USAF 48th Tactical Fighter Wing TFW Patch F-111F Regional Hospital Lakenheath 1986 Subdued – Variant A1

48th TFW Regional Hospital Lakenheath Low Visibility Patch USAF F-111F Tactical Fighter Wing RAF Lakenheath USAFE 1986 (3 Inch) Subdued Variant A1

48th TFW Regional Hospital Lakenheath Rgn Hosp Subdued Patch F-111F RAF Lakenheath 1986 Subdued Variant A1

USAF Regional Hospital Lakenheath was a short-lived designation being in existence for only three years from 1985 to 1988

Validation – Tangible authentic and original

Manufacturer – Taiwan made unknown

Manufacture – fully embroidered through black twill through white single warp gauze with white synthetic return thread and a cut edge and a plastic coated backing

Visibility – subdued 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 TFW Regional Hospital Lakenheath RGN Hosp Patch F-111F USAFE

48th Tactical Fighter Wing F-111F Aardvark

This original 48th TFW Regional Hospital Lakenheath 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 USAF 48th TFW Regional Hospital Lakenheath patch from the F-111F Aardvark era 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.

Regional Hospital Lakenheath

Timeline

• 48th Tactical Hospital operated at Chaumont Air Base France in the 1950s and relocated to RAF Lakenheath in January 1960.
• The Hospital was redesignated USAF Hospital Lakenheath on 1 July 1971.
• USAF Hospital Lakenheath was redesignated USAF Regional Hospital Lakenheath on 20 September 1985.
•  USAF Regional Hospital Lakenheath was redesignated 48th Tactical Fighter Wing Hospital on 1 September 1988.
•  48th Tactical Fighter Wing Hospital was redesignated 48th Medical Group on 31 March 1992.
• 48th Surgical Operations Squadron was activated on 19 July 2007 assigned to 48th Medical Group.

This 48th TFW Regional Hospital Lakenheath patch dates from 1986 a short-lived designation being in existence for only three years from 1985 to 1988.