RNZAF Patch Sqn Royal New Zealand Air Force b 75 Squadron Cope Thunder

RNZAF Patch 75 Squadron Cope Thunder 84 Royal New Zealand Air Force Patch 1984 A 4 Skyhawk Clark Air Base Philippines Embroidered on twill cut edge 89mm three and one half inches.

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Following its service as an RAF bomber Squadron operating over Europe manned by New Zealand personnel during WW2 and in recognition of their wartime record the RAF officially handed over the 75 Squadron title and badge to the RNZAF in October 1946. This is the only occasion that the RAF has gifted a Squadron title and badge to another Commonwealth Air Force in tribute to the sacrifices and contribution made by all New Zealanders in the RAF during World War II.

75 Squadron RNZAF was activated at RNZAF Base Ohakea equipped with Mosquito fighter bombers. The Squadron re equipped with Vampires in 1951. In February 1958 the Squadron was presented with its Squadron Standard by the Queen Mother for outstanding service and awarded with fourteen Battle Honours.

In 1958 the squadron operated nine Canberras bombers on loan from the RAF detached to RAF Tengah Singapore as part of anti-terrorist operations during the Malayan Emergency until 1962.

In 1970 75 Squadron RNZAF reequipped with ten A 4 and four TA 4 Skyhawk aircraft becoming the RNZAFs primary attack squadron. The Skyhawks were modified with cranked refuelling probes and underwent Project KAHU in the late 1980s which upgraded avionics systems. The Squadron commenced regular annual deployments to Malaysia for Exercise Vanguard in 1971 and routinely deployed to Clark Air Base in the Philippines to exercise with the United States Air Force as part of Exercise Cope Thunder together with deployments to Australia.

The Squadron formed the Kiwi Red aerobatic display team in 1988 with six A 4 Skyhawks equipped with white smoke generators. The team performed a manoeuvre not used by any other display team in the world with the leaders aircraft would refuelling the slot aircraft remaining connected while they performed a barrel-roll within the full team diamond formation. On 24 October 1989 during practice two aircraft collided killing one of the pilots. This accident ultimately led to the teams disbandment in 1990.

75 Squadron RNZAF disbanded on 13 December 2001 along with 2 and 14 Squadrons upon the inactivation of the RNZAF Air Combat Force.



This patch dates from 1984.