"Warhawks", 1969
The sky blue patch is an odd diamond shape edged in black.
Along the bottom edge, against a gray background, are the black
words "CLOSING FOR THE KILL." In the top corner, a red sun has
four red sunbeams protruding outward. Inside the sun is the
Roman numeral "XL." A camouflaged P-40 Warhawk with a tigershark
mouth dominates. The aircraft fires six .50 caliber machine
guns, and in the background a black enemy aircraft falls out of
the sky, leaving a trail of black smoke.
The patch's four colors represent the Air Force Academy
classes. The red sun and the "XL" link the present and future
members of the 40th Squadron when it was called "ALI BABA AND
THE FORTY THIEVES." The Warhawk links the squadron with the
heritage and glory of the Air Force and the men who fought and
died in the early years of air combat. Men who fought in P-40
were quick-thinking, fun-loving, dedicated, and courageous.
This second squadron patch replaced the "ALI BABA" one near
the end of the '86-'87 academic year.
Infomation gathered for the page from "Squadron Insignia
of the United States Air Force Academy" by P. Michael Sheridan,
Library of Congress Catalog Number: 90-62369
