German Air Force Patch 72 JG F 4F Phantom Westfalen 721 Staffel a

German Air Force Patch JG 72 Fighter Wing F 4F Phantom Westfalen 721 Staffel Vikings 1991 Hopsten AB Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 85mm by 76mm three and seven eighth inches by three inches.

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History  

Jagdgeschwader JG 72 Westfalen was activated on 1 January 1991 equipped with F 4F Phantom II aircraft for fighter interception on the redesignation of Jagdbombergeschwader Jabog 36 Fighter Bomber Wing 36 with its three flying Squadrons 361 362 Staffels and ZAE Zentralen Ausbildungseinrichtung F 4F Central Training Facility. JG 72 retained Jabog 36s Westfalen name prancing horse on Westfalen blue and red background and its three Staffel emblems and traditions. The Wing could not use the Viking ship emblems from JG 72 established in 1959 and redesignated Jabog 43 and LeKG 43 and still operational with the Viking ship insignia as Jabog 43 when JG 72 Westfalen was activated although 721 Staffel initially used an adapted Jabog 43 432 Staffels Vikings badge. 

The Wing comprised a Headquarters and three Groups namely Flying Group Technical Group and Aerodrome Group. Flying Group controlled the three flying Squadrons of the Wing 721 722 and Zentralen Ausbildungseinrichtung ZAE F 4F Central Training Facility which provided European conditions conversion of German US trained graduate pilots. Technical Group provided aircraft technical services including maintenance and repair weapons and ammunition survival equipment fuelling Aerodrome fire protection while Aerodrome Group provided non aeronautical activities and tasks including transportation supplies medical services Aerodrome security and defence runway and airfield repair. 

JG 72s third Staffel Squadron the Zentralen Ausbildungseinrichtung F 4F Central Training Facility was transferred into 722 Staffel as Ausbildungs Staffel in May 1991. The Wing relinquished its D 2 Skyservant transport liaison aircraft in 1992.  

The Wing continued its training exercises and deployments but with an Air Force reorganisation in 2001 and with the decommissioning of the F 4F phantom IIs the JG 72s last QRA Duty was carried out on 7 January 2002 with 721 Staffel inactivated on 18 January 2002 and 722 Staffel was ordered to continue its role of transition training for US trained aircrew. JG 72 was withdrawn from its assignment to NATO and 722 Staffel established Fluglehrzentrums F 4F FlLehrZ F 4F Flying Training Center on 31 January 2002. As part of the introduction of the Eurofighter graduate pilot training commenced at Laage AB leading to the closure of the German Air Force US facility at Holloman and the requirement for Europeanization of US trained F 4F graduate pilots ceased. Fluglehrzentrums F 4F FlLehrZ F 4F Flying Training Centers last operational F 4F flight at Hopsten took place on 15 December 2005 and its remaining Phantoms transferred to JG 71 Richthofen at Wittmund AB on 20 December 2005 and Hopsten closed in 2006. 

This patch dates from 1991.