AM Tiger Meet F-2000A
More and more European air forces commemorate the 2021 edition of the Tiger Meet at Beja (Portugal) and the Aeronautica Militare (ItAF, Italian Air Force) is no exception.
Eurofighter F-2000A MM7349/36-54 was adorned with a special ‘Tiger Meet’ scheme. The Typhoon shows the face of a roaring white tiger on its tail and black-white streaks covering the rear of the aircraft, wings and canards.
The 351ª Squadriglia keeps the tiger tradition in the AM alive with the white Siberian tiger or ‘Tigri Bianche’. The Squadriglia is part of 12° Gruppo (Squadron) within 36° Stormo (Wing) and based at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy.
12° Gruppo was founded in May 1917 at the airport of Belluno and has historical origins that are linked to the epic Italian World War I ace Francesco Baracca. The Gruppo is stationed at Gioia del Colle since September 1963.
In 2002, 12° Gruppo was issued Full Member status in the NATO Tiger community. Besides 12° Gruppo, the AM wil also participate in the Tiger Meet at Beja with AgustaBell AB212ICO and Leonardo HH-101 Ceasar helicopters of the 21° Gruppo, another member of the NATO Tiger community.
Photos: Aeronautica Militare and Daniele Mattiuzzo