Spangdahlem Airbase Open House 1994 and the Belgian Air days at St Trueiden

Spangdahlem Air Base, home of the 52nd Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force Europe, was staging its Saturday morning open house in Germany, while, further North across the border in Belgium, Saint-Trueidens, Brustrum Air Base, was hosting the 1994 Belgian Air Day. 

The weekend of the 17th and 18th of September 1994 was a busy time for Military aviation enthusiasts across Europe. Travelling between the two events was also fun, as the route included driving on part of the Spa-Francorchamps motor racing circuit, home of the Belgian Grand Prix. My white Ford Transit had never seen such speed...

The weather favoured Spangdahlem with cloudy sunshine, while St Truiden featured low clouds and rain all weekend. 

Here are the photographers from these two Military aviation events.  

A view over some of the European visitors. All giants of their generation.

84-0009/SP F-15C 52nd FW USAF. The status is active with the 194th FS CA ANG.

84-0027/SP F-15C 53rd FS USAF. The status is active with the 493rd FS/LN.

81-0991 A-10A 81st FS USAF. Current with the 66th WPS/WA.

58-0035 KC-135R 22nd ARW USAF. This aircraft is still active now with the 92nd ARW. 

29+18 MiG-29G JG73 GAF. Transferred to Poland as 4120.

MM7125/3-13 AMX 132 Gruppo ITAF. The aircraft is preserved at the Museo Storico dell'Aeronautica Militare Italiana in Vina di Valle.

MM7142/3-04 AMX 132 Gruppo ITAF. Status is stored but split into three parts per the CFE treaty. 

MM6750/37-04 F-104S-ASA 18 Gruppo ITAF. Aircraft preserved at Istrana airbase.

MM6794/37-20 F-104S-ASA 18 Gruppo ITAF. Wfu at Grazzanise airbase.

Now, the Belgian Air Days 1994. I sat in the car virtually the whole weekend with a good friend from Germany, watching the rain. Thanks for the company, Horst...

2312 L-410-UVP-E20M 242 TSL Czechia A.F. Still active.

38+33 F-4F JG-74 GAF. Wfu.

46+35 Tornado IDS GAF, Taxis for taking off. Currently still in service.

E12/7-PR and E25/7-PK Jaguar E's of EC.02/007 FAF are displayed in the gloomy weather. Both aircraft were stored at Châteaudun Air Base.

Seven Alpha Jets from 9Wing of the Belgian Air Force assembled at Bruzgge, with six aircraft flying as a display team.

Belgian flag.

AT-03/19/24/27/28/30/31, six flying and one spare ship.

J-251 F-16A 313 Sqn RNethAF. Flaming in the gloom. Now scrapped.

94+12 Mil-8TB MHGrp GAF. Status preserved.

46+35 and 45+79 Tornado IDS JBG-32 GAF, departing on Monday morning. Tornado 46+35 is still active, while 45+79 has been scrapped.

R91 61-ZI C-160R Transall FAF is seen departing. Status stored at Orleans Bricy.

XX492/A T.1 Jetstream 45Sqn RAF. Now preserved at the Newark Air Museum.

There you have it, another great weekend spent at two significant European Military air events. 

Those were the Days!

International Air Tattoo 1985 RAF Fairford.

International Air Tattoo 1985 was an outstanding premiere for the new location at R.A.F. Fairford. It was a breathtaking collection of fast jets and support aircraft gathered for that long-ago show.

The Germans sent at least 9 Starfighters: 6 from Denmark and Canada, and the final 2 from Italy. Talking of Italy, they also participated with a rarely seen C-47 from Pratica di Mare.

The USAF supported the show with an array of European and CONUS-based aircraft. For me, my favourite had to be the two F-4Es from the 57th F.I.S. based at Keflavik in Iceland, which sadly turned out to be the last visit of their lovely Phantoms before they converted to the F-15 Eagle. 

27+79 TF-104G MFG-2 departing Fairford. This aircraft was passed to Greece in 5908 and is now preserved at the Dekelia/Tatoi museum.

21+85 F-104G E.S.T. 61 WGAF heading home on departures Monday. Later, it passed to Turkey as 7054.

24+05 RF-104G TGP-11 WGAF. Departs Fairford. Passed to Turkey as 8140.

24+54 F-104G TGP-11 WGAF looks pristine in its new Camo scheme. Preserved at the Meresburg Museum.

26+37 F-104G TGP-11 WGAF. It passed to Turkey as 9189.

26+66 and 26+82 F-104G Starfighters, taking off at R.A.F. Fairford. their status, 26+66, was scrapped, and 26+82 was transferred to Greece as 7428.  

35+28/35+57 RF-4E AKG-51, both departing the Fairford I.A.T. Both passed to Turkey as 

69-7475/69-7504, respectively.

38+42 F-4F JBG 35 WGAF. Status, Wfu.

40+30 Alpha Jet A JBG 49 Arriving at Fairford 1985. transferred to Portugal as 15212.

40+35 Alpha Jet A JBG 49 WGAF, departing Fairford. To the civil register as D-ICDM.

44+08 Tornado JBG 38 WGAF. Status, Wfu.

55-3130 KC-135A 7BW USAF Support aircraft to the SR-71A (Black Bird). Today, it is preserved at March A.F.B. as 'Old Grandad.'

What a sight they used to be: 57-1512 KC-135A rolls for taking off, based with the 336th AFRES at March Air Force Base. The aircraft was later converted to a KC-135E model but remains active as a KC-135R.

Another of the 'Skytanker' participants,  KC-135E, 56-3611 160ARG Ohio A.N.G., is now preserved at Scott A.F.B.

61-2491 VC-140B 58MAS USAF, departing Fairford. Sadly, its status has been scrapped.

66-0186 C-141B 443MAW USAF Fairford I.A.T. 1985, Preserved at Marietta-46

66-0370, 67-0315, F-4E Phantoms 57 FIS USAF departing for Keflavik.

66-0370 and 67-0315 F-4E 57th FIS USAF, departing Fairford. 66-0370 passed to Turkey with the same serial and 66-0315 to S.J. 4th TFW and W/O on the 5th Sept 1986.

Sadly, the 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron no longer operates the F-4, but seeing the 614 TFS from their Spanish Torrejon base is always good. 

Here, F-16s 82-0914/82-1002 are seen returning to that base in Spain.

82-0914 passed to AZ/162nd F.W. A.N.G., 82-1002 passed to S.I./170th FS ANG and later to 309th AMARG.

80-0021/BT F-15C 22 TFS USAF. Fate to OR 114th FS ANG and finally 309th AMARG.

80-0026/BT F-15C 22 TFS USAF arriving at R.A.F. Fairford.

67-0034/UH EF-111A (Raven) 42 ECS USAF arriving at Fairford from its base at Upper Heyford.

67-0034/UH EF-111A 42 ECS USAF departs Fairford. Sadly, it has now been scrapped.

69-7236/SP F-4E and 74-1048/S.P. from the 480th TFS USAF at Spangdahlem, Germany.

107 Étendard 1V P 16F French Aéronavale was initially based at Hyeres in southern France and later transferred to Landivisiau. It was the last unit to fly the Étendard. During the 2003 open house at Landivisiau airbase, I photographed 107, which carried mission marks from the Bosnian War. Still, sadly, it rested in the rain on that day, behind the hangars, awaiting the scrap man.

32 Super Étendard 14F French Aéronavale. It passed to 17F and Wfu.

79 Nord262D 2S French Aéronavale. Last seen stored on the German runway at the Châteaudun storage facility.

K-4020 NF-5B 314 Sqn. Fate to Turkey as 4020.

133 F-5A 336 Sqn RNorAF. Now an Instructional Airframe at Bodø.

MM6705 5-43 F-104S 23 Gruppo Itaf. Preserved.

MM6814 5-42 F-104S 23 Gruppo Itaf. Last seen on the dump at Cervia.

MM61893 14.46 C-47 8 Gruppo Itaf. Preserved at Pratica di Mare, 8 Gruppo hangar.

MM62140 14.21 G.222RM 8 Gruppo Itaf. It was preserved or stored at Napoli-Capodic in the Aeronavali area.

RT-657 CF-104D 726 ESK RDAF. Preserved at Aalborg Airbase.

AT-157 SK.35D 725 ESK RDAF. To civil as N169TP.

AR-119 S.35XD 729 ESK RDAF. To civil as N119XD.

XR773 DF Lightning F.6 LTF RAF. To civil G-OPIB.

XT597 Phantom F.G.1 A&AEE RAF Arriving at Fairford. Today reserved at the once R.A.F. Bentwaters.

Part one is the report based on the visiting SR-71A 'Blackbird' 61-17979 9thSRW USAF to that first-ever Fairford I.A.T.

https://legendarymilavia.blogspot.com/search/label/Blackbird

There you have it, another great moment in Military Aviation.
I hope you made it this far. Thanks for looking.