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Unknown USAF patch: TAFT IRAN


vzemke
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The lamp and "knowledge" in the motto suggest a school or a training unit. The aircraft depicted is an F-4, so this dates back a bit. I would guess this is a training unit for tactical air control.

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USAFpatches.com only shows that motto for the 12th Tactical Intelligence Sq. But the design is different. It is possible that this an older version. I'd swear I have seen this before.

 

http://gallery.usafpatches.com/thumbnails.php?search=Knowledge+Through+Guidance&submit=search&album=search&title=on&newer_than=&older_than=&type=AND&user1=on&user2=on&user3=on&user4=on

 

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6426088

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This has to do with the Technical Assistance Field Team in Iran. These TAFTs combined USAF personnel and company tech reps to help conversions to US equipment, in this case the F-4 to Iran. There might be more info on this, but I can't remember. Hope this points you in the right direction.

 

Randy

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I had to edit this and it is now out of order.

 

 

One thing that confirms this is that the colors of the patch match the flag of Iran. That makes this interesting as it would be specific to a limited period of history.

 

Before the fall of the Shah, there were quite a few civilian contractors as well living on long term assignment advising the Imperial Iranian Air Force.

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Well, since everyone is adding some more nice ones, here's another. Early 80s F-4Es in Egypt. They had a hard time with maintenance there initially, but are still flying them today. There are computer made repros of this patch, the originals were made in Taiwan as shown.

post-8832-0-44545200-1516113334.jpg

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  • 4 years later...

The TAFTs for Iran were predicated on statements made by "then" President Nixon about supporting our Allies, when talking about Iran.  I attached a very interesting read in a PDF file.  If you can see it, it will explain how many were sent to teach in Iran and what things they could teach.  I applied to work in Saudi Arabia on their TAFT, but was stopped by McDonald Douglas because of my religion, not that it mattered to me, but it did to them.  When I arrived at Hill AFB, Utah, the depo maintenance for F-4s was there at that time, there was an Iranian bird being held there.  It had been flown over to be overhauled before the fall, and then was stuck in the USA.  I am not sure where it went.  That was in 1986-1987.  We were getting them from Israel, Germany, Turkey, and Egypt during that time as well. 

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