of its existence, finally being equipped with the turboprop Lockheed C-130 Hercules. The squadron returned to the UK on 1 September 1971, continuing to operate the Hercules until disbandment at RAF Lyneham on 7 January 1976. Badge The badge of the squadron is "On an equilateral triangle, a Petrel's head erased". In the First World War, airmen would often stick bottle labels to their aircraft and so the Bass red triangle - the first registered UK trademark - was incorporated as the main part of the badge with the head of a petrel – a small seabird. References Citations References Royal Air Force History – No. 48 Squadron Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory. Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914–1918: Volume 4 of Fighting Airmen of WWI Series: Volume 4 of Air aces of WWI. Grub Street, 1997. , . Halley, J.J., 'The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1919-1988, Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1988, . Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell. Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. Grub Street, 1990. , . External links Military units and formations established in 1916 048 squadron 048 squadron 1916 establishments in the United Kingdom