VA-127 Squadron Patch (Repro-OLD)

This is a reproduction of the old version of the VA-127 Squadron patch. VA-127 is the direct predecessor of VFA-127 and has been established on 15 June 1962 as a Fleet Readiness Squadron of the Pacific Fleet Reserve Carrier Air Wing 12 (RCVW-12), tailcoded NJ, stationed on NAS Lemoore. On the eve of the Vietnam War in July 1964, VA-127 still flew a significant number of 21 TF-9J Cougars - and, in fact, together with VA-126 over at Miramar, as far as I know shared the distinction of being the last Cougar Squadron in the inventory - but soon thereafter changed to TA-4F/J and A-4C/F Skyhawks. The older VA-127 squadron patch you have in store is from that time - when the squadron had some other duties to fulfill, than being the adversary, namely providing A-4 transitioning training for pilots coming from the then to be phased-out A-1 Skyraider. It is definitely that the squadron during that time was bearing the nickname "Batmen", thus the bat you can see in the patch. VA-126, after eight years as an Attack Squadron, was redesignated VF-126 on 15 October 1965. It received its first TA-4F愀 in 1967 and afterwards has been one of the prinicipal Navy adversary units, later flying the awesome and tremendously stripped-down F-16N until finally being decommissioned in April 1994. VA-127, after functioning since May 1970 as the only Replacement Training Squadron for A-4s in the Navy, in November 1975 became responsible for the difficult task to providing training in defensive tactics against enemy aircraft to all A-7 squadrons of the Pacific Fleet, quite a challenge but so important for the light-attack community. For that purpose, VA-127 supplemented its two-seat Skyhawks with single-seat A-4E愀 and A-4F愀. As you already seem to know, VA-127 with the imminent retreat of the A-7 was redesignated VFA-127 on 1 March 1987, flying A-4s, F-5E/Fs and since mid-1992 F/A-18A/B from NAS Fallon. VFA-127 was disestablished in 1996, not without relinquishing its A-4s much earlier.