployments and exercises throughout Europe and the Middle East, including Italy, Iran, Greece and Pakistan.

The Wing’s operational strength increased further when the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated on 1 April 1977.  Acting as a replacement training unit, the 495th TFS helped maintain combat readiness across the Liberty Wing. By 1979 the 48th TFW had flown the highest number of flying hours ever recorded by an F-111 unit in a fiscal year. The Wing passed  its USAFE Operational Readiness Inspection and NATO Tactical Evaluation in 1980 and received its fourth Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.

During the 1980s the F-111F became internationally recognised through its precision strike capability and frontline NATO role. The 48th TFW deployed temporarily to RAF Sculthorpe in 1983 while RAF Lakenheath’s runway was resurfaced.

Operation El Dorado Canyon

In 1986 the Wing participated in the long-range strike mission against Libyan targets in Tripoli during Operation El Dorado Canyon. The attack was undertaken alongside the United States Navy Sixth Fleet. Although one aircraft and crew were lost, the Wing received the US Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation for the operation.

Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm Gulf War

The Wing again entered combat during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Deploying as 48th TFW (Provisional) to Taif Air Base, Saudi Arabia, the 492nd, 493rd and 494th Tactical Fighter Squadrons flew 2,500 combat sorties. They achieved more than 2,200 target hits using the F-111F Aardvark and and dropped 7.3 million pounds of precision-guided munitions. 48th TFW (P) executed the first combat drop of the GBU-28 “bunker buster” bomb on 27 February 1991 and is credited with destroying hundreds of Iraqi tanks. The Wing returned to RAF Lakenheath in May 1991 and soon began restructuring under the USAF Objective Wing Organization program.

On 1 October 1991 the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated the 48th Fighter Wing, while the Tactical Fighter Squadrons became Fighter Squadrons. The 495th FS was inactivated in December 1991 followed by the 493rd FS in December 1992, marking the end of the famous F-111F era at RAF Lakenheath.

This original USAF 48th TFW F-111F Aardvark patch is highly collectible among RAF Lakenheath, USAFE Operation Desert Storm and Cold War aviation memorabilia collectors, preserving the heritage of one of the United States Air Force’s most important combat fighter wings.

 

 

48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron EMS

48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron EMS was activated on 31 August 1981 on the redesignation of 48th Field Maintenance Squadron to provide intermediate and organizational level aircraft maintenance.

The Wing was flying F-111F Aardvark

48th EMS was assigned to 48th Tactical Fighter Wing

48th EMS assumed the functions of 48th Munitions Maintenance Squadron which was inactivated at the same time.

48th EMS was organised into specialist flights: –

Maintenance Flight responsible for phase inspections carried out by crew chiefs every 200 flying hours.

Crash and Recovery Flight part of Maintenance Flight responsible for aircraft flight controls and landing gear wheels and tyres and response to inflight and ground emergencies.

Systems Flight part of Maintenance Flight is responsible for fuel lubricants hydraulics and aircrew environment functions

Fabrication Flight operated three shops: –

• Structural Maintenance Shop manufactured and repaired structures of aircraft such as the skin and ribs with the Corrosion Section cleaning the aircraft and providing full body paint or just touch ups as required
• Metal Technology Shop manufactured any part of the aircraft needed for repairs.
• Non-destructive Inspection Shop analyses oil and conducted x rays to detect subsurface frame cracks, water build up, inspect and removed engines for foreign objects and debris.

Propulsion Flight performed all but depot level maintenance on aircraft engines.

Munitions Flight assembled processed inspected stored transported armed and disarmed nonnuclear munitions as required for the Wings operational Squadrons.

Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight maintained and operated the flight line portable ground equipment including tractors generators lighting heating engine stands.

48th EMS was reassigned to 48 Logistics Group when it was activated on 31 March 1992 which was subsequently redesignated 48th Maintenance Group on 25 September 2002.

48th EMS handed responsibility for munitions to 48 Munitions Squadron when it was activated on 24 January 2003

 

Timeline

48th Fighter Bomber Wing 

48th Maintenance Squadron MS 1952–1954

• 48th MS was activated at Chaumont Semoutiers Air Base France on 10 July 1952 assigned to 48th Maintenance and Supply Group of 48th Fighter Bomber Wing.
• Initially with F-84G Thunderjet aircraft the Wing transitioned to F- 86F Sabre aircraft in November 1953.
• 48th Maintenance Squadron was redesignated 48th Field Maintenance Squadron on 15 November 1954.

48th Field Maintenance Squadron FMS 1954-1958

• 48th Maintenance Squadron was redesignated 48th Field Maintenance Squadron on 15 November 1954.
• The Wing reequipped with F-100D Super Sabre aircraft in late 1956
• Reassigned from 48th Maintenance and Supply Group to 48th Fighter Bomber Wing on 8 December 1957 with the removal of the Group tier of command following the organizational restructuring of the Wing.
• 48th Fighter Bomber Wing was redesignated 48th Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 July 1958
• 48th Field Maintenance Squadron was redesignated 48th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron on 15 November 1958

48th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron CAMS 1958-1964

• 48th Field Maintenance Squadron was redesignated 48th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron on 15 November 1958
• 48th Tactical Fighter Wing and its components relocated to RAF Lakenheath UK January 1960.
• 48th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was redesignated 48th Field Maintenance Squadron on 1 July 1964

48th Field Maintenance Squadron FMS 1964-1981

• 48th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was redesignated 48th Field Maintenance Squadron on 1 July 1964
• The Wing reequipped with F-4D Phantom II in 1972
• The Wing reequipped with F-111F Aardvark fighter bombers in 1977
• 48th Field Maintenance Squadron was redesignated 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron on 31 August 1981

48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron EMS 1981-Present

• 48th Field Maintenance Squadron was redesignated 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron on 31 August 1981
• 48th EMS assumed the functions of 48th Munitions Maintenance Squadron which was inactivated on 31 August 1981
• 48th Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated 48th Fighter Wing on on 1 October 1991
• 48th EMS was Reassigned to 48 Logistics Group on 31 March 1992 on the reintroduction of the Group organisation tier
• The Wing reequipped with F 15E Strike Eagle aircraft in 1992
• 48th EMS was reassigned from 48th Logistics Group to 48th Maintenance Group on its activation on 25 September 2002.
• 48th EMS handed responsibility for munitions to 48th Munitions Squadron when it was activated on 24 January 2003
• The Wing began reequipping with F 35A Lightning aircraft in December 2021

 

This 48th TFW Equipment Maintenance Squadron EMS patch dates from 1983.