Military Jets Photography

2005 07 17 RIAT Fairford

The Royal International Air Tattoo, also known as the biggist airshow in the world was held during the weekend of 16 and 17 July. With over 300 aircraft participating each year, more then 170,000 visitors and support from the Royal Air Force, this is a show not to miss.
After some years on the FRIAT stand, I changed my 5 days of RIAT into 1 day. Early Sunday morning we left home to catch the Eurotunnel for the cross under the Channel. We arrived around 6 o'clock on the Red parking. Once entered on the showground I began with a walk in the static.
RIAT 2005 had three themes: Tiger Roar, the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations and the main theme Surveillance. 'Tigers Roar' was likely to provide a number of special colour schemes but this was not the case. There were a couple of nicely painted or decorated Tigers like the Puma HC1 and the Lynx AH7 from the RAF, a KC-135R from the USAF and the Merlin HM1 from the Royal Navy. All Tiger associated airplanes were parked together except for two, a Polish Air Force Su-22M-3K and a Spanish Air Force EF-18B were to be found within the fighter park.
For the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations there was a display of helicopters and transport aircraft from various nations. The rotary winged element of this part of the static was both impressive and varied and included a German Army CH-53G, Dutch AS532 Cougar, a Lithuanian Air Force Mil Mi-8 and Italian Air Force HH-3F Pelican. Also from Italy were three AB-412s, one from the Army and two from the Guardia di Finanza. Additional to all the helicopters, transport types utilised on UN operations were also well represented by examples of the GAF Transall C-160D, Italian G222, Romanian An-26 and, of course, the C-130 Hercules.
Surveillance 05 was the main theme at RIAT this year, and this theme managed to attract some rare types to Fairford. These include a French Air Force C-160G 'Gabriel' and a AS532UL Cougar 'Horizon' from the French Army, a recce Phantom from the Hellenic Air Force, the RAF brought a Sentry AEW1, Nimrod R1 and a Canberra PR9 and the Italians came with a BR1150 Atlantic.
After the static it was time for some flying action. The flying programme, as always, was full, long and varied, with fast jets, display teams, aerobatic displays and a few historic pistons. The RAF supported the event with everything that was allowed to make a flying display: C-17, Tornado GR4, Tornado F.3, Jaguar GR3A, Harrier GR7, Hawk T1, Tucano T1, Chinook HC2, Merlin HC3, Hercules C5, Blue Eagles, JetsreamT2, 4 Sea Harriers, Black Cats and the famous Red Arrows (who flew an unique flypast with three Spitfires). 2005 also saw the first year of the Typhoon solo display and making its debut on a airshow was an UAV (unmaned airborne vehicle) in the form of the Scan Eagle. Unfortunately 2005 saw also the last solo displays of the Tornado F.3, the Jaguar GR3A and the Sea Harriers. The US came with their F-16 East Coast Demonstration Team, a B-1b and a B-52H, both making some fly passes before landing. Other acts were a French Air Force Mirage 2000B, a Dutch F-16 and a Finnish Air Force F/A-18C, a civilian Hunter, FRADU Hawks and Falcon 20's. As always the Royal Jordanian Falcons are almost a fact a RIAT. Other display teams were the Frecce Tricolori from Italy and Patrulla Aguila from Spain.
Although not the best Air Tattoo I've been to, it was still a very enjoyable airshow, with the best weather we could have.

Puma HC1 RAF XW231

Mirage 2000C French Air Force 103/12-YN

U-2S USAF 80-1077

C-5B USAF 87-0043

OA-10A USAF 81-0954/SP, 81-0956/SP

Mi-8MTV-1 Lithuanian Air Force 21 white

UH-60A US Army 87-24647
KC-10A USAF 83-0082

HC-130J US Coastguard 2005

RF-4E Hellenic Air Force 69-7519

MiG-21MF-5 Romanian Air Force 6707

TAV-8B and AV-8B+ Italian Navy MM55033/1-02, MM7224/1-19

Harrier T8 Royal Navy ZD990/721

Lynx AH7 Royal Army ZD281/K
Gazelle AH1 Royal Army XZ338

Tornado GR4 RAF ZD895/TI

Jaguar GR3A RAF XZ112/GW

Sea Harrier F/A2 Royal Navy ZH798/L-002

Typhoon T1 RAF ZJ809/BH

Hawk T1A RAF Red Arrows
Spitfire PR.XI, Spitfire PRXIX Privatly owned G-MKXI, G-RRGN
Spitfire PRXIX Battle of Britian Memorial Flight PM631

Tornado F.3 RAF ZE736/WB

Harrier GR7 RAF ZD407/36

F-16AM Netherlands Air Force J-055

B-1b USAF 85-0089/DY

F/A-18C Finnish Air Force HN-406

2011 05 08 The end of en era

With the recent defence cuts in the Netherlands, huge savings need to be done. These include the disbandment of two tank battalions, the elimination of all 17 Cougar helicopters, half a dozen fewer ships for the Navy and 19 fewer F-16s.
Of the 17 Cougars 3 are still flying around to keep the pilots active before they can make their transition onto the NH90.
Here's a list of the Cougars and what happened to them (credits to GRAS).
S-400 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 05.11
S-419 AS.532U2 LCW               Woensdrecht 01.11
S-433 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 02.11
S-438 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 11.10
S-440 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 06.11
S-441 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 12.10
S-442 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 11.10
S-444 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 04.11
S-445 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 03.11
S-447 AS.532U2 300 Squadron Gilze-Rijen 06.11
S-450 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 04.11
S-453 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 05.11
S-454 AS.532U2 300 Squadron Gilze-Rijen 07.11
S-456 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 05.11
S-457 AS.532U2 300 Squadron Gilze-Rijen 07.11
S-458 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 05.11
S-459 AS.532U2 storage           Gilze-Rijen 04.11
More info about Gilze-Rijen can be found on the website of Gilze-Rijen Aviation Society.

I had the luke to photograph 16 of the 17 Cougars during the years I've seen them.

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-419

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-433

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-438

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-440

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-441

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-442

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-444

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-445

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-447

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-450

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-453

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-454

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-456

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-457

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-458

AS.532U2 Netherlands Air Force S-459

2005 07 14 TDPU Florennes

The Tactical Discussion and Procedures Update (TDPU) event organised by 350 (F) Squadron at Florennes airbase was aimed at looking into the standardisation of the procedures and the improvement of the team-work between NATO squadrons equipped with the latest operational F-16 MLU M3 upgrade. At the same time 350 (F) Squadron, having a strong Air Defence squadron tradition, organised a Fighter Meet which gave the opportunity to train air-air type missions against all major participating Air Defence Squadrons from Europe. Also present at Florennes were some F-16 MLU M4 upgraded aircraft from the Norwegian, Danish and Dutch Air Forces for some development testing giving a first peek of things to come for the Fighting Falcon family. On 14 July 350 (F) squadron organised a Spottersday to give the general public a good view of the activities going on at Florennes Airbase. Plagued by some last minute cancellations due to the London bombings and the fact that it was France's National holiday, the splendid weather non the less made this a very refreshing and easy going-day.

F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-101

F-16AM Royal Norwegian Air Force 658

F-16BM Netherlands Air Force J-210

F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-91

Super Etendard French Navy 13

Super Etendard French Navy 25

E-3A AWACS NATO LX-N 90448

F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-57

F/A-18D Swiss Air Force J-5236

F/A-18C Swiss Air Force J-5008, J-5006

Tornado IDS German Air Force 45+56

2011 04 21 Spotting at EHGR

In the South of The Netherlands we can find Gilze-Rijen AFB, home to 298, 300 and 301 squadron. 298 squadron flies the CH-47D Chinook, 300 squadron flies the AS.532U2 Cougar and the SA.316B Alouette III while 301 squadron is equiped with the AH-64D Apache.
With the recently annouced defence cuts, 13 from the 17 Cougars will be retired from service by 8th May. Reasons enough for me to pay a visit to a base where spotting facilities are very good.
I arrived very early in the morning so I could make a recon around the base to see were I could take the best photos. In the morning I stayed at the end of Runway 28 (east side of the base). There was a eastern wind so the departing helis would take-off towards me. As the 298 and 300 plateforms are in the middle and at the end of runway 28, these choppers are already quit high for descent pictures. But the plateform of 301 is very close and when the Apaches depart you're able to take some nice head on shots. I saw 3 Cougars, one Alouette III, 2 Chinooks and one Apache take-off in the morning.
Once these were all airborne I went to the famous "slopes". And I was lucky that day. 2 Cougars, according to the locals this doesn't happens very much, came together to the slopes. This was my first experience with the slopes and I was sold immediately. After both Cougars went back to their plateform we had a Apache visiting the slopes. The only downside while being at the slopes is that you don't have a view on the base to see the further movements. Sometimes you can see a Chinook or another helicopter depart but you can't see if it's each time the same one or another one. The last movement on the slopes was again a Cougar. Unfortunately it was the same one as in the morning but he gave us all the angles we wanted. At the end he came very close to us and we all gave him a very nice wave back. In the afternoon the action at the slopes was over but also at the base the action was very quiet.
Being my first real spotters experience at Gilze-Rijen, I'm already planning a new in the near future.