USAF 48th Tactical Fighter Wing TFW Patch Pave 1982 – (5 Inch) Variant C1

48th TFW Pave Tack Targeting Pod Patch F-111F Aardvark USAF RAF Lakenheath USAFE 1982 (5 Inch) Variant C1

48th TFW Pave Tack Patch F-111F Aardvark Tactical Fighter Wing USAF RAF Lakenheath C1

This Variant has a golden coloured half

Validation – Tangible authentic and original

Manufacturer – US made Schiffli

Manufacture – Schiffli fully embroidered with white synthetic return thread some snow, merrowed overlocked edge

Visibility – colour

Condition – very good has not been sewn to uniform

Size – 111mm by 92mm

Approximate imperial size – four and three eighth inches by three and five eighth inches

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48th Tactical Fighter Wing F-111F Aardvark

This original 48th TFW Pave Tack patch is from the beginning of 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

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 USAF 48th TFW Pave Tack F-111F Aardvark 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.

AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack Pod

The Ford Aerospace AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack ground attack externally mounted targeting pod was developed in the late 1970s and entered service in 1982. Targets identified by aircrew would be lit up with a laser beam made visible and held on the target with the infrared element via the weapon systems officer WSO monitor. Laser guided bombs dropped by the aircraft would follow the laser beam to the target.

Initially entering service with the USAF in 1982 the pods were made available to F-111 Aardvark and F-4 Phantom II strike attack units including 48th Tactical Fighter Wing.

Pave Tack’s first time in combat was the strike against Libya during Operation Eldorado Canyon in 1986 by 48th TFW. The Pave Tack pods was very successfully used during the Gulf War Operation Desert Storm in 1991 by 48th TFW F-111F Aardvark aircraft. Coalition partners including the RAF also used the system.

48th Tactical Fighter Wing retired their Pave Tack pods when they transitioned to F-15E Eagle fighter aircraft during 1992 with the USAF’s remaining pods withdrawn in 1996 when the last F-111 left service.

 

This 48th TFW Pave Tack patch dates from 1982