USAF Patch Fighter USAFE b 92 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron g A 10 CAS d4da

USAF Patch USAFE 92 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron Close Air Support CAS Thunderbolt Warthog 1990 Embroidered on twill cut edge 90mm by 101mm three and one half by four inches.

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Squadron History

92 Fighter Squadron reactivated at Wheeler Field Hawaii on 15 October 1946 equipped with P 51 Mustang fighters assigned to 81 Fighter Group tasked with air defense of the Hawaiian Islands. The Squadron relocated to Kirtland AFB New Mexico on 17 June 1949 under Tactical Air Command and reequipped with with F 80 Shooting Star jet aircraft training in tactical fighter operations. The Squadron was redesignated 92 Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950 upgraded to F 86 Sabre fighters and moved to Moses Lake AFB Washington on 30 April 1950 as part of the Western Air Defense Force for the air defense of eastern Washington including the Grand Coulee Dam and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.

Under 81 Fighter Interceptor Wing the Squadron relocated RAF Shepherds Grove England on 5 September 1951 to assist the Royal Air Force in the Air Defense of East Anglia under the operational control of the 11 Group RAF Fighter Command during defense of the UK and for combined operational training. For all other assignments and the coordinated activities with the RAF the Squadron came under the control of Third Air Force USAFE.

The Squadron was redesignated 92 Fighter Bomber Squadron on 1 April 1954 and reequipped with the F 84 F Thunderstreak fighter bombers for tactical operations in support of USAFE and NATO carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons for tactical strike attack as well as retaining an air defense role and relocated to RAF Manston on 28 March 1955.

The Squadron returned to RAF Bentwaters on 30 April 1958 and 92 FBS was renamed 92 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1958. 92 TFS reequipped with F 101 A and C Voodoos in autumn 1958 configured to carry a single tactical nuclear weapon for use against battlefield targets with Low Angle Drogue Delivery LADD and Low Altitude Bombing System LABS equipment for its primary mission of delivering nuclear weapons at extremely low altitudes. Pilots were trained for one way missions into Soviet territory to increase effective range at the cost of pilot recovery.

In November 1965 92 TFS received F 4 C Phantom II fighter bombers upgrading to F 4 D during late 1972 and 1973.

The Squadron began conversion to A 10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft in June 1979 for a mission change to provide close air support CAS battlefield air interdiction in support of NATO ground forces by attacking tanks armored vehicles and other ground targets. In the event of war in the 1980s the RAF Bentwaters A 10s were to fight from Germany and RAF Bentwaters would become the base for F 16s from Nellis AFB and from Myrtle Beach AFB South Carolina. The Squadrons A 10s routinely rotated to the Forward Operating Locations in West Germany at Det 1 81 TFW at Sembach AB Det 2 at Leipheim AB Det 3 at Alhorn AB and Det 4 at Norvenich AB for training and Tactical Evaluations.

With the end of the Cold War it was announced that 81 TFW would be deactivated and RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge closed. The USAF presence at both bases were gradually phased down and 92 TFS was inactivated on 31 March 1993.

This patch dates from 1990.