USAF / 56th HMU / RAF Lakenheath & Aviano / HH-60G / Jolly Green Patch

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Union Jack

RAF Lakenheath, England

Full Colour

2018

This patch was made locally on the base at RAF Lakenheath during early 2018 before the Squadron moved to Aviano AB, Italy.

Fully embroidered with a merrowed edge, backed with hook and loop with the giant in Dexter.

A HH-60G sits off the wing of a MC-130 waiting to refuel.

(USAF Photo)

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Stars & Stripes with the Union Jack

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

c.2016

I really don't know much about this patch, except the blatantly obvious, its Maintenance and from RAF Lakenheath, anyone could deduce that. Apart from that I don't know the time frame, how many were made, or who made them, so if you do please get in touch.

If you have one of these patches you'd be willing to sell, trade or donate, please get in touch, I'd love to hear from you.

Maintenance crews prepare a Pavehawk for a days flying at RAF Lakenheath.

(USAF Photo by Airman Perry Aston)

The 56th RQS or HMU had these made at the on base hobby shop at RAF Lakenheath. They came out in various batches, & below shows the chronological order they came out.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 1

HH-60G #89-26212

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

Jan 2018

This was the first patch that was made by crews assigned to the 56th HMU at RAF Lakenheath, England. This was made for the crew that worked on HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter #89-26212. The patch was made in January 2018 on the on base Hobby Shop at RAF Lakenheath & was reportedly made in very low numbers, reportedly as low as single figures.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 2

HH-60G #89-26205

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

Feb 2018

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 2

HH-60G #89-26206

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

Feb 2018

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 2

HH-60G #89-26208

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

Feb 2018

A crewmembers flightbag with the aircraft number patch on the side.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 2

HH-60G #89-26212

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

Feb 2018

The second batch that were made all were made in February 2018, again by the 56th HMU, & again on the on base Hobby Shop. These were made for the crews of HH-60G's #89-26205, #89-26206, #89-26208 & #89-26212. The patches were only a month after the first one was made (212), however the design had changed, this time with the numbers of the aircraft being closer together & all of them having JOLLY GREEN embroidered on them. The 56th RQS actually had another HH-60G, this being 91-26353, however I don't think a patch was ever made for this specific Pavehawk. Mentioning 353 it is interesting to note this was the first HH-60G from the Squadron to move to Aviano, this taking place in mid April 2018, with the rest of the helicopters moving in May 2018.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 3

HH-60G #89-26212

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

Summer 2018

This patch was made in summer 2018 before the 56th left RAF Lakenheath. This version of the patch was only made for 212 aircraft and no others. This time the changes incorporated a head on white silhouette of a HH-60G & the removal of JOLLY GREEN from that patch. These were made in low numbers at the RAF Lakenheath on base hobby shop. The full history of the sprout can be found here.

Embroidered on twill with a merrowed edge, backed with hook and loop with the sprout in Dexter. 

If you have one of these patches you'd be willing to sell, trade or donate, please get in touch, I'd love to hear from you.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 3

HH-60G #89-26212

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

Summer 2018

This patch was made in summer of 2018 before the 56th left RAF Lakenheath. This was made for the crew chief of HH-60G 89-26212, as he wanted a black darker patch made. This was one of the third set of patches made, and differs from the others as it is black, and has a 

HH-60G head on silhouette embroidered above the aircraft number. This version of the patch was only made for 212 aircraft and no others. These were made in low numbers at the RAF Lakenheath on base hobby shop.

Embroidered on twill with a merrowed edge, backed with hook and loop with the sprout in Dexter.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 4

HH-60G #89-26205

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

Summer 2018

This is the latest sprout patch to be made, again from the 56th RQS, for HH-60G 

#89-26205. It was made by TJ embroidery when the Squadron already left Lakenheath for Aviano. It differs from the first 205 patch in a couple of ways. Firstly & the most obvious indication is that it doesn't have JOLLY GREEN embroidered on the patch. This goes along the design of the first original one made in January 2018 for 212, however there are subtle differences. The first is that it is smaller in size than the original, this version being 9.2cm high. Less obvious are the hook & loop being different from the originals & finally the smile on the giant more U than V. Finally I'm not sure this one was used by anyone on the Squadron, as it came out after the Squadron had left Lakenheath & may have been a copy made of the patch. If you know any differently please let me know & I'll change the blog to reflect this.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 5

HH-60G #89-26205

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

unknown date c.2018

I've recently been able to find four more aircraft patches from the 56th, which were made c.2018, but I don't know exactly when. These were for Pavehawks 205, 206, 208 & 212. These are all smaller versions like the TJ Embroidery patches, however some of the details on the patches are different to the TJ ones.

I've put them all in a line as it would be difficult to see the differences if I didn't. Far left is a batch 2 patch manufactured in Feb 2018, the middle one is the TJ Embroidery version & far right is the mystery batch version. Lined up its easy to see the differences, the main one is the small versions have different embroidery in the top scroll.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 5

HH-60G #89-26206

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

unknown date c.2018

206 is quite unique as none of the other versions of this aircraft patch have the numbers spread widely.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 5

HH-60G #89-26208

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

unknown date c.2018

208 is also quite unique as none of the other versions of this aircraft patch have the numbers spread widely.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Batch 5

HH-60G #89-26212

RAF Lakenheath, England

Black Colour

unknown date c.2018

Finally there are three versions of the 212 patch. Left is the first batch made in Jan 2018, middle is the one made a month later (batch 2) & the one on the right is batch 5. Again this is unique as it differs in many ways, with size & position of the embroidery.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Aviano AB, Italy

Full Colour

2020

These are a pair of patches made for the maintenance crews at Aviano AB, one colour & one OCP colours. Made by Aviation Gear during late 2020.

Fully embroidered with a merrowed edge, backed with hook & loop with the giant in Dexter.

56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit

Aviano AB, Italy

OCP Colour

2020

These are a pair of patches made for the maintenance crews at Aviano AB, one colour & one OCP colours. Made by Aviation Gear during late 2020.

Fully embroidered with a merrowed edge, backed with hook & loop with the giant in Dexter.

 

Crews carry out routine maintenance on a Pavehawk.

(USAF Photo/A1C. Erika A. Woolever)

If you have any additional information about this patch please contact me & I´ll get back to you.

Thanks👣