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| Year Review 2019 |
| Latest update: December 2019 |
| Below you will find a photographic overview of 2019 with additional information of exercise or visits which were visited throughout the year. Main aim at the end of the year would be a visit to the F-4EJ Phantom farewell air show at Hyakuri air base in Japan. The week prior to Japan we went to Taiwan (Republic of China). |
| January |
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| January started with the return of the Royal
Netherlands Air Force F-16's from there anti ISIS coalition deployment
in Jordan. On January 2 four aircraft, all with live missiles, arrived
at Volkel. Three days later the Dutch spotting championships together
with the Scramble organized aviation day were held at Teuge airfield.
After the day was concluded it was possible to photograph the Mig-21 and
Mig-23 under different lighting conditions. On January 9, both Japanese
Air Self Defence Force B-747's arrived at Schiphol. It would mark their
last visit to The Netherlands as Japan bought two Boeing B-777's to
replace the jumbo jets in the VIP transport role. Aircraft from the 89th
Airlift Wing are not regular visitors to The Netherlands. The wing is
tasked with transportation of the President of the United States (POTUS)
with its two VC-25A's (B-747) as well as members of the government and
high-ranking military officials. 89th AW has no less than eight C-32A's
(B-757) assigned. It's four original aircraft (fiscal year 98 and 99)
were joined later by three FY09 and one FY19 C-32's. The Defence
Helicopter Command has an exercise for which two NH90-TTH's from the
Germany army arrived. Both THR-10 and THR-30 participated with one
helicopter. On a very could day with the heath covered with a little
snow Chinooks, Cougars and the NH90's trained sling load operations.
During an open house of the MBO College Airport I had the opportunity to
photograph their aircraft collection used to educate future aircraft
technicians. More background and photographs can be read here: MBO College Airport. |
| February |
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| Compared to other countries it's unusual in The
Netherlands to display former military aircraft in public areas. Until
2017 these were put on display at air bases or in museums. The city of
Volkel had the honor of becoming the first city with a F-16 put on
display on a roundabout near the main gate of Volkel air base.
Soesterberg became the second
municipality. They received an Alouette III which served the base
at the time 298 squadron and Groep Lichte Vliegtuigen (GPLV) was
stationed at the now closed air base. The Alouette III is marked as
A-407 but its identity is A-253. February also saw US Army 4th Combay Aviation Brigade return home staging through Eindhoven before heading to the port of Rotterdam. Unfortunately during a visit the helicopters couldn't depart due to the weather being out of limits. |
| March |
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| Exercise Frisian Flag 2019 saw participants arrive on March 29. For the first time the Air National Guard participated with F-16's. The previous exercises saw all combat coded F-15 wings deploy to Leeuwarden and then continue with their Theather Security Package in mainly eastern Europe. |
| April |
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| Eindhoven was again host for the European Air
Refuelling Training (EART) exercise. It saw the first time an Airbus
Defence A330MRTT taking part. The Royal Air Force, who designated the
aircraft Voyager, took part with its 100th RAF anniversary aircraft. More information and photographs can be found here: Exercise EART 2019 Exercise Frisian Flag 2019 |
| May |
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| May saw the second USAF C-32 arrive in The
Netherlands. This time the more secretive C-32B. These are operated by
the 486th FLTS and 150th SOS. The aircraft are tasked in support of
the Foreign Emergency Support Team (FEST). May 4 and 5 are the annual remembrance and liberation days. The RNLAF performs a missing man formation at their monument on former Soesterberg AB. The next day the Cougar (300 squadron) and NH90-NFH (860 squadron) support the embassadors of freedom by flying them to liberation festivals across the country. It was then time to head to the Czech republic. Čáslav AV hosted an air show, Náměšť nad Oslavou hosted an exercise and we had the privilege of visiting the CLV LOM Pardubice. More information: Centrum Leteckého Výcviku Pardubice |
| June |
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| July |
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| August |
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| September |
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| October |
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| November |
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| December |
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