RAF Patch j 74 Squadron Royal Air Force Phantom F4J UK Tiger a

RAF Patch 74 Squadron Royal Air Force Tiger Phantom F4J UK Air Defence RAF Wattisham Early 1980s Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 86mm three and three eighth inches diameter.

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Badge A tigers face approved by HM King George VI in February 1937 Developed from an unofficial emblem used during the First World War.

Motto I fear no man

74 Trinidad Squadron ended WWII at Droppe Germany equipped with Spitfire fighter bombers moving to Blakenberg then to Ostend Belgium before returning to RAF Colerne on 11 May 1945 to reequip with Meteor F3 fighters The Squadron relocated to RAF Horsham St Faith becoming part of Fighter Commands first jet fighter Wing upgrading to Meteor F4s in December 1947 and Meteor F8s in October 1950.

74 Squadron reequipped with Hunter F4 fighters in March 1957 converting to Hunter F6s in November 1957 before moving to RAF Coltishall on 8 June 1959. The Squadron was selected to introduce the Lightning all weather fighter into RAF operational service reequipping with the F1 in June 1960 working through teething problems and demonstrated a formation of nine Lightnings at Farnborough Show in 1961. The Squadron with its tiger emblem was a founder member of the NATO Tiger Association in 1961 and The Tigers became Fighter Commands leading aerobatic team in 1962.

74 Squadron moved to RAF Leuchars in February 1964 upgrading to Lightning F3s in April 1964 to carry out Intensive Flying Trials to prove the operational capabilities of the aircraft which required the Squadron to relinquish its aerobatic displaying. 74 Squadron hosted its first Tiger Meet at RAF Leuchars in July 1966 and upgraded to Lightning F6 fighters in November 1966. The Squadron relocated to RAF Tengah Singapore to provide supersonic capability to Far East Air Force flying thirteen Lightnings non stop refuelled by Victor tankers to the station on 11 June 1967. 74 Squadron disbanded on 25 August 1971 with its Lightnings joining 56 Squadron in Cyprus.

The Squadron reactivated at RAF Wattisham on 19 October 1984 equipped with F4J UK Phantom fighters becoming fully operational on 31 December 1985 and with 56 Squadron at RAF Wattisham formed part of the Air Defence Force United Kingdom ADFUK. 74 Squadron upgraded to Phantom FGR 2 fighters in January 1991 and became the last RAF Phantom operator. The Squadron disbanded in 1 October 1992 reforming the same day at RAF Valley on the renaming of one of the Hawk fast jet training Squadrons of 4 Flying Training School as 74 Reserve Squadron. 74 R Squadron was disbanded on 22 September 2000 when 4 FTS was reduced to two Hawk Squadrons.  

This patch dates from the early 1980s.