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Volkel Air Show 2013 |
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"100 years of Dutch military aviation" |
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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. |
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Volkel Air Base |
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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. |
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Let the show begin |
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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. |
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RNLAF,
Eurocopter AS532 U2 (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog) |
Boeing AH-64D Apache and
Lockheed Martin F-16AM caught in-flight (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)
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Royal
Netherland Navy, NH Industries NH-90 (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)
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KDC-10 Extender of the RNLAF
with lowered tanker boom, followed by two F-16BM (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)
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Prelude by the host |
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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! |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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Breathtaking flight
demonstration of a Lockheed Martin F-16BM in a special livery (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)
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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)
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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)
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Nostalgia also was not neglected
either |
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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. |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX of
the Royal Netherland Air Force (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)
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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) |
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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)
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Piper PA-18 Cup of the Royal
Netherland Air Force (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog) |
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Ballett der Lüfte |
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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. |
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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) |
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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)
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Aermacchi MB-339 PAN
(Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog) |
Frecce Triccolori performing
always a great program for their audience (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)
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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. |
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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)
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Close up, AWACS E-3 Sentry,
normally based at Geilenkirchen, Germany (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)
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The crowd cuing up to get a
glimpse insight the AWACS E-3 Sentry (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog)
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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) |
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Close up of a Belgium Air Force
Lockheed C-130H Hercules (Picture courtesy Andreas Herzog) |
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