McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom II

McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom II, German Air Force (Luftwaffe) 38+13, from the Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Centre for Aircraft (Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 61) in Manching, in the special ´Final Flight´ livery – ´Phantom Pharewell´ at Wittmundhafen, June 2013. The story of German Phantoms began in 1968, when the first batch of eighty-eight aircraft was ordered.... Read More

6 Nov 1936

Generalmajor Hugo Sperrle was entrusted the command of Legion Condor, with the field command given to Oberstleutnant Wolfram von Richthofen. When a military coup of Spain took place on 17th July 1936, the country, divided between Republicans and Nationalists, plunged into a terrible civil war. Almost immediately, both sides of the conflict asked for... Read More

The fascinating world of airships and naval aviation – Aeronauticum Nordholz

A few kilometres from Cuxhaven, the well-known tourist spot of the North Sea, the Nordholz Naval Airbase (Fliegerhorst Nordholz) is located. And next to the main entrance to the base, one of the most interesting aviation museums in Europe can be found – Deutsches Luftschiff- und Marinefliegermuseum Nordholz, commonly known as ´Aeronauticum´. The official... Read More

23 Oct 1987

The last Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was withdrawn from the active service in Luftwaffe (West German Air Force) The Jagdbombergeschwader 34 ´Allgäu´, based at Memmingen in Bayern, was the last Luftwaffe combat squadron to withdraw the F-104 Starfighter jets and switch to the new Panavia Tornado fighter-bomber. The end of Starfighter-era was officially marked on... Read More

Purchase of new German heavy-lift helicopter cancelled

On 29th September 2020, the Federal Ministry of Defence informed about cancellation of the procurement procedure for the new German heavy-lift helicopter. As a result, there will be no conclusion of the purchase agreement in 2021, as previously scheduled. Currently, the German armed forces are operating approximately sixty Sikorsky CH-53G ´Sea Stallion´ helicopters, purchased... Read More

Tag der Bundeswehr 2021 on 12th June 2021 – save the date!

The German Ministry of Defence already disclosed the date of the annual open doors event of the German armed forces – Tag der Bundeswehr. In 2021, after the one year gap caused by Covid-19, the gates of 16 German military facilities will hopefully open again on 12th June. As usual, the units participating in... Read More

McDonnell Douglas A-4N ´Skyhawk´

McDonnell Douglas A-4N ´Skyhawk´, N432FS (ex-US Navy, ex-Israeli Air Force), operated by the BAE Systems Flight Systems, Fliegerhorst Wittmundhafen, June 2013. Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, a light, single-seat and carrier-capable attack aircraft was developed in the early 1950s and manufactured by Douglas (later as McDonnel Douglas, after a merge of both companies in 1967) from... Read More

14 Aug 1974

Maiden flight of Panavia Tornado. The idea of creating a new Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA), to replace the European F-104 fleet, was born in the late 1960s. Initially, the aeroplane had to be developed in a multinational project supported by four countries – United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, but the latter... Read More

Fiat G.91 R/4

Fiat G.91 R/4 ´75+00´ (formerly BD+248, German Air Force) exhibited at Luftfahrtmuseum Wernigerode, June 2018. Fiat G.91, a jet fighter-bomber designed by Fiat Aviazione (later Aeritalia) in early 1950s, was a result of both Korean War experiences and NATO Basic Military Requirement 1 (NBMR-1) project, aiming for creation of ´Light Weight Strike Fighter´ for... Read More

22 May 1991

The last operational flight of F-104 Starfighter in the German Air Force. Lockheed F-104G Starfighter ´98+04´, operated by the Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 61 (Technical and Airworthiness Centre) in Manching, took-off for the last operational flight of F-104 in German Luftwaffe. This final flight occurred approximately three and a half year after all Starfighters were already... Read More