Military Jets Photography: February 2015

2011 06 19 Meeting de l'air Saint-Dizier

The charity air show by the "la Fondation des Oeuvres Sociales de l'Air” was held at the Saint Dizier Air Force Base. The base is located close to St Dizier (100 km north-east to Reims and 100 km west to Nancy).
More than 50,000 visitors attended over the two days, this great aeronautical festival which coincided with the 60th anniversary of the base and the 30,000th flight-hour of the Rafale with the operational units of the French Air Force.
For the photographers and spectators, it was an excellent show due to the way the main runway is laid out. The runway is west-east orientated with the only taxiway located south of the main runway. Throughout the day, the sun was behind the spectator’s backs and the crowds were very close to the taxiing aircraft.
The show was continuous from ten in the morning till six in the evening. It included flight demonstrations from vintage aircraft, helicopters, to the newest generation of combat and transport aircraft in the service of the French. Also were several visiting foreign armed forces, as well as national and private aerobatic teams including the Patrouille de France.
The highlight was the solo display of the French Rafale. Two Rafales were painted in an outstanding black-gray scheme, dazzling the spectators on their own home turf.

A-4SU Singapore Air Force 927

Mirage 2000C French Air Force 115-KF/111

F-84F French Air Force 1-PA/28897

Rafale C French Air Force 113-EF/102

Yak 11 Privatly owned F-AZNN

Mirage 2000N French Air Force 125-AE/355

Rafale C French Air Force

DC-3 Chalair Aviation F-AZOX

F/A-18C Swiss Air Force J-5017

L-39 Breitling Jet Team

Mirage 2000 French Air Force 125-CQ/370

Mirage 2000 French Air Force 125-AE/355

T-6G Privatly owned F-AZAU

MD.312 Privatly owned F-AZKT

F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-110

Rafale C French Air Force 113-IW/118

Alpha Jet E French Air Force Patrouille de France

2011 06 08 Spotting Viterbo LIRV

Viterbo, situated some 120 kilometres north-west of Rome, has been home to Italian army aviation training for little over fifty years. Nowadays, Viterbo Army Airfield is home to two major flying units as well as the Army Aviation Training Centre (AATC).
In 1976, unit names were introduced, each unit receiving a name referring to a star, a planet or a constellation. Since 1993, Italian Army Aviation has been referred to as the "Aviazione dell’Esercito" (AvEs). The present command structure is still quite complicated, as only the Army’s training and combat support units, which include the Army Aviation Training Centre and the transport helicopters units, are controlled by Army Aviation Headquarters. The combat units, including the A129 Mangusta attack helicopters units, are under control of the "Airmobile Brigade".
AATC, the "Centro Addestramento Aviazione dell’Esercito" provides flight courses for Italian Army pilots, but also training courses for non-flying officers. Besides training, the AATC also has a major role in research and development for operations and new equipment. The AATC has in its inventory all eight helicopter types that are currently operational with the Aviazione dell’Esercito. The AB206, is mainly used for advanced helicopter flight training. The A109, AB205, AB212, AB412, A129 and CH-47C are used for type qualification and operational task training, while the NH90 and A129 are also used for current development and testing programmes.
The 26th has been selected as the Army’s first operational unit to receive the NH90 TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter). Ultimately, six NH90s will replace the eight AB412s now flown by the 26th Gr.Sq. Although the 412 is regarded as an almost ideal special operations platform, the NH90 will provide a major improvement. Besides having a higher payload, larger cargo bay and a rear ramp, the NH90 is also equipped with several features lacking in the AB412. It has a weather radar and FLIR, both mounted in the nose, as well as fly-by-wire controls and helmet-mounted displays.

C.295M Czech Air Force 0452

AB212 Italian Army MM81129/E.I.413

A129C Italian Army MM81408/E.I.938

NH90TTH Italian Army MM81518/E.I.201

NH90TTH Italian Army MM81520/E.I.203

NH90TTH Italian Army MM81526/E.I.209

CH-47C Italian Army

Do228-212 Italian Army MM62156/E.I.101

AB412 Italian Army MM81194/E.I.451

AB206C-1 Italian Army MM80917/E.I.649, MM80908/E.I.640

2011 05 15 Tigermeet show Cambrai-Niergnies

In 1961, 3 NATO squadrons with a tiger in their emblem got together at Woodbridge in the UK for some joint exercises. The only remaining tiger unit from those days is the French Escadron de chasse based at Cambrai. With the imminent closure of its base, the unit was granted the honour to host the NATO tiger meet 2011, 50 years after the first tiger meet.
Sadly, operations against Libya saw many participants cancel for the 2011 tiger meet, but there was still plenty to see with many special colour schemes applied to the aircraft that did take part. This included older NATO countries, but also new member states such as the Czech Republic and Poland.
The tiger meet was held at the military airfield Cambrai Epinoy, but on Sunday May 15, the aeroclub at nearby Cambrai Niergnies airfield hosted a tiger airshow which saw some of the participants of the tiger meet demonstrate their skills to the public. The airshow at Cambrai was called 'Meeting Renaud Ecalle', award-winning pilot with the French airforce Equippe de Voltige, following the tragic crash of him and his family while returning from an airshow last year.
The short runway meant that only light aircraft or helicopters could operate from the field, the other ones flying in from Epinoy.
The flying programme lasted almost seven hours, quite a long time for people to stand in a cold stiff wind in overcast weather. Most of the participants were civilian, but there was plenty of military action too, from both the tiger units and the French military. Highlights among the civilian participants included the terrific display by the British Turbulent Team, the Aerostars and a Securité Civil EC145.

Hawker Furry Privatly owned F-AZXJ

Piper J3C-65 Privatly owned F-BGXC

T-6G Privatly owned F-AZAU

N.1101 Privatly owned F-BLYU

T-6G Privatly owned F-AZMP

AB212AM Italian Air Force MM81245/4-61

Yak52 Aerostars

Morane Soulnier 406-C1 Privatly owned HB-RCF

Mirage 2000C French Air Force 103-LI/80
Alpha Jet E French Air Force Patrouille de France

Tiger Formation

MD.311 Privatly owned F-AZKT

PT-17 Breitling Wing Walkers

EC145 Securité Civile F-ZBPL

EC665 French Army 2021/BHN

Mi-35 Czech Air Force 3367

CM.130R Privatly owned F-GPCJ

F-86A Golden Apple Operations G-SABR

2011 05 11 Tigermeet Cambrai

From May 9th - 20th, only 7 months after the NTM2010, the Tigers roar could be heard again in the skies of North-West Europe during the 50th celebration of the NATO Tiger Meet. Escadron de Chasse 01.012 at Base aérienne 103 Cambrai was host to this large scale exercise for the very last time as it will close IN 2012.
Some 60 fixed and rotary wing aircraft were participating in this year's NATO Tiger Meet. Because of the NATO operation Unified Protector Belgium, The Netherlands and Norway had to cancel their participation. This year's edition marked the first time that the Polish Air force send 6 Elt with their Block 52 F-16's to Cambrai to participate in the NTM. The Greece Air Force also send there brand new F-16's from 335MV to Cambrai and after this NTM they are now a full member of the NATO Tiger Association.
In this year's exercise, around 800 missions were flown. In the morning most of the missions were air to air combat missions, and in de afternoon a big comao was flown with more then 50 aircraft.
After two weeks of intense operations, flying 2 missions a day, the balance was made up. In the tradition of the NTM, several awards were presented to the participating units. The winners of this years edition are:
SILVER TIGER 2011: Esquadra 301 - Portugal
BEST FLYING: Esquadra 301 - Portugal
BEST PAINTED JET: Aufklarunggeschwader 51 - Germany
BEST TIGER SKIT: Esquadra 301 - Portugal
TIGER GAMES: Fliegerstaffel 11 - Switserland