Basevisit Birset and Beauvechain 09-09-08

[Jan]

Last tuesday we visited in the morning the Wing Heli at Bierset were the following were noted:
H28
H25
H23
H38 TOW
H26
H20
H05 MEDIVAC
H35
H30
A79
A53
A68

under maintainance were:
H31 TOW
H46 TOW
H42 TOW
H01
H29
H41
H39
H40

Still present is the Mi26 from the FAC(force arienne de Congo?)
RA-06021

In he afternoon we visited Beauvechain where we saw the following:

Alphajet maintainance:
AT13 titles:PROUD TO FLY TOGETHER
AT14
AT12
AT24
AT08
AT18
AT03
AT06
AT..

only 1 Fouga present MT37

Active SF260's:
ST31+
ST15+
ST19+
ST20+ titles:250.000 FLIGHT HOURS
ST18+
ST24+
ST46
ST23
ST41
ST17+
ST42
ST03+
ST26+
ST45
ST04+
ST40
ST47
ST36+
ST34+
ST06+

flying:
ST30+
ST25+
ST32(+)
LXN90459

in maintainance:
ST48
ST22(+)
ST35(+)
ST11(restoration for museum)
ST02(+)
ST44

the aircraft marked with + are the modified to SF260M
The ones in maintainance were too much disassembled to see which of both they were.

Last stop was the basemuseum.
New in the museum is the FX47 and it is parked where the FA113 used to stand.
FX04 has moved to a new place near the fence and can be easily be photographed otside the base.
FA113 has moved to the spot wher the FX04 used to be.
THe Hunter was gone and will be put on display somewhere in a town(name has slipped me).

Greetings

Jan Eenling
Gary Donnison
Robin de Vries
Waldy de Vries

[vanderveen]

The old SF.260M aircraft are modified to SF.260M Plus standard.
Modified aircraft can easily be identified by the GPS antenne in front of the windshield and the + sign painted on the rudder.

[Wim]

Hello Jan,

Nice log of your day. I saw the Hunter standing in the grass in Chievres on the airbase a couple of days ago.

[Jan]

The old ones are SF260D and not SF260M but you are right with the + on the rudder.
The planes we saw that were on overhaul were stripped and the paint was removed so it was impossible to indentify which type they were.
The serial was put on the bulkhead in pencil so that they new which 1 it was.

[frank kramer]

The old ones are SF260D and not SF260M but you are right with the + on the rudder.

That is not quite correct...

The first series (ST-01 through ST-36) were in fact SF.260MB when delivered new to the BAF. Later on, they bought additional (second hand) Marchetti's of the subtype SF.260D (starting from ST-37).
About two-three years ago, they started modernising the SF.260MB's; the ones modified can be identified by means of the white antenna and the + behind the number on the top of the tail.
Just recently, they modified the first one (ST-34) to an even newer standard. Main distinguishing factor, apart from the fact that the aircraft received a bigger canopy (in order to find more room for the pilots that keep getting taller) is the fact that the aircraft has TWO plusses on top of the tail... (++) .

I would like to point out that I did not invent this system... I merely report it . See the BAHA news item (can't link just now) of July 20, 2008 on this subject!

[Joris Heeren]

Frank,

The old ones are SF260D and not SF260M but you are right with the + on the rudder.

That is not quite correct...

The first series (ST-01 through ST-36) were in fact SF.260MB when delivered new to the BAF. Later on, they bought additional (second hand) Marchetti's of the subtype SF.260D (starting from ST-37).

This is NOT correct. The designation SF260MB has been used for another country (I think it was Burma), and the Belgian examples are just plain SF260Ms. The SF260Ds were brand new at the time (not second hand as suggested) and started at ST-40.

HTH,
Joris

[frank kramer]

You're right! That's what you get when you think you remember but fail to check the facts

Anyway, we're getting there. Wonder how many mods they can still do before they run out of tail to put (++++++) on