US 8th Airforce Badge/Patch

US 8th Airforce Badge/Patch

WW2 US Reproduction 8th Air force sleeve insignia.

The Eighth Air Force is probably the most well known Allied forces of the Second World War. Originally, the U.S. Army Air Forces activated the Eighth at Savannah, Georgia, on 28 January 1942 with three major subordinate units: the VIII Bomber Command, the VIII Fighter Command, and the VIII Ground Air Services Command. Later that year, the first bomber and fighter aircraft would arrive in the United Kingdom, to take the fight to Axis. On 22 February 1944, the Army reorganized its Air Forces in Europe by renaming Eighth Air Force as the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe. That same day, the VIII BC became Eighth Air Force.

During WW2, the Eighth Air Force used famous bombers such as the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator took to the skies from their bases in the East of England. Flying mainly daylight raids, they were escorted by their Fighter plane escort (known affectionately as 'Little Friends') in aircraft such as the P-47 Thunderbolt, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustangs. By mid-1944, the unit had a total strength of more than 200,000 people, and it could send more than 2,000 four-engine bombers and 1,000 fighters on a single mission against enemy targets in Europe. This is how the 'Eighth' were to become known as 'THE MIGHTY EIGHTH'.

The Eighth Air Force is still active today and is head quartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

This is a great reproduction of the Eighth Air Force patch worn on the shoulder by USAAF Personnel. Approximately 6cm in diameter, this patch goes great with your USAAF uniform!!