RAAF Patch Sqn Royal Australian Air Force c 482 Squadron Crest

RAAF Patch 482 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force Crest Patch Queens Crown 1970s F 111 Maintenance RAAF Base Amberley Queensland Embroidered on wool cut edge 123mm by 84mm four and seven eighth inches by three and five sixteenth inches.

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Squadron History

The wartime 4 Repair and Servicing Unit was reactivated as 482 Maintenance Squadron in May 1946 at RAAF Station Amberley Queensland as a component of 82 Bomber Wing to maintain the Wings B 24 Liberator bombers. In February 1948 the Wing replaced its B 24 Liberators with Lincoln bombers. During 1949 1950 the Squadron specially modified some of the Lincoln bombers with advanced radar and other instrumentation to participate in Operation Cumulative a joint program with the Royal Air Force to gather long range navigation and bombing data for use in potential air campaigns against the Soviet Union.

In October 1950 482 Squadron personnel undertook airframe and engine courses in preparation for the introduction of the Canberra jet bomber which reequipped 82 Wings flying squadrons in December 1953.

During the 1950s and 60s 482 Squadron provided ground support for exercises involving the Canberra bombers in Darwin and New Guinea and for ceremonial occasions including several royal visits. In April 1968 1 Operational Conversion Unit OCU responsible for converting aircrew to the Canberra was made independent of 82 Wing to concentrate on providing crews for 2 Squadron which was on active duty in the Vietnam. Maintenance responsibilities for the Canberras then transferred from 482 Squadron to 1 OCU along with relevant staff and equipment.

482 Squadrons hangar electronics and training facilities were upgraded in the late 1960s in anticipation of the F 111 bomber arrival on 82 Wing and the Squadrons main hangar became known as the Taj Mahal. Between 1970 and 1973 while waiting for the F 111 bomber 82 Wing operated leased F 4E Phantom bombers which were maintained by 482 Squadron in conjunction with 3 Aircraft Depot. As well as routine servicing the Phantoms AN APQ 120 radars were modified during early 1971.

By 1973 when the F 111 finally entered service the Squadron had a strength of over 700 operating the USAF concept of a centralised servicing regime whereby all aircraft and maintenance personnel were held by 482 Squadron which serviced and released the F 111s in line with 1 and 6 Squadrons joint flying program. Problems arose due to the relatively small size of the RAAFs F 111 fleet and responsibility for operational level servicing was transferred to the flying squadrons on 1 February 1981 with 200 personnel moving from 482 Squadron to 1 and 6 Squadrons as they took direct control of their F 111s. 482 Squadron continued to provide intermediate level servicing for the F 111 bombers while major upgrades and complex maintenance involving stripping down the airframe and engines were carried out by 3 Aircraft Depot. 482 Squadron also operated the F 111 flight simulator. The Squadrons personnel deployed with the F 111s on exercises and took part in investigations and recovery operations following accidents.

482 Squadron disbanded on its merger with 3 Aircraft Depot to form 501 Wing on 16 March 1992. 501 Wing continued to provide deep maintenance and logistics support for the F 111s at RAAF Amberley until 2001 when Boeing Australia was awarded the maintenance contract.

This patch dates from the 1970s.