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A 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing U-2 patch


Patchcollector
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Patchcollector

Hi all,
Here is another USAF patch from my recent Air Force haul.It is for the 5th Det of the 9th SRW.I believe that this is an "Olympic Fire",or possibly an "Olympic Flame" piece.

 

Here is some info I found:

As the importance of intelligence collection increased in the 1980s, the wing operated detachments (permanent units) and operating locations (temporary sites) around the world. The British government publicly announced, on 5 April 1982, the stationing of the SR-71 at Detachment 4, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom. The wing also established Operating Location OLYMPIC FLAME (OL-OF), a new U-2 location at Patrick AFB, Florida, on 29 January 1982. OL-OF became Detachment 5 on 1 January 1983.

 

Here's something on Olympic Fire: And it was also used by Det 5 of the 9th SRW at Patrick AFB (Area of coverage - El Salvador / Nicaragua ) until the OL closed in late 1992.

 

 

A bit more info on Det 5:

Det 5 - Patrick AFB, Florida, 9th SRW, U-2, (MIDAS-deployment and HiCAT-deployment)

post-13386-0-58029300-1379102469.jpg

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They were temporarily based here in Florida some years ago at Patrick AFB, I had one of the patches and got to see one of the U-2's come in over the beach to land and was parked where it came right over the car, awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It had all sorts of fins and antennae on it, the super long wings and the big wing pods.

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Patchcollector

They were temporarily based here in Florida some years ago at Patrick AFB, I had one of the patches and got to see one of the U-2's come in over the beach to land and was parked where it came right over the car, awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It had all sorts of fins and antennae on it, the super long wings and the big wing pods.

 

 

Now that's something I would enjoy seeing while at the beach;a U-2 flying overhead!Was the one you saw pictured on the bottom right?

post-13386-0-95282300-1379219229.jpg

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  • 6 months later...
Spathologist

I presently work in their old hangar. There is a really neat inlay in the floor that they left behind. I'm out on a trip right now, but I'll take a photo when I get back.

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Patchcollector

I presently work in their old hangar. There is a really neat inlay in the floor that they left behind. I'm out on a trip right now, but I'll take a photo when I get back.

 

Hi Varangian,

I would enjoy seeing that.Thanks!

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Johnny Signor

 

 

Now that's something I would enjoy seeing while at the beach;a U-2 flying overhead!Was the one you saw pictured on the bottom right?

Yes , but it didn't have the top Big pod , all the other fins and wing pods .

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I was able to check out a U-2 up close and personal while deployed to Taif, Saudi Arabia back in 1992. The 9th was there for Southern Watch and it was very interesting to see the amount of security around these planes, especially when the only thing top secret were the cameras. Once the film was offloaded, the plane reverted to secret. I gave a U-2 Crew Chief a tour of the C-5 including popping the hatch on top of the T-tail which always gets a nice response as a view from the top of the tail is an incredible experience. Anyways, he escorted me to show me around his charge and I learned a heap about the plane. It is pretty simple plane, but is tricky to deal with when taxiing or doing an engine change. I did get the wing patch off of the Wing medical officer, but that was it.

 

-Ski

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These are two of my most favorite U-2 patches. The one on the left is the 9th RW Overseas Location RAF Alconbury and on the right, Overseas Location RAF Fairford. I got these while I was stationed over in the UK.

 

-Ski

post-3043-0-28233400-1396489299.jpeg

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These are two of my most favorite U-2 patches. The one on the left is the 9th RW Overseas Location RAF Alconbury and on the right, Overseas Location RAF Fairford. I got these while I was stationed over in the UK.

 

-Ski

Love the one on the left Ski, still looking for one of those.

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Patchcollector

Those are some sweet patches Ski.I've never seen those and I really like how they designed them "RAF" style.

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  • 2 weeks later...
skyking_comms

These are two of my most favorite U-2 patches. The one on the left is the 9th RW Overseas Location RAF Alconbury and on the right, Overseas Location RAF Fairford. I got these while I was stationed over in the UK.

 

-Ski

 

I would love to get that Alconbury Patch!

 

Darren

http://www.raf-fairford.co.uk

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firefighter

That's cool.Anyway that would let you pull those tiles and replace them? That would look cool on a wall.

 

I like the RAF style patches.

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Other than airshows, I have seen the U-2 twice. In 1982 it was at Eielson AFB doing atmospheric (weather) work or so claimed the the 6th Strategic Wing, maybe so. The first time was the day after the Iranian hostage situation. As I was coming into work, there was one near our hanger, roped off and with a heavy compliment of Security Police. As with Eielson AFB, it was there for weather purposes. ;)

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Patchcollector

 

25unzuv.jpg

 

Wow,nice!Thanks for posting this.It looks like stone,maybe marble?

 

 

Other than airshows, I have seen the U-2 twice. In 1982 it was at Eielson AFB doing atmospheric (weather) work or so claimed the the 6th Strategic Wing, maybe so. The first time was the day after the Iranian hostage situation. As I was coming into work, there was one near our hanger, roped off and with a heavy compliment of Security Police. As with Eielson AFB, it was there for weather purposes. ;)

 

The U-2 that you saw around the hostage crisis was probably tasked to monitor that area,possibly doing some advance "prep" work for the Delta Force rescue attempt in the Iranian desert.

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Spathologist

 

Wow,nice!Thanks for posting this.It looks like stone,maybe marble?

 

Only the finest linoleum.

 

Though it must be pretty good to have lasted this long in a high-traffic area...

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Patchcollector, I agree on the reason that U-2 was there. It always amazed me what the Air Force thought people would accept as truth. It was also something in those days to see B-52's at Mildenhall. Once again the "story" was that they were passing through.

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  • 1 year later...
Patchcollector

I was able to acquire another U-2 piece for my collection,so I'm adding it to this post.This patch is marked for the "Olympic Flare" missions.

post-13386-0-44935500-1431791822.jpg

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