Spain Patch Escuadrilla 5 Squadron Spanish Navy Air Arm Arma Aerea Armada Espanola a

Spanish Patch Naval Air Arm Arma Aerea Armada Espanola 5 Escuadrilla Squadron Patch Badge 1966 SH 3 Sea King ASW Printed applique felt on felt cut edge 88mm by 84mm three and seven sixteenth inches by three and one quarter inches.

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Quinta Escuadrilla 5 Squadron

In November 1965 the Spanish navy sent pilots and technicians to Key West USA to commence a 7 month course on the SH 3D Sea King which the Navy had decided to acquire to update its ASW capability. Quinta Escuadrilla was activated on 19 February 1966 as the Navys Sea King Squadron and the first SH 3 was delivered in the middle of 1966. A further six were received in 1967 and the Spanish Navy rented the US Navy light aircraft carrier USS Cabot for a period of 5 years renaming it PH 01 Dadalo to provide an antisubmarine warfare platform. The Dedalo was purchased by Spain in 1972 and the Squadron received another two Sea Kings. Another four SH 3s were acquired in 1974 and the final six in 1981. When the Navy acquired SH 60 for ASW in 1988 Quinta Escuadrilla 5 Squadrons retained three Sea Kings in the anti submarine configuration with the rest retasked with transportation including special forces operations and deploying to landing ships SPS Galicia L51 and SPS Castilla L52.

The aircraft carrier Principe de Asturias was activated on 30 May 1988 and replaced the Dédalo which was retired in 1989. The Principe de Asturias carried 12 Harrier and 12 SH 3 and AB 212 helicopters.



This patch dates from 1966.