Squadron patches have been rallying devices for squadrons and wings since the beginning of air combat. The symbols were first used on US airplanes during World War I to differentiate aero squadrons from each other. The transition to patches on uniforms came shortly after. More recently, aircraft programs, projects, and contractors have adopted the colorful insignia to build program morale and use as promotional giveaways.
Progress on the F-22 program has turned Raptor patch collecting into a growth industry. More than 100 aircraft are now flying at five different bases with two more bases designated for additional F-22 units. Each new squadron and wing adds to the total. Even deployments generate new patches. Programs and projects account for even more patches.
The array of F-22 insignia on the following pages represents a wide cross section of the Raptor program as a whole. The patches also represent the evolution of the Raptor as it matured from test, to training, to combat readiness, and, more recently, to real-world deployments.
The collection is divided into three main categories: operational/test, program/project, and early program. (We did not include F/A-22 patches that featured the same basic design.) We believe the first Raptor patch was a program patch for the first YF-22 prototype designed by James Sergeant, a flight test engineer, during the demonstration/validation phase of the program. It’s here in the collection with more than 120 others. We think we have nearly all of the F-22 patches made. If we missed one, send it in, and we’ll update the collection on the magazine’s Web site gallery.
