Officially Licensed USMC VMFA-224 Bengals 2026 Squadron Patch — Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 224 F-35C Lightning II MCAS Beaufort Embroidered Patch
Tigers on the flight line, fifth-generation strike fighter on the cat — the Bengals carry the F-35C to sea.
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 224 (VMFA-224), the "Bengals," is a USMC F-35C Lightning II strike fighter squadron based at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, under MAG-31 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron was originally commissioned as Marine Bombing Squadron 224 (VMSB-224) on May 1, 1942 at MCAS Ewa, Hawaii, and earned its name in WWII flying SBD Dauntlesses in the Solomon Islands campaign — including the Battle of Guadalcanal and Battle of Tarawa — followed by combat tours in TBM Avengers and F4U Corsairs. After the war the squadron flew the F9F Cougar, F-8 Crusader, and F-4 Phantom II — including a Vietnam combat deployment from Da Nang Air Base — before becoming the second Marine F/A-18 Hornet squadron in March 1983 and ultimately operating the F/A-18D two-seat all-weather strike Hornet variant from MCAS Beaufort. The Bengals supported continuous combat operations through Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom, and beginning in late 2024 transitioned to the F-35C Lightning II — the carrier-capable variant of the Joint Strike Fighter — making VMFA-224 one of the first Marine F-35C squadrons assigned to a Navy carrier air wing as part of Marine Tactical Air (TACAIR) integration. This 2026 squadron patch celebrates the Bengals' fifth-generation strike fighter chapter at MCAS Beaufort.
Perfect For: VMFA-224 Bengals active-duty and veteran Marines, F-35C Lightning II pilots and maintainers, MCAS Beaufort residents and Lowcountry South Carolina naval aviation community, MAG-31 and 2nd MAW personnel, F/A-18D Hornet two-seat heritage enthusiasts, F-4 Phantom II and F-8 Crusader veterans, and Marine fighter community patch collectors.
Bengals — fifth-gen strike fighter, MCAS Beaufort.
Recently Viewed
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to swap patches on/off gear, choose hook & loop (velcro). If you’re attaching permanently to uniforms or fabric, choose sew-on. If you want quick application on compatible fabric, choose iron-on / heat seal (when offered). Backing options are shown on the page and update based on the variant you select.
Size is shown on the product page and updates with the variant you select (example: 3"). If you’re mounting on a hat or small panel, choose smaller sizes; for plate carriers and display boards, larger sizes fit better.
If the product is officially licensed, it will say “Officially Licensed” in the title and/or in the product details. If it doesn’t, it’s still a legitimate product—just not part of a licensed program.
Yes. If you see a note like “bulk reruns available,” that means we can support group orders or reruns. If you don’t see it, contact us with the unit/squadron and quantity and we’ll confirm options.
Yes—custom solutions are available (patches, name tags, lanyards, apparel). Use the custom request page and include artwork, size, backing preference, and quantity.