USAF Patch Fighter USAFE b 10 TFW Tactical Fighter Wing A 10 a RW logo

USAF 10 TFW Fighter Patch USAFE Tactical Fighter Wing A 10 Thunderbolt II Warthog RAF Alconbury 1987 Embroidered on wool cut edge 108mm by 67mm four and one quarter inches by two and five eighth inches

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Wing History

10 Reconnaissance Wing was organized on 3 December 1947 at Pope Field NC assigned to 10th Reconnaissance Group as its operational flying component conducting training primarily with US Army units at Fort Bragg. 10 RW was redesignated 10 TRW Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 25 August 1948 and was inactivated on 1 April 1949.

10 TRW was reactivated on 10 July 1952 at Toul Rosieres Air Base France assigned to NATO absorbing the mission and equipment of the deactivating federalized 117 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Alabama Air National Guard. With Toul not ready for jet aircraft 10 TFW HQ had 1 TRS with RB 26 Invader aircraft with it at Toul and 32 and 38 TRSs RF 80A Shooting Star aircraft located at Neubiberg AB and Fürstenfeldbruck AB West Germany. Construction delays in France forced the Wing to relocate to the newly completed Spangdahlem AB West Germany on 9 May 1953 where all the Squadrons of the Wing were reunited. RB 57A Canberra aircraft to its fleet in October 1954 and Republic RF 84F Thunderflash aircraft began to arrive at the end of 1955 to replace the RF 80As. Martin RB 57A Canberras replaced the RB 26s in 1954 for night reconnaissance missions and in 1956 10 TRW began to transition to the RB 66 and WB 66 Destroyer aircraft and the RF 84Fs were transferred to the 66 TRW at Phalsbourg Bourscheid AB France.

10 TRW relocated to RAF Alconbury England on 20 July 1959 following French restrictions on US bases. The Wings Headquarters were at RAF Alconbury and its B 66 Destroyers operated from Alconbury RAF Bruntingthorpe and RAF Chelveston. In addition the Wing deployed on rotation to Toul Air Base operating as Detachment 1 10 TRW at the Wings forward operating location until until Frances withdrawal from NATOs integrated military in 1965. 10 TRW reequipped with RF 4C Phantom II aircraft at the end of 1965. The Wings 30 RS and 32 TRS were inactivated in 1976 and a new mission was added to the Wings role with the activation 527 TFTAS Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron 1 April 1976 equipped with F 5E Tiger II aircraft at RAF Alconbury to provide combat training and demonstrating soviet air tactics as Dissimilar Air Combat Tactics.

10 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was redesignated 10 Tactical Fighter Wing on 20 August 1987 and rerolled for close air support fighter operations with A 10 Thunderbolt aircraft. 1 TRS was inactivated and 509 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron relocated to RAF Alconbury from RAF Bentwaters Woodbridge on 1 June 1988 followed by 511 TFS on 1 September 1988. 527 Aggressor Squadron moved from RAF Alconbury to 81 TFW at RAF Bentwaters on 14 July 1988 leaving their F 5Es at RAF Alconbury and reequipped with F 16 Cs at RAF Bentwaters.

Both 10 TFWs A 10 Squadrons trained for close air support in conjunction with US Army and NATO units. 511 TFS deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from December 1990 to June 1991 and its A 10s played an important part in the air phase of the Gulf War attacking tanks Scud missiles and ground positions.

10 TFW retired its A 10s in March 1992 and without aircraft continued to provide support at RAF Alconbury and was redesignated 10 Air Base Wing in March 1993 before being inactivated in October 1994.

10 Air Base Wing was reactivated on 1 November 1994 as the support wing for the United States Air Force Academy Colorado

USAF 10 TFW Fighter Patch USAFE Tactical Fighter Wing

This patch dates from the 1987