Flight Suit Patches

[Matt_Fisher]

Can someone explain what the current types of patches that Air Force personnel wear on their flightsuits?

I've seen various nametags that either have the aircraft type, or squadron emblem on them, but there seems to be no uniform type amongst the Air Force for their flight suits.

Also, what about the squadron patches theselves; Are they the squadron 'heraldic' crest, or a different version?

Other than nametag and squadron patch, what other embroidered patches are worn (other than rank insignia)?

Cheers,

Matt

 

[aesop081]

Matt,

Take a look at the DB embroidery website for an idea of what is going on in the badge world for flightsuits. The AF does issue a standard nametag for flightsuits but most people pay out of their own pocket to get Sqn specific ones. Sqn badges are indeed the heraldic ones. All other badges worn ( type specific ones, or various others) vary from unit to unit or type to type but usualy require approval from the Sqn chain before they can ever be produced and worn.

 

[Eagle_Eye_View]

Also to add more, some Sqn will approve different patches to wear. For example our SCWO  approved 4 different patches. Its up to the individual to chose which one he prefers.

 

[SupersonicMax]

410 doesn't normally wear the Heraldic patch. Some people do, but really not that many.  We wear the 410 Cougar patch.

We also wear our aircraft qualification patch (airframe dependant)

 

[Griffon]

409 doesn't wear the Heraldic patch either.  They have a Nighthawk patch similar in design to the patch worn by 410 pilots.  And there are other patches that are worn, such as the "Canada Hornet" badge, FWIC, FEWAR, and 2000 hour badges in the CF-18 world just to name a few.

 

[Loachman]

430 and 438 Squadrons still wear their "unofficial" badges, as they have done for many decades, and 427 Squadron has gone back to their unofficial one as well. I do not like the "heraldic" ones at all - too hard to tell what they are, from more than a couple of feet away.

Heraldry as we know it today originated in the mediaeval period as a means to distinguish knights on the battlefield from great distance and under all lighting conditions, so the term "heraldic" as used to describe a badge with a subdued teeny-tiny emblem and microscopic lettering is rather stupid.

Flying suits come from the manufacturer with round Velcro patches on the sleeves, not "heraldic"-shaped ones. Clearly, it is only right and proper to wear the time-honoured and truly heraldic unofficial Squadron badges.

Sorry, Matt. I read your PM, but got distracted and subsequently forgot all about it.

 

[benny88]

We wore the heraldic patch when I was at 424, and I'm pretty certain that some other squadrons at 8 Wing did as well.

 

[Loachman]

That was very much a Transport practice in the past, and then it taineted other communities who previously wore the unofficial badges.