USAF 48th Tactical Fighter Wing TFW Patch F-100D Super Sabre Transportation Squadron France 1958 – Variant A

USAF 48th TFW Transportation Squadron Patch USAFE Tactical Fighter Wing F-100D Super Sabre 1958 France Variant A

Validation – Tangible authentic and original –

Manufacturer – French Made

Manufacture – embroidered on fine twill cut edge with applique yellow fine twill tabs and with cream gauze back

Visibility – colour

Condition – very good has not been sewn to uniform some display mounting adhesive

Size – 115mm by 93mm

Approximate imperial size – four and one half inches by three and eleven sixteenth inches

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USAF 48th TFW Transportation Squadron

USAF 48th TFW

F-100D Super Sabre fighter aircraft

Chaumont Semoutiers Air Base France

This original 48th Tactical Fighter Wing Transportation Squadron patch is from the famous F-100D Super Sabre period. The French made Variant A patch dates from the Chaumont Semoutiers Air Base years in France.

Activating at Chaumont Semoutiers Air Base France on 10 July 1952 the 48th Fighter Bomber Wing flying element comprised 492nd, 493rd and 494th Fighter Bomber Squadrons. The Wing upgraded from F-84G Thunderjet to F-86F Sabre aircraft during November 1953.

A new insignia design strengthened Franco-American relations during the Cold War period. Chaumont was located near Frederic Bartholdi’s workshops in eastern France. Bartholdi designed the famous Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The Wing incorporated the Statue of Liberty into its emblem. On 4 July 1954 the mayor of Chaumont granted the Wing its honorary title Statue de la Liberte subsequently used on its emblem. The Wing became known as “The Statue of Liberty Wing” and “Liberty Wing”.

In late 1956 the Wing converted from F-86F Sabre aircraft to F-100D Super Sabre fighter aircraft. The F-100D became one of USAFE’s principal NATO tactical fighter aircraft. The Wing assumed direct control of combat squadrons on 8 December 1957 when the 48th Fighter Bomber Group was inactivated. The Wing became the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 July 1958. Flying squadrons were redesignated Tactical Fighter Squadrons following the name change.

RAF Lakenheath United Kingdom

Rising political tensions forced USAFE units to leave France during the late 1950s. Under Project Red Richard the Wing redeployed to RAF Lakenheath, England, during January 1960. RAF Lakenheath became a major NATO fighter base during the Cold War years. The Wing supported NATO exercises and tactical evaluations throughout Europe. Deployments included Turkey, Italy, Spain and bases across the United Kingdom. The Wing earned its first Air Force Outstanding Unit Award between 1961 and 1964.

During 1972 the Wing began conversion to the F-4D Phantom II aircraft. The final F-100D Super Sabre departed RAF Lakenheath during August 1974.

 

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 USAF 48th TFW Transportation Squadron patch dates from 1958 and is highly collectible among USAFE and Cold War aviation collectors.