page_title: RAF Lakenheath
section_title: 48th Tactical Fighter Wing
hierarchical_section_title: RAF Lakenheath / History / Cold War (1946–1990) / 48th Tactical Fighter Wing
caption_attribution_description: English: Pararescuemen assigned to Royal Air Force Lakenheath's 57th Rescue Squadron prepare to rappel from an HH-60G Pave Hawk during exercise Joint Warrior 15-1 in Scotland, April 22, 2015. The exercise tested the ability of armed forces from various countries to synchronize during worldwide operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Erin O'Shea)
context_page_description: Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, UK, 4.7 miles north-east of Mildenhall and 8.3 miles west of Thetford. The base also sits close to Brandon.
  Despite being an RAF station, Lakenheath currently only hosts United States Air Force units and personnel. The host wing is the 48th Fighter Wing, also known as the Liberty Wing, assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa.
context_section_description: Following French president Charles de Gaulle's insistence in 1959 that all non-French nuclear-capable forces should be withdrawn from his country, the USAF began a redeployment of its North American F-100-equipped units from France. The 48th TFW left its base at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France on 15 January 1960, its aircraft arriving at Lakenheath that afternoon. When the first F-100D touched down on Lakenheath's runway, the landing symbolised a return for the Statue of Liberty Wing. Almost 16 years had passed since the Second World War Ninth Air Force 48th Fighter Group's arrival at RAF Ibsley, England, for the D-Day invasion.
  In conjunction with this transfer, control of Lakenheath was transferred from Strategic Air Command back to USAFE. As SAC elements began their departure, the 3910th Air Base Group began its transition of handing Lakenheath's facilities and real estate over to the 48th's Combat Support Group elements.
  The tactical components of the 48th TFW upon arrival at Lakenheath were:
  492d Tactical Fighter Squadron (LR, blue colours)
  493d Tactical Fighter Squadron (LS, yellow colours)
  494th Tactical Fighter Squadron (LT, red colours)
  The squadron markings consisted of alternating stripes across the tailfin in squadron colours, with a shadowed "V" shaped chevron on the nose. Starting in March 1970, squadron tail codes (shown above) were added when the aircraft went from a natural finish to a Southeast Asian camouflage motif.
  The period between 1972 and 1977 can be described as a five-year aircraft conversion. Beginning in late 1971, the 48th TFW started its conversion to the McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II, with the aircraft being transferred from the 81st TFW at RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk. The conversion to the F-4D took several years, with the last F-100 departing in August 1974. With the arrival of the Phantoms, the F-4s adopted a common tail code of "LK". This tail code lasted only a few months as in July and August 1972 the 48th TFW further recoded to "LN". The F-4D carried squadron identifying fin cap colours of blue, yellow and red (492d, 493d, 494th respectively).
  The F-4's service with the 48th TFW was short, as operation "Ready Switch" transferred the F-4D assets to the 474th TFW at Nellis AFB, Nevada. The 474th sent their General Dynamics F-111. As to the 366th TFW at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, and the 366th sent their F-111Fs to Lakenheath in early 1977.
  A fourth fighter squadron, the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated with the 48th TFW on 1 April 1977, with a squadron tail colour of green. This was 33 years to the day since the squadron's inactivation. The 495th's mission of functioning as a replacement training unit for the other three fighter squadrons. This made the 495th and the 48th TFW unique, as the only WSO (Weapons System Operator) training unit for USAFE.
  F-111s from the 48th TFW participated in 1986 United States bombing of Libya in 1986. This bombing of Libya prompted the mock-acronym, 'Lakenheath Is Bombing Your Ass'.  During the operation one F-111 from Lakenheath was shot down by Libyan forces and the two crew members were killed.  The Libyan government eventually returned one of the bodies.
caption: Pararescuemen prepare to rappel from a 57th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk during exercise Joint Warrior 15-1
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