Jagdbombergeschwader 43

Callsign : FOX

Nato Tiger Association status : disbanded member

The order to set up another Jagdgeschwader (Fighter Wing) was given on 1 April 1959 .  It would be stationed on the Fliegerhorst (Air Base) Oldenburg.  But already half a year later they moved to the rebuilt Fliegerhorst Leck, where Jagdgeschwader 72 (JG 72) was officially commissioned on 11 November 1959.

In 1963 the unit was awarded their coat of arms with the Viking ship's stem .  The 1.Staffel (Squadron), with the unofficial name "Vikings", choose a flight-helmet with Viking horns as their Staffel sign .  (As a historical side note it is worth mentioning that in reality Vikings never wore horns on their helmets).  Apparently the first C.O. of the 2.Staffel pushed for a fox as the Staffel symbol in memory of his old WWII unit.  So, they became known as the “Foxes”.

The first aircraft the Geschwader was equipped with was the Canadair CL-13 B "Sabre" Mk.6.  When the Sabre time came to an end Jagdgeschwader 72 moved back to Oldenburg, and their role changed from Air-to-Air to Air-To-Ground and Tactical Reconnaissance .  They merged with Aufklärungsgeschwader 54 (Reconnaissance Wing), which had been based in Oldenburg since 1963 and whose flying group was disbanded.

With the introduction of the successor model Fiat G.91/R and G.91/T “Gina” in 1967, Jagdgeschwader 72 became renamed Leichtes Kampfgeschwader 43 (Light Attack Wing) .  Also, the 2nd Staffel became the first, and visa-versa.  Because of delays with the introduction of the Fiat G.91s, the Geschwader flew until 1966 with two different aircraft types, the Sabre Mk.6 of former JG 72 and the Fiat G.91 of the disbanded AG 54.  As a part of the change the new 1.Staffel decided a new crest was needed  and this would depicted the fox as much more aggressive and belligerent than is true for a fox's gentle nature.

On 1 October 1979, the Geschwader was renamed Jagdbombergeschwader 43 (fighter-Bomber Wing) as part of the preparations for the conversion to the light fighter-bomber Dornier Alpha Jet .  The first Alpha Jet was handed over to the Geschwader on 23 October 1980 .  JaboG 43 was tasked with providing a squadron of fighter-bombers as part of NATO's Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (AMF), which was active from 1960 to 2002 .  And the 2.Staffel “Vikings“ was chosen for this.

1.Staffel (Foxes) was a member of the "NATO Tiger Association" since 1961 .  The request from 79th Tactical Fighter Squadron, USAFE, one of the founders of the Nato tiger Meet, for all NATO Tiger Squadrons to join them for the 1962 meet was also received by the 2.Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 72 .  The young pilots decided, since their fox looked aggressive enough, even tiger-like, to go for it .  When HQ noticed it was not a tiger, they replied with the information that their crest showed a mysterious "Bavarian Tiger" or "Wolpertinger", furthermore they added a line that would become their famous motto: "Believe it or not, this is a tiger" .  The NTA was so impressed with this response that they approved the membership.

(all aircraft are to scale, not all drawings show an aircraft in 43 markings)

Aircraft

Canadair CL-13 B Sabre Mk.6

Fiat G.91/R3

Fiat G.91/T3

Dornier Alpha Jet

Jagdgeschwader 72

1.Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 72

1.Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 72

Leichtes Kampfgeschwader 43

Jagdbombergeschwader 43

1.Staffel, Leichtes Kampfgeschwader 43

1.Staffel, Jagdbombergeschwader 43

2.Staffel, Leichtes Kampfgeschwader 43

2.Staffel, Jagdbombergeschwader 43

Allied Command Europe Mobile Force

79th Tactical Fighter Squadron

United States Air Forces in Europe

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