Neil Porter
24th Dec 2003, 06:39
Q: Does anybody know if the German Air Force stage an Open Day at the Phantom base which i think is at Hopsten????
With the retirement of their Phantoms in the near future, a trip to Hopsten may well be a good idea - if anyone knows of any special Open Days in 2004 then please could you be kind enough to post a reply....thanks.:ok:
( www.abingdonfayre.latest-info.com )
hairyclameater
24th Dec 2003, 17:15
Neil, the Germans still have two other F4F units;
JG74"Molders" at Neuberg,
JG71"Richtofen" at Wittmund as well as the Fluglehrzentrum "Westfalen" (F4 training) at Hopsten.
Hopsten is a very photogenic place-
Catch a report from the last Hopsten open day celebrating 40 years of JG72 (now disbanded) in September '01 here:
www.f4aviation.co.uk/airshow01/hopsten/hopsten.htm
The Germans are planning to operate Phantoms for a while yet (JG 74 being the first to operate the Taifun later this year) Open days are few and far between but when they do one , they DO one!
Air shows so far announced;
Berlin ILA 10-16 May
Buchel 12 Sept
Schlewig-Jagel Tiger meet 30Aug-5 Sept with presumably a spotters/open day over the weekend.
Hope this helps
Neil Porter
25th Dec 2003, 20:07
Cheers hairyclameater for the info, - the Berlin ILA show is very good , i have a friend who worked for Rolls Royce so had a cheap holiday in Berlin in 2002 & incorporated the Berlin airshow, but sods law, two thirds way through the flying program (just as the Eurofighter was demo-ing) a bloody thunderstorm set in, preventing ie: the German F4F demo-ing.
Seeing the Junkers JU52 and watching the German Air Force CH53 Heli's demo was interesting too.
The former RAF Gatow now houses an excellent museum (Luftwaffen Museum)- s**tloads of Mig & Sukhoi variants from the former East German Air Force, F104's, ex RAF Harrier GR1 (early version), ex RAF Lightning F2A, Mil Mi8 Heli's, Hansa Jets, F84 Thunderstreaks, IL-28 Beagle, Fiat G91, Fairey Gannet in German marks, Mi24 Hinds, plus assortment of indoor displays (one on the F104 is very good) and equipment from the former soviet army, all in all, anyone wishing to go to it then i really do reccomend it.....and its free admission!!
(www.abingdonfayre.latest-info.com)
:D