Description: The patch is an odd diamond shape edged in black. It has a sky blue background. Along the bottom edge, against a gray background, in black letters, are the words “CLOSING FOR THE KILL.” In the top corner, the patch has a red sun with four red sunbeams emanating from it. Inside the sun is the Roman numeral “XL,” or 40. The main item on the patch is a green and brown camouflaged P-40 Warhawk with a tigershark mouth. The aircraft has its six .50 caliber machine guns firing and in the background, a black enemy aircraft is falling from the sky, leaving in its wake a trail of black smoke.
Significance: The patch has the four colors, gold, blue, silver, and red, representing the four Academy classes. The red sun and the Roman numeral “XL” link the present members of the Fortieth Squadron with those of the past, when the squadron was known as “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.” The P-40 Warhawk links the Fortieth Cadet Squadron to the heritage of the Air Force, and to the men who fought and died in the early years of air combat. These P-40 pilots were quick thinking, fun loving, dedicated, and courageous, qualities embraced by the members of the Fortieth Squadron.
History: This is the squadron’s second patch, originally adopted in 1987 and worn until 2009, again in 2012, and commencing again in 2020.
Nickname: "Warhawks"
1987 – 1999, 2007 – 2009, 2012, 2020 –
NOTE: The dates for the 1987 version (above) and 2009 version (below) of this patch are based solely on their appearance in Polaris. The reasons for multiple uses is unknown.
