Soesterberg Air Base

FOREIGN AIR FORCES VISITORS

 The perfect contribution to the farewell party of Soesterberg AB; this Hellenic F-4  (12-11-08)

  What comes from far is always nice! This "down under" Herc definitely qualifies! It was here on

   29-04-85 to celebrate the "Manna flights", the airborne food droppings at the end of WWII.

                      So common in the past: Italian Starfighters for a weekend stop.

                                             In this case of 51 Stormo. (14-12-94)

     Not a very photogenic aircraft, but rare indeed. A 28 Gruppo Dornier of the Italian Army

         which visited Soesterberg AB in terrible weather. ( Soesterberg February 2004)

                     This Hercules brought a music band for a performance in Holland.

The NATO "Partnership for Peace Program" brought this juicy Ilyushin to Soesterberg on 28-10-94.

    A rather rare visitor was this An-12 Cub, also during the "partnertship for peace" exercise.

Definitely not a good picture, but not a common sight for Soesterberg either. The arrival of Swiss Air Force

                     Hunter J-4073 for the "Militaire Luchtvaart Museum" on 16-06-95.

Another of those Golden Oldies; 11sq. Lightning from RAF Binbrook at Soesterberg. (December 1986)

On 05-04-90 brand new Tornado's F3 of  23sq. arrived to train with the 32TFS in the DACT roll.

                           In the background a BDRT F-105F Thunderchief.

3 Harriers for a weekend stop at Soesterberg anno 2008! What a surprise! (28-03-08)

 In March 1997 a couple of 100 sq. Hawks were stationed at Soesterberg AB for some days to  

                               fly missions to test the UK defence system.

Surprise, surprise. A weekend stop for this rare Navy Jetstream from 11-05-07 till 14-05-07

    In the autumn of 1998  2 Royal Navy Seakings operated temporarely from Soesterberg AB.

   This Odiham Chinook was present on 18 April 2000 to celebrate the 55 years jubilee of  298sq.

After some Danish examples last year we recently got this nice British one (07-06-07 Soesterberg)

XW232, a 230Sq. Puma was a participant of the Open Day on 1 September 1984 at Soesterberg.

This Lynx was at Soesterberg in September 2004 to commemorate the "Marken Garden"operation.

 ZD242/P, a tanker version of the VC-10 at the visitors platform. (Soesterberg end of May 1997)

      Market Garden memorial flights accounted for most of the interesting visitors in recent years.

                           As an example a Hercules C3 of the RAF (17-09-04).

Hercules ZH869 Royal Air Force at Soesterberg for the Market Garden memorial flights. (18-09-05)

This RAF Hercules ZH888 arrived on 24 and 25 June 2006 to pick up some spare parts for an exercise in Spain.

     Market Garden edition 2007 brought this Hercules together with another British example.

This Marineflieger MFG-2 Starfighter 26+60 was part of the "Vikings"team, for which in the early

                      Eighties F-104's were used in standard Marineflieger outfit.

On 15 januari 2007 the long awaited Brequet Atlantic (61+20) arrived for the Military Aviation

Museum. As support aircraft the 61+12 visited Soesterberg on the same day.

         Nice JaBo36 Phantom from Hopsten AB, still wearing the old camouflage pattern.

      This picture was taken from the old spotters area, close to taxitrack south. (28-08-83)

                         Another beautiful Phantom of our German neighbours.

             In the eighties this particular aircraft was in service with JG71 "Richthoven".

           Tornado IDS JBG32 46+45 for an unusual nightstop at Soesterberg (09-03-05).

                              Transall 50+68 Luftwaffe 25-04-05 Soesterberg.

         De 50+50 came along on 07-06-06 with spare parts  for a broken fellow Transall.

   Captain Zimmermann was a well known performer, flying with the Bölkow in the eighties.

Recently, a couple of Heer Bo105's was present at Soesterberg due to the Army Open days. (02-06-07)

         The 298sq. jubilee was highlighted by this German Huey. (Soesterberg 30-05-06)

            Always impressive, Jolly Greens of the German Army. (Soesterberg 30-05-06)

              Never seen before at Soesterberg, a German Eurocopter 135.  (30-05-06)

       Not bad at all, this guest on the last operational day of the Air Base (12-11-08).

This Belgian Agusta was present at Soesterberg on 18-04-2000 to celebrate the 55 years of 298sq.

This Mirage 5BR of the 42e smaldeel was here at the static on 1 September 1984 in party colours.

On saturday 03-02-07 Embraer CE-02 visited Soesterberg to pick up some people for an exercise in Norway.

  Although not a real Belgian Magister, its shows the proper colours of that nation. (12-11-08)

        On 16-06-95 Soesterberg dealt with a massive invasion of Portuguese aircraft.

             They stayed for a week to take part in the exercise "Central Enterprise".

              Always nice; a Corsair. A pity that the weather was so bad. (Soesterberg 16-06-95)

      Four Alphajets were also part of the Portuguese delegation for "Central Enterprise".

          Support arrived in the form of a stretched Hercules. (Soesterberg 16-06-95)

    RCAFB Lahr was the home base for two Dash 7 's of the Canadian Air Force in those days.

                Here the 132001 of 412sq. at Soesterberg Air Base. (01-09-84)

         To celebrate 60 years of freedom after WW II: CC-144 Challenger Canadian Air Force

                                               on 08-05-05 Soesterberg AB.

         Still in old camouflage colours, this Casa of the Spanish Air Force. (25-05-05)

         On 24-02-06 this Spanish CN-235 picked up some candidates to bring them home,

     after they had been "tortured" in the centrifuge of the Dutch Air Force for a couple of days.

Smoke and noise; old fashioned engines and airframe, but still very effective in the AWACS roll.                          

                                              E-3A LX-N90445 18-08-05

                                           And another one on finals Runway 27

In the past the Open Days were not so big as today, but nevertheless brought some interesting

     visitors like this Danish Draken AT-153 with in the background a Belgian Recce Mirage.

     Apart from this Hughes 500 of the Danish Army several other aircraft can clearly be seen

      at the Open House of 1984. In casu an Atlantic, a Troopship and an American Chinook.

                              Soesterberg 15-09-06 on its delivery flight.

         This brand new Danish Hercules made a navigation trip to Soesterberg in May 2004.

This Saab Supporter suddenly appeared from behind the trees, hence the rather unsharp picture.

                                                 (Soesterberg 07-06-07)

                               In the eighties for a fuel stop: a Norwegian Seaking.

      Vipers of the Norwegian 331 skv. long before the midlife update. (Soesterberg the eighties)

 This Norwegian Air Force Hercules 955 arrived at Soesterberg in 2005 to drop some para's. (28-06-05).

                      A rare visitor for Soesterberg is this French vip and liason plane.

Two Alpha jets appeared at EHSB on a navigation trip from and to Beauvechain at 30 June 2007.

            And another pair even made a nightstop between 26 and 27 March 2008.

  During a short period the Polish Air Force Antonovs got a civil registration (SP-KWC= 1602).

          As support for Team Orlik; Casa 295 016 of the Polish Air Force. (04-07-05)

 In pouring rain Team Orlik of the Polish Air Force made a fuel stop on its way to Poland. (04-07-05)