RCAF Patch Sqn Royal Canadian Air Force 417 Squadron Escadrille

RCAF Patch 417 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron Escadrille Royal Canadian Air Force Patch Early 1980s  CF 104 Starfighter CFB Cold Lake Velcro Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 65mm two and one half inches diameter.

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Squadron History

417 Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron activated on 1 June 1947 at RCAF Station Rivers Manitoba with Mustang and Harvard aircraft for close support training with army units. 417 FRS inactivated on 1 August 1948. 

The Squadron reactivated as 417 Strike Reconnaissance Operational Training Squadron 23 March 1968 at CFB Cold Lake on the renaming of 6 Strike Reconnaissance Operational Training Unit to provide operational training for all CF 104 Starfighter pilots. The Squadron was redesignated 417 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron 18 April 1972. The Squadron disbanded on 15 October 1983 with the retirement of the CF 104 Starfighter. 

The Squadron reformed as 417 Combat Support Squadron on 1 April 1993 at CFB Cold Lake taking over the duties of the Cold Lake Base Flight and the aircraft servicing and maintenance elements of the Wing Maintenance organization equipped with CT 133 Silver Star fixed wing
aircraft as utility transport airborne target trainer and air combat adversary and CH 118 Iroquois helicopters for transport and Medical Evacuation MEDEVAC services. In 1993 the Air Force reestablished the wing structure and CFB Cold Lake became 4 Wing CFB Cold Lake. When Base Rescue Moose Jaw was disbanded later in 1993 the Squadron gained two of their CH 118 Iroquois. 

The Squadron began providing Search and Rescue SAR services in 1994 and in July 1995 417 Squadron received three CH 146 Griffon helicopters and the CH 118 Iroquois were retired. The Squadron retired its CT 133 Silver Stars in 2001. The Squadron continues to provide helicopter support to the base operations at 4 Wing CFB Cold Lake. 

This patch dates from the early 1980s.