Jump to content

527th Aggressor Squadron


Sabrejet
 Share

Recommended Posts

This is the subdued version of the 527th AS patch. The 527th was a relatively short-lived outfit being formed here in the UK at RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk in '88 and subsequently de-activated some eighteen months later, making the patch a relatively scarce one. There is also a version of the patch which features the squadron title in cyrillic-type lettering. The 527th was equipped with F-16C Fighting Falcons and were charged with playing "the bad guys" in air combat exercises against their NATO allies. I believe some of their planes featured Soviet-style camo patterns. The bear on the patch is presumably symbollic of the Russian bear and is caught right in the centre of the pipper, the whole being superimposed on a red star, which itself needs no explanation!

 

post-8022-1261155842.jpg

 

Sabrejet

Link to comment
Share on other sites

527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron 1975 - 1983

527th Aggressor Squadron 1983 - 1990

out of RAF Bentwaters

flew F-5E's then F-16's

 

here are some more patches from the squadron

post-1786-1261257819.jpg

post-1786-1261257848.jpg

post-1786-1261257890.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ian, I don't want to hijack your thread. If you don't mind, I take a chance and post one of my "all the time-unknowns". Bear, red star, any relation to this Squadron?

 

Thanks

 

Lars

AF.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the subdued version of the 527th AS patch. The 527th was a relatively short-lived outfit being formed here in the UK at RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk in '88 and subsequently de-activated some eighteen months later, making the patch a relatively scarce one. There is also a version of the patch which features the squadron title in cyrillic-type lettering. The 527th was equipped with F-16C Fighting Falcons and were charged with playing "the bad guys" in air combat exercises against their NATO allies. I believe some of their planes featured Soviet-style camo patterns. The bear on the patch is presumably symbollic of the Russian bear and is caught right in the centre of the pipper, the whole being superimposed on a red star, which itself needs no explanation!

 

post-8022-1261155842.jpg

 

Sabrejet

 

 

I hate to mention it but the 527th has a much longer history

 

Lineage. Constituted 312 Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 13 Jan 1942. Activated on 10 Feb 1942. Redesignated: 312 Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 3 Sep 1942; 527 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 23 Aug 1943; 527 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 30 May 1944. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946. Activated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated: 527 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 20 Jan 1950; 527 Fighter-Day Squadron on 8 Oct 1954. Inactivated on 8 Feb 1956. Redesignated 527 Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron on 29 Sep 1975. Activated on 1 Apr 1976. Redesignated 527 Aggressor Squadron on 15 Apr 1983. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1990. Redesignated 527 Space Aggressor Squadron on 29 Sep 2000. Activated on 23 Oct 2000.

 

Assignments. 86 Bombardment (later 86 Fighter-Bomber, 86 Fighter) Group, 10 Feb 1942-31 Mar 1946. 86 Fighter Group, 20 Aug 1946; United States Air Forces in Europe, 15 May 1947; Tactical Air Command, 25 Jun 1947; United States Air Forces in Europe, 30 Dec 1947; 86 Fighter (later, 86 Fighter-Bomber, 86 Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 25 Jan 1948-8 Feb 1956. 10 Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 10 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 1 Apr 1976; 81 Tactical Fighter Wing, 14 Jul 1988-30 Sep 1990. Space Warfare Center, 23 Oct 2000-.

 

Stations. Will Rogers Field, OK, 10 Feb 1942; Hunter Field, GA, 15 Jun 1942;

Key Field, MS, c. 7 Aug 1942-19 Mar 1943; La Senia, Algeria, 11 May 1943; Mediouna, French Morocco, 15 May 1943; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 11 Jun 1943; Korba, Tunisia, 1 Jul 1943; Gela, Sicily, 20 Jul 1943; Barcelona, Sicily, 27 Aug 1943; Sele Airfield, Italy, c. 16 Sep 1943; Serretella, Italy, c. 11 Oct 1943; Pomigliano, Italy, c. 20 Oct 1943; Marcianise, Italy, 30 Apr 1944; Ciampino, Italy, 12 Jun 1944; Orbetello, Italy, c. 19 Jun 1944; Poretta, Corsica, c. 12 Jul 1944; Grosetto, Italy, c. 17 Sep 1944; Pisa, Italy, c. 26 Oct 1944; Tantonville, France, c. 23 Feb 1945; Braunschardt, Germany, 17 Apr 1945; Schweinfurt, Germany, 20 Sep 1945-15 Feb 1946; Bolling Field, DC, 15 Feb-31 Mar 1946. Nordholz, Germany, 20 Aug 1946; Lechfeld, Germany, c. 1 Dec 1946; Bad Kissingen, Germany, 5 Mar-25 Jun 1947; Langley Field, VA, 25 Jun-30 Dec1947; Neubiberg AB, Germany, 30 Dec 1947; Landstuhl AB, Germany, 1 Aug 1952-8 Feb 1956. RAF Alconbury, England, 1 Apr 1976; RAF Bentwaters, England, 14 Jul 1988-30 Sep 1990.

 

Aircraft. A-20, 1942; A-24, 1942; A-31, 1942; A-36, 1942-1944; P-40, 1944; P-47, 1944-1946. P-47, (later, F-47), 1946-1947, 1948-1950; F-84, 1950-1953; F-86, 1953-1956. F-5, 1976-1988; F-16, 1988-1990.

 

Operations. Combat in MTO and ETO, 6 Jul 1943-8 May 1945. Fighter support in defense of Western Europe, 1948-1956. Dissimilar air combat training for USAFE fighter crews, Jun 1976-Feb 1990.

post-3627-1261288266.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi. Yes, I was well aware of the squadron's lineage. However, I chose to only include details about their "Aggressor" role in the UK because that's what the patch represents. Thanks.

 

Sabrejet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ian

 

Thought you might like to see the other patches from the 527th. The Have MIG Will Travel patch is English made

 

Steve

post-5041-1261276410.jpg

 

post-5041-1261276417.jpg

 

post-5041-1261276423.jpg

 

 

Hi Steve. That's the cyrillic-style patch I was referring to. Thanks for sharing!

 

Ian (I'll PM you re the other two patches in due course!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ian, I don't want to hijack your thread. If you don't mind, I take a chance and post one of my "all the time-unknowns". Bear, red star, any relation to this Squadron?

 

Thanks

 

Lars

 

 

Morgen Lars! No..not at all. It certainly looks as though it's related in some way...too much of a co-incidence to be otherwise? Wait until America wakes then we might get an ID!

 

Ian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to have a 527th patch until I traded it away while I was still in the UK. I traded for the 9th SRW Overseas Location RAF Fairford patch. Tough call at the time, but I figured I would find another 527th patch, which never happened. However, I do have this 527th Mig-29 Driver patch, though.

 

-Ski

post-3043-1261312143.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to have a 527th patch until I traded it away while I was still in the UK. I traded for the 9th SRW Overseas Location RAF Fairford patch. Tough call at the time, but I figured I would find another 527th patch, which never happened. However, I do have this 527th Mig-29 Driver patch, though.

 

-Ski

 

 

 

Hi Eric....nice one!!

 

Ian :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi. Yes, I was well aware of the squadron's lineage. However, I chose to only include details about their "Aggressor" role in the UK because that's what the patch represents. Thanks.

 

Sabrejet.

 

 

All was trying to say is the Aggressor Mission started with the F-5's @ RAF Alconbury Thats why that was Bold Print

 

TLH

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a little known fact. When the 527 switched to a Fighter Day Sq from a Fighter Bomber Sq, they changed insignia to the one pictured. In 1956, the 527 was redesignated the 461st FDS and moved to Hahn AB from Landstul. They kept the Deadly Jester insignia as the 461st from then on. The patch pictured in about 5.5", German hand made.

Randy

post-8832-1261334317.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Randy..that's an interesting link, thanks for mentioning it. Here's a similar patch from my own collection..in fact, probably one of the best quality patches USAF I have, though I've no idea where it might have been made.

 

post-8022-1261340953.jpg

 

 

Ian :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a little known fact. When the 527 switched to a Fighter Day Sq from a Fighter Bomber Sq, they changed insignia to the one pictured. In 1956, the 527 was redesignated the 461st FDS and moved to Hahn AB from Landstul. They kept the Deadly Jester insignia as the 461st from then on. The patch pictured in about 5.5", German hand made.

Randy

That's a beautiful thing to behold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

First off I realize its a very old topic. I came across this while googling something else. I just wanted to toss in my experiences. I was a crew chief for the 527th Aggressor Squadron. Except when I was there they had the Northrop F-5E Tiger II jets and it was called 527th TFTAS (Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron) at RAF Alconbury. I was there from 1979 thru 1981. I spent most of my time there TDY at other fighter bases while our pilots did DACT (dissimilar air combat training) training with other American and NATO pilots. It was a damned fine 2 years of my life let me tell you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Johnny Signor

I think the "other" bear patch with the #2 is possibly a foriegn aggressor type, possibly Russkie , or one of thier 'Commrad" cuzin's close by .........................

Johnny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lars-

 

Regarding your unknown bear patch: Possbiby related to MFG 2 of the German Navy? They have the cross hairs and the 2 on their patch, maybe they combined them with this as a "Bear Killer" morale type patch. Just a thought if you picked it up there in Germany.

 

Randy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The patch is a Russian Bear in an F-5 Gun site. Hence that aircraft they flew

I'm talking about the blue disc patch that is unknown, not the actual squadron patch.

Randy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...