USAF 48th Fighter Wing FW Patch F-15E Strike Eagle OG Squadron Gaggle 1993 – (4 Inch) Variant A1

48th OG Squadron Gaggle Patch Operations Group USAF Fighter Wing FW F-15E Strike Eagle USAFE RAF Lakenheath 1993 (4 Inch) Variant B1

48th Operations Group Gaggle Patch USAF Fighter Wing F-15E Strike Eagle 1993. Continuing with the use of larger 4 Inch patches

This patch dates from 1993 and has the logos of Operation Groups two flying Squadrons 492nd and 494th together with the 48th Fighter Wing statue of liberty.  The patch is from period of the Wings transition from the F-111F Aardvark aircraft to the F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. The logo of the Groups 493rd Fighter Squadron is missing. 493rd Fighter Squadron had been inactivated on 18 December 1992 after returning the last F-111F Aardvark aircraft back to the United States. 493rd Fighter Squadron the Grim Reapers was reactivated on 7 January 1994 equipped with F-15C and D Eagle fighter aircraft. The Group spent one year without the 493rd FS.

Validation – Tangible authentic and original

Manufacturer – Taiwan Made, Company Currently Unknown

Manufacture – factory machine embroidered on white twill with double warp gauze backing, white synthetic return thread and a cut edge with plastic coating on the back

Visibility – color

Condition – very good has not been sewn to uniform

Size – 100mm by 83mm

Approximate imperial size – three and fifteen sixteenth inches by three and one quarter inches

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USAFE

48th Fighter Wing F-15 Eagle

This original USAF Operations Group Gaggle patch is from beginning of the famous F-15E Strike Eagle era of the Liberty Wing.

The 48th Fighter Wing’s F-15 era represents the next chapter in a distinguished history stretching back to 1952. Originally activated as the 48th Fighter Bomber Wing at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France, the Wing operated the F-84G Thunderjet, F-86F Sabre and F-100D Super Sabre before being redesignated 48th Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 July 1958. 48th TFW relocated to RAF Lakenheath, England, in 1960. During the Cold War the Wing became one of USAFE’s premier combat organisations, flying the F-100D Super Sabre, F-4D Phantom II and the famous F-111F Aardvark.

The Liberty Wing achieved international recognition during the F-111F era. Aircraft from the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing conducted the long-range strike against Libya during Operation El Dorado Canyon in 1986 and later flew 1,919 combat sorties during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Following the Gulf War, the Wing began restructuring under the USAF Objective Wing Organisation program and was redesignated the 48th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991.

On 15 February 1992 the Wing began conversion to the F-15E Strike Eagle. The new aircraft combined precision air-to-ground attack capability with advanced air-to-air performance, ensuring the Liberty Wing remained one of the most capable combat units in United States Air Forces in Europe. The final F-111F aircraft departed RAF Lakenheath in December 1992, bringing to an end fifteen years of Aardvark operations.

The Wing’s fighter capability expanded further when the 493rd Fighter Squadron “Grim Reapers” was reactivated on 7 January 1994 equipped with F-15C and F-15D Eagle aircraft. While the 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons operated the strike-focused F-15E, the 493rd FS provided dedicated air superiority capability, giving the Wing a powerful combination of offensive strike and defensive fighter missions.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s the 48th Fighter Wing became USAFE’s lead Air Expeditionary Wing. Aircraft and personnel supported operations over Iraq, the Balkans and Afghanistan while maintaining NATO commitments across Europe. The Wing participated in Operation Allied Force over Kosovo in 1999 and later supported Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.

The Liberty Wing continued to play a major role in international security during the twenty-first century. Aircraft from RAF Lakenheath participated in Operation Odyssey Dawn over Libya in 2011 and later conducted combat operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The Wing also maintained regular deployments for Icelandic Air Policing, Baltic Air Policing and multinational NATO exercises throughout Europe and the United States.

In 2006 the Wing gained the 56th Rescue Squadron, adding dedicated combat search and rescue capability. This was followed by the activation of the 57th Rescue Squadron, strengthening RAF Lakenheath’s personnel recovery mission and expanding the Wing’s operational capabilities.

The next major development came with the return of the 495th Fighter Squadron. Reactivated on 1 October 2021, the squadron became the first F-35A Lightning II unit assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing. The first aircraft arrived at RAF Lakenheath in December 2021. In 2022 the 493rd Fighter Squadron transitioned from the F-15C Eagle to the F-35A, beginning a new era of fifth-generation combat capability at RAF Lakenheath.

Today the 48th Fighter Wing remains one of the most important combat wings in the United States Air Force. From the F-84 Thunderjet and F-100 Super Sabre to the F-111F Aardvark, F-15 Eagle and F-35A Lightning II, the Liberty Wing has maintained continuous frontline service in Europe for more than seventy years.

Patches from the F-15E Strike Eagle era are highly collectible among RAF Lakenheath, USAFE and modern military aviation collectors. Popular themes include F-15E Strike Eagle squadron patches, 493rd Fighter Squadron “Grim Reapers” insignia, Air Expeditionary Force deployments, Operation Allied Force, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom memorabilia, together with transition patches marking the arrival of the F-35A Lightning II.

48th Operations Group

48th Operations Group was activated on 31 March 1992 as part of the USAF Objective Wing reorganisation to provide 48th Fighter Wing with a Group level command structure. 48th OG was assigned to 48th FW to provide command and control of the Wing’s operational flying Squadrons 492nd 493rd 494th and later 495th Fighter Squadrons together with 48th Operations Support Squadron. The Group alongside 48th Maintenance Group, 48th Mission Support Group, 48th Medical Group and 48th Fighter Wing Staff Agencies is tasked to maintain combat ready forces for US European Command, US Africa Command and for NATO operations. 48th OG organised training, equipment, scheduling, analysis, weather, intelligence, standardization and evaluation, and command and control for all flying operations with 48th Operations Support Squadron.

The Group was responsible for the effective transition from the Wings F-111F Aardvark aircraft to the F-15 Strike Eagle air superiority aircraft. 48th Operations Group was initially assigned 492nd 493rd and 494th Fighter Squadrons together with the newly activated 48th Operational Support Squadron OSS. 492nd FS the “Bolars” and 494th FS the “Panthers” began transition to the F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft in February 1992.  493rd Fighter Squadron was inactivated on 18 December 1992 after returning the last F-111F Aardvark aircraft to the United States. 493rd Fighter Squadron the Grim Reapers was reactivated on 7 January 1994 equipped with F-15C and D Eagle fighter aircraft.

Since its activation the Group has regularly supported overseas contingency combat operations, rapid expeditionary combat deployments, NATO exercises and Baltic and Icelandic Air Policing missions.

48th Operations Group was assigned 56th Rescue Squadron on 28 June 2006 and 57th Rescue Squadron on 18 February 2015. 56th RQS was reassigned to 31st Operations Group at Aviano AB Italy in May 2018 with 57th RQS following on 1 July 2018.

48th Operations Group began the transition to F-35A lightning aircraft with the activation of 495th Fighter Squadron on 1 October 2021 with its first four aircraft arriving on 15 December 2021. The first integration achieved was 493rd Fighter Squadron the “Grim Reapers” which inactivated after returning its last four F-15C and D Eagle aircraft to US in April 2022 and reactivated at RAF Lakenheath with its first F-35A aircraft. 492nd FS the “Bolars” and 494th FS the “Panthers” continued operations with the F-15E Strike Eagle.

As the operational heart of the Statue of Liberty Wing, the 48th Operations Group continues to provide combat-ready airpower in support of USAFE and NATO commitments worldwide.

 

This 48th Operations Group Gaggle patch dates from 1993 during the period when the Wing transitioned from the F-111F Aardvark aircraft to the F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. The logo of the Groups 493rd Fighter Squadron is missing. 493rd Fighter Squadron had been inactivated on 18 December 1992 after returning the last F-111F Aardvark aircraft back to the United States. 493rd Fighter Squadron the Grim Reapers was reactivated on 7 January 1994 equipped with F-15C and D Eagle fighter aircraft. The Group spent one year without the 493rd FS.