USAF AIR FORCE AF 63RD FIGHTER SQUADRON PANTHERS LUKE F-16 FALCON VIPER PATCH For Sale

USAF AIR FORCE AF 63RD FIGHTER SQUADRON PANTHERS LUKE F-16 FALCON VIPER PATCH
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USAF AIR FORCE AF 63RD FIGHTER SQUADRON PANTHERS LUKE F-16 FALCON VIPER PATCH:
$6.99

You are buyinga subdued U.S. Air Force patch(measures 3.5\" tall by 3\" wide) inexcellent condition from the63rd Fighter Squadron located at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

63d Fighter Squadron (63 FS) - \"Panthers\"

\"Activated on January 15, 1941 at Savannah, Georgia, the 63d Pursuit Squadron was originally assigned to the 56th Pursuit Group. On January 15, 1942, it came under control of the 1st Interceptor Command and began flying the P-40 Kittyhawk as it moved to several bases across the northeastern states. Redesignated a fighter unit in May 1942, the 63d served as part of the New York Air Defense Wing, training replacement fighter pilots as its main mission.

During 1942, the squadron began flying the new P-47 Thunderbolt, the “Jug”. The 56th Fighter Group moved to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on December 27, 1942, to prepare for deployment to Europe. Embarkation began on January 5, 1943, along with the 61st and 62d Fighter Squadrons. Six days later the group began training at Wittering, England, in brand new Thunderbolts.

As a component of the 56th Fighter Group, the Panthers became one of the most successful squadrons in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. Flying escort and fighter sweeps for United States bomber fleets, the 63d Fighter Squadron operated out of Boxted, England for most of the war. During the next two years, the squadron\'s pilots destroyed 167.5 enemy aircraft in the air and 110 on the ground. Campaigns the pilots supported included the Normandy Invasion, Battle of the Bulge, Remagen Bridgehead, and the Invasion of Holland. By popular choice, the Panthers kept their rugged Thunderbolts for the whole war.

Honors earned by the squadron include two Distinguished Unit Citations, seven campaign streamers and the American Theater Service Streamer. A few months after Germany surrendered, the 63d Fighter Squadron returned to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, until inactivation on October 18, 1945.

Only one year later the squadron appeared again with the 56th Fighter Group at Selfridge Field, Michigan. Assigned to air defense, the squadron flew the Thunderbolt for a few months, then transitioned briefly to the P-51 Mustang. In 1947, the 63d Fighter squadron became one of the first fighter squadrons equipped with the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star.

Three years later, North American F-86A Sabres began arriving. While the mission didn\'t change, the aircraft did, when in March 1954 the Northrop F-89 Scorpions became the Panthers\' mount. Inactivation came on November 1, 1957, and the squadron\'s pilots and aircraft joined their sister unit, the 62d Fighter Squadron.

Emerging again on June 30, 1975, as the 63d Tactical Fighter Squadron, 56th Tactical Fighter Wing, the squadron joined Tactical Air Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Its mission was to train pilots and weapons system officers in the McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II.

The name changed slightly, but the mission stayed the same, and F-16As began arriving in 1981 as the squadron became the 63d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. In April of 1989, the squadron transitioned to the Block 30, F-16C.

With the closure of the wing at MacDill, the squadron moved to Luke, joining the 58th Fighter Wing on March 12, 1993, where it received it\'s first Block 42 F-16CG on April 16, 1993. Now under the 56th Fighter Wing, the Panthers continue their proud tradition of training the world\'s best F-16 fighter pilots.\"

Aterrificpatchto have for your63rd Fighter Squadron \"Panthers,\" F-16 \"Fighting Falcon,\" \"Viper,\" Luke Air Force BaseorU.S. Air Force patch collection!

Lucky buyer agrees to pay with PayPal upon purchase and will receive FREE shipping within the U.S. and$4.01 postage world-wide.

Please check my other sales for great patches andlow shipping prices. Thank you!



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