USAF 48th Tactical Fighter Wing TFW Patch F-111F Transportation Squadron 1987 (3 Inch) – Subdued Variant A1

Transportation Squadron 48th TFW TS Patch USAF Tactical Fighter Wing USAFE F-111F Aardvark 1987 RAF Lakenheath 3 Inch Subdued Variant A1

Transportation Squadron 48th TFW TS Tactical Fighter Wing USAF

Validation – Tangible authentic and original

Manufacturer – Taiwan Made, Company unknown

Manufacture – factory machine embroidered on dark blue twill with white double warp gauze stiffener, cut edge, white synthetic return thread and plastic coating to back

Visibility – subdued dark blue olive green low visibility

Condition – very good has not been sewn to uniform

Size – 76mm by 76mm

Approximate imperial size – three inches by three inches

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48th Tactical Fighter Wing F-111F Aardvark

This original Transportation Squadron 48th TFW subdued patch is from the famous F-111F Aardvark era of the Liberty Wing. Operating from RAF Lakenheath during the height of the Cold War the Wing flew advanced F-111F Aardvark fighter bomber from 1977. 48th Tactical Fighter Wing became one of the most combat-capable tactical strike wings in USAF in Europe and NATO.

In 1977 the 48th TFW exchanged its F-4D Phantom II aircraft for the F-111F Aardvark transferred from the 347th TFW at Mountain Home Air Force Base. The successful transition earned the Wing its third Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The Wing’s flying Squadrons remained the 492nd, 493rd and 494th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. Equipped with the long-range strike capability of the F-111F, the Wing immediately expanded operational deployments and exercises throughout Europe and the Middle East, including Italy, Iran, Greece and Pakistan.

The Wing’s operational strength increased further when the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated on 1 April 1977.  Acting as a replacement training unit, the 495th TFS helped maintain combat readiness across the Liberty Wing. By 1979 the 48th TFW had flown the highest number of flying hours ever recorded by an F-111 unit in a fiscal year. The Wing passed  its USAFE Operational Readiness Inspection and NATO Tactical Evaluation in 1980 and received its fourth Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.

During the 1980s the F-111F became internationally recognised through its precision strike capability and frontline NATO role. The 48th TFW deployed temporarily to RAF Sculthorpe in 1983 while RAF Lakenheath’s runway was resurfaced.

Operation El Dorado Canyon

In 1986 the Wing participated in the long-range strike mission against Libyan targets in Tripoli during Operation El Dorado Canyon. The attack was undertaken alongside the United States Navy Sixth Fleet. Although one aircraft and crew were lost, the Wing received the US Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation for the operation.

Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm Gulf War

The Wing again entered combat during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Deploying as 48th TFW (Provisional) to Taif Air Base, Saudi Arabia, the 492nd, 493rd and 494th Tactical Fighter Squadrons flew 2,500 combat sorties. They achieved more than 2,200 target hits using the F-111F Aardvark and and dropped 7.3 million pounds of precision-guided munitions. 48th TFW (P) executed the first combat drop of the GBU-28 “bunker buster” bomb on 27 February 1991 and is credited with destroying hundreds of Iraqi tanks. The Wing returned to RAF Lakenheath in May 1991 and soon began restructuring under the USAF Objective Wing Organization program.

On 1 October 1991 the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated the 48th Fighter Wing, while the Tactical Fighter Squadrons became Fighter Squadrons. The 495th FS was inactivated in December 1991 followed by the 493rd FS in December 1992, marking the end of the famous F-111F era at RAF Lakenheath.

This original Transportation Squadron 48th TFW patch is highly collectible among RAF Lakenheath, USAFE Operation Desert Storm and Cold War aviation memorabilia collectors, preserving the heritage of one of the United States Air Force’s most important combat fighter wings.

 

USAF 48th TFW Transportation Squadron

Timeline

48th Motor Vehicle Squadron 1952-1957

• 48th Motor Vehicle Squadron activated at Chaumont Semoutiers Air Base France on 10 July 1952.
• 48th Fighter Bomber Wing was equipped with F-84G Thunderjet aircraft
• The Wing transitioned to F- 86F Sabre aircraft in November 1953 and reequipped with F-100D Super Sabre aircraft in late 1956
• The 48th MVS was assigned to 48th Maintenance and Supply Group part of 48th Air Base Group with responsibility for Base support.

48th Transportation Squadron 1957-2002

• 48th Motor Vehicle Squadron changed its name to 48th Transportation Squadron on 8 December 1957.
• The Wing was redesignated 48th Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 July 1958
• The 48 Maintenance And Supply Group inactivated on 8 December 1957 and the newly redesignated 48th Transportation Squadron reassigned directly to 48th Air Base Group.
• 48th ABG was renamed 48th Combat Support Groupon 15 January 1962.
•  The Squadron was reassigned from 48th CSG on 24 June 1974.
• The Wing reequipped with F-4D Phantom II in 1972
• The Wing reequipped with F-111F Aardvark fighter bombers in 1977
• The Wing was redesignated 48th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991
• The Wing began its transition to F 15 Eagle aircraft on 15 February 1992
• Reactivating 48th Maintenance and Supply Group redesignated as 48th Logistics Group on 31 March 1992. At the same time 48th Transportation Squadron was reassigned to 48th LG.
• 48th Logistics Group was redesignated 48th Maintenance Group on 25 September 2002. On the same day 25 September 2002 48th Transportation Squadron was inactivated.
• Now the transportation role is undertaken by 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron using its Vehicle Maintenance and Vehicular Operations Flights.

 

Emblem  –

Description – A blue disc edged black with green globe bottom right showing yellow latitude and longitude lines with stylised aircraft and trail around the globe and four white stars upper left with yellow tabs top and bottom of disc edged black, top tab with black lettering “48th Transportation Squadron” bottom tab with black lettering “We move the World”

Significance – The emblem is symbolic of the unit, the Air Force, and the national colors. The color blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations, and yellow to the sun and the excellence of personnel in assigned tasks. The Globe is representative of the Squadrons reach the aircraft for the Air Force. The stars allude to the aerospace medium in which Air Force operations are carried out. The tabs denote the unit and its motto.

Motto –

“We move the World”

 

 

This subdued Transportation Squadron 48th TFW USAF patch dates from 1987 F-111F era and is highly collectible among USAFE and Cold War aviation collectors.