In today’s time when air displays are getting fewer and fewer, the airfield of Mollis is a pleasant exception. The Zigermeet started in 2006 and on the 7th and 8th of September 2013 it was held for the 4th time only. It is therefore one of the youngest air displays in Switzerland and indeed in continental Europe.

Mollis is situated in the Kanton of Glarus. It is a former military airfield of the Swiss Air Force. During the war Moranes were stationed there. After the war P-51 Mustang and later  De Havilland Venoms used the airfield . From 1979 – 1983 Hawker Hunter were stationed there, which in turn were replaced by F-5E. The last military activity took place in 2007 when the last training camp with Alouette and Cougar helicopters was held. In 2013 the airfield was handed over to the municipality of Glarus Nord.

The display was a typical swiss affair with rather few foreign participants. Most noticeable was the P-3 aerobatic team. This private team is flying five retired P-3 trainers formerly flown by the Swiss Air Force. The pilots who are stationed in the Kanton of Tessin showed what is possible to do with these „old“ trainers.
A kind of home advantage was also held by 3 Hunters. Besides the “Grafity” Hunter J-4015 which is stationed at Mollis, there was also the two seater J-4206 and the well known "Papyrus Hunter" J-4015 which actually had the original number J-4040.

Impressive and with the very special sound of its turbo prop engine  was the former target tug aircraft C-3605 of Historic & Classic Airplanes of Altenrhein. Remembering the earlier days of Swissair was a Piaggo P149E (HB-KIU) which served in the former Schweizerische Luftverkehrsschule (SLS).as a primary trainer.The highly polished Douglas DC-3 visited the show together with two Beech 18 as «Mathys Classic. 20'000 spectators attended the Zigermeet  in perfect weather.
The biggest aircraft in the display and most likely the star of it was the Super Constellation, which besides being displayed in flight also gave pleasure flights during Saturday.
There were other Classics as well. There was a Spitfire Mk. XVI in RAF colours and a Jak-3HM, one of the best fighters of the Soviet Air Force during the war.

Red Bull from Austria were present with their aerobatic team of 4 Zlin-50LX. In tight formation.they flew loopings and rolls and spent a good part of the show flying inverted showing high precision flying. Rainer Wilke showed off a unique helicopter aerobatic program on his Messerschmitt Bo105.

Helicopters were a topic at the show. Besides the Heli Linth AG, the only helicopter manufacturer in Switzerland, Marenco Swiss Helicopter was present. They are presently building the prototype SKYE SH09, whose first flight is estimated to take place in 2014. Two further prototypes should be getting the necessary certificates and the first production machine will be delivered to the customer in 2016. For this it is planned to open a production facility at Mollis airfield.

Zlin-50LX OX-XRA (Picture courtesy Guido Buehlmann)

Zlin-50LX OX-XRD (Picture courtesy Guido Buehlmann)

Eurocopter Ecureuil HB-ZKZ Heli Linth  (Picture courtesy Guido Buehlmann)

BREEZY RLU-1 HB-YLX (Picture courtesy Guido Buehlmann)

Good to know
For the uninitiated, the word Ziger is the name of a cheese produced locally in the Kanton of Glarus.

last update 27. July 2014

Written 20. July 2014

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