Log Thursday 14 march 2024 Gilze Rijen Air Force base
D-605 CH-47F 299Sqn
D-479 CH-47F 299Sqn
D-606 CH-47F 299Sqn
D-481 CH-47F 299Sqn
D-472 CH-47F 299Sqn
Just when I arrived the D-605 came in for a fullstop around 11:00.
All Chinooks were read off at their platform.
S-445 as532 nn GREY C/S
Todays goal to visit Gilze Rijen was the arrival of the first AH-64E for the 301Sqn.
For the visit our group had to report to the main gate. Noted at the main gate were:
P-191 F-84F 314Sqn USAF:53-6567
“A-453” SE3160 Grasshopper C/S, Is the (A-391)
Both are outside of the main gate, inside are:
“K-3066” NF-5A 314Sqn, Twentse ros tail band is the (K-3003)
B-42 Bo105 299Sqn
The group was transferred by a van to a location at the beginning of the runway here were noted:
D-479 CH-47F 299Sqn “Omega3”this chinook did some circuit work and went to Eindhoven and returned later in the afternoon back to Gilze.
Q-37 AH-64E n/b USAF: 24-0037 “Apache05” This Apache was the star of the afternoon. It was initially delivered by an USAF C-17 to Woensdrecht where it was made ready for delivery. The flight this afternoon took to the lowflying area GLV5 before it made an low pass close to the squadron platform and when landing the Apache did a hover and 360 turn for the photographers, nice!
L-11 PC-7M 131EMVO Sqn no call sign was heard, this PC-7 did aerial work above the field and after the Apache landed it performed a lowpass.
F-029 F-35A N/B Hammer1?
F-030 F-35A N/B Hammer2?
F-037 F-35A 313Sqn Hammer3?
F-034 F-35A N/B Hammer4?
This four flight of F-35s performed a formation overshoot and after all four performed a break over the field the F-35s performed all an lowpass. If I stand correct hammer 3 did only one low pass while the others performed a second low pass.
The callsign was hard to hear so that’s why the question mark
S-… AS532 GREY c/s
S-… A532 Grey c/s
These two came in, serial unknown for now, no callsign heard.
To complete this perfect afternoon four F-16A’s did an overshoot callsign Bonzo? Serials not read….
We were transported back to the main gate after this perfect afternoon spotting and photographing the Air Force!
Thanks to the GRAS Gilze Rijen Aviation Society and to the Netherlands Air Force for their hospitality!
Greetz,
Frank Mink
www.tristaraviation.org