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  Volkel Air Show 2013
  "100 years of Dutch military aviation"
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Text:

Andreas Herzog

Pictures:

Andreas Herzog

   

In the second part of our journey to Holland, we report on the Volkel Air Show 2013, this year celebrating the anniversary "100 years of military aviation in Holland". Somehow this statement is familiar to me, is the Swiss Air Force celebrating next year the same anniversary! That the Air Force at such events will show their best is not surprising. And when you celebrate, then you also invite your friends, who of course said yes. Also, we were on our way to the air show and already looking forward to the many highlights.

Volkel Air Base

The base is located east of the town of Uden and was built in 1940 by the German occupiers during World War II. Later in the war, the Air Force expanded the base to a full Aerodrome from the predominant was used by Junkers Ju 88 and Messerschmitt Bf-109G. After the liberation of Holland by the Allied Forces, the Royal Air Force and the Canadian Air Force used the base. After the war, 1949, he was used by the Dutch Navy Aviators and released a year later to the Royal Dutch Air Force. 

Today, the Air Base with his two runways (3024 and 3027 meters) used primarily by Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM of the Royal, Dutch Air Force. From 2019, the first of 37 ordered Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II are expected to be stationed at Volkel Air Base.

Let the show begin

After breakfast we took a one hour ride from our hotel to the Air Base. To our astonishment, the air show had already begun, though it was still early in the morning. However, we had just missed a little, but hurry was announced to still get a good photo place by the fence. In the shadow of a Boeing Sentry parked in static displays we settled ourselves and prepared our cameras.

   

RNLAF, Eurocopter AS532 U2 (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Boeing AH-64D Apache and Lockheed Martin F-16AM caught in-flight (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Royal Netherland Navy, NH Industries NH-90 (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

KDC-10 Extender of the RNLAF with lowered tanker boom, followed by two F-16BM  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Prelude by the host

As expected, the hosts showed their best and displayed almost everything what had "wings or rotors." From various F-16 in their colorfull paintings to the C-130H Hercules, the Pilatus PC-7, the Eurocopter Cougar, the NH-90 helicopter, as well as the already rather rare Alouette III was pretty much all of the Dutch inventory in the air. Even the KDC-10 tanker plane with a lowered boom and two F-16 flew in tow past us several times. The "star" of the Dutch Air Force, however, was a Boeing AH-64D Apache in special livery almost flew a loop and fired flares, which unleashed a veritable fire work, much to the delight of the thousands of spectators. Furthermore, several Boeing CH-47 Chinook DF showed in a simulated field exercise their performance as heavy transport helicopter. A formation of ten F-16 in a fly past tops it all!

 

17 Boeing AH-47D/F are current in service with RNLAF. Two others were lost during combat mission over Afghanistan (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

RNLAF flies 29 Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Boeing AH-64D in a special jubilee livery during her remarkable flight demonstration at the show. Note the firing of several flares! (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

RNLAF Lockheed Martin F-16AM cacht in-flight (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Close up of a Lockheed Martin F-16AM in a special livery (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Breathtaking flight demonstration of a Lockheed Martin F-16BM in a special livery  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Fly past of ten RNLAF Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM

What a great job! … just watching the SHOW!  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

KDC-10 Extender of the RNLAF with lowered tanker boom, followed by two F-16BM  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Fly past of a RNLAF Lockheed C-130H-30 Hercules  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Formation of four Pilatus PC-7 of RNLAF  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

RNLAF Aerospatiale SA-316B Alouette III, a rather rare helicopter in these days. (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Nostalgia also was not neglected either

After several insurance and registration problems the "Duke of Brabant Air Force" North American B25 Mitchell participated again in the flying display; partially accompanied by a Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX.

Further, there was a historic Beech 18, a Harvard and a Beaver to see.
In a formation flight, consisting of an F-16, Hawker Hunter, Fouga Magister and a Gloster Meteor the pilots showed viewers the technological development of the last decades of the Dutch Air Force.

 

De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk, in the markings of the Fleet Air Arm (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk, in the markings of the Fleet Air Arm (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Gloster Meteor T.Mk-7, WA591 of the Royal Air Force (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Douglas C-47A Dakota C.3, ZA947, UK Air Force “Battle of Britain-Memorial Flight” (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina 16-218; one of the last and famous “Cats” worldwide  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog) 

Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina 16-218; one of the last and famous “Cats” worldwide  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina 16-218; one of the last and famous “Cats” worldwide  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog) 

Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina 16-218; one of the last and famous “Cats” worldwide  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

North American B-25 Mitchell “Duke of Brabant Air Force” and Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX in Formation (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

North American B-25 Mitchell “Duke of Brabant Air Force” and Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX in Formation (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

North American B-25 Mitchel “Duke of Brabant Air Force”  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

North American B-25 Mitchel “Duke of Brabant Air Force”  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX of the Royal Netherland Air Force  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

De Havilland Tiger Moth of the Royal Netherland Air Force  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Antonov An-2, retro livery of Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Antonov An-2, retro livery of Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

F-16BM, Hawker Hunter, Fouga Magister and Gloster Meteor in one formation show the crowd the development and history of the Royal Dutch Air Force (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Piper PA-18 Cup of the Royal Netherland Air Force  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Ballett der Lüfte

Almost a tradition in such an event is the various aerobatic teams that gave the honor. They accepted the invitation by their Dutch colleagues and demonstrated the art of formation flying. In addition to the Patrouille Suisse flew the Red Arrows, Patrouille de France and the legendary Frecce Tricolori their breathtaking flight program in front of the astonished spectators.

 

Red Arrows from UK flying the BaeHawk T.1 in a perfect display (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Always an eye catcher is the Patrouille de France, flying the Dassault/Dornier Alpha-Jet A (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Patrouille de France Dassault Alpha-Jet A (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

A few impressions of the Frecce Tricolori Aerobatic team of Italy; flying the Aermacchi MB-339 PAN (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Aermacchi MB-339 PAN  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Frecce Triccolori performing always a great program for their audience  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Besides the famous aerobatics teams, two Mirage 2000N of the Ramex Delta team from France and two already rather rare Sukhoi Su-22 Fitter of the Polish Air Force showed their fantastic skills! An exciting and unforgettable air show day came to an end, although the weather could be better. In the third and final part of our Netherland report we visit the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport where our "airliner freaks" come at their expense.

 

Czech Air Force Mil-24 Hind in action!  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Czech Air Force Mil-24 Hind in action!  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Two Mirage 2000N of the French Air Force “Ramex Delta Team” perform an outstanding display  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Close up, AWACS E-3 Sentry, normally based at Geilenkirchen, Germany  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

The crowd cuing up to get a glimpse insight the AWACS E-3 Sentry  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Close up, AWACS E-3 Sentry,  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Two Polish Air Force Suchoi Su-22 Fitter in-flight  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

Boeing F/A-18C of the Finnish Air Force at a low fly past  (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

 

Close up of a Belgium Air Force Lockheed C-130H Hercules (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)

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last update 17. November 2013

Written 11. November 2013

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