At the beginning of July 2025, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 – TaktLwG 74 (the 74th Tactical Air Force Wing) of the German Air Force organised its traditional aviation event, the Medieval Mini Tiger Meet. Held every two years, the meeting provides an opportunity for personnel from NATO “Tiger Squadrons” to gather in Neuburg and is usually linked to other aviation-related activities.
The tradition of holding Mini Tiger Meets in Neuburg began in July 2019, when the first event in the series took place there. Because the size and surroundings of Fliegerhorst Neuburg (the Neuburg Air Force Base) do not allow for large-scale aviation exercises to be organised there, the “mini meet” concept was adopted, with a limited number of aircraft participating in the event.
Consequently, the only two units that arrived for the first Mini Tiger Meet with their aircraft were Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 “Immelmann” (the 51st Tactical Air Force Wing) of the Luftwaffe and 36º Stormo (the 36th Air Wing) of the Italian Air Force, while crews from Switzerland, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Belgium joined as observers.
The moniker “medieval” is closely associated with Neuburg Castle and its well-known, spectacular medieval festival held there every two years. During the event, the Neuburg old town returns to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with reenactors in historical costumes – as well as the citizens of Neuburg and tourists – celebrate old customs and traditions.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the date of the Mini Tiger Meet was intentionally aligned with the timing of the castle festival, and that the event was named accordingly.
The 74th Tactical Wing, was founded in 1961 as the last fighter unit of the re-established German Air Force, initially being designated Jagdgeschwader 74 (the 74th Fighter Wing). A more detailed history of the unit can be found in our article 60 years of “Bavarian Tigers”, published on the 60th anniversary of Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74.
The Tiger tradition in Neuburg dates back to 2013. In March of that year, the unit officially took over the Tiger Spirit from the recently disbanded Jagdbombergeschwader 32 (the 32nd Fighter-Bomber Wing) and became known as the “Bavarian Tigers”. In October, following further structural changes within the German Air Force, the wing was restructured and renamed TaktLwG 74.
In accordance with custom, the 74th Tactical Wing began its “Tiger adventure” as a probationary member. It was then upgraded to full membership in 2016.
The 2025 edition of the Mini Tiger Meet was marked by broad participation from German and foreign aviation units. Although the number of aircraft that arrived in Neuburg was relatively small – in line with the “mini meet” concept – it still meant an interesting variety of military aeroplanes and rotorcraft.
The German Air Force was represented – in addition to the Neuburg-based EF-2000s of the Bavarian Tigers – by the Panavia Tornado IDS (Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33 / the 33rd Tactical Air Wing in Büchel), the Airbus H145M LUH SAR (Hubschraubergeschwader 64 / the 64th Helicopter Wing in Laupheim) and the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules (Binational Air Transport Squadron “Rhin/Rhein” in Évreux-Fauville).
The German Army Aviation Corps was represented by the Eurocopter EC665 Tiger (Kampfhubschrauberregiment 36 “Kurhessen” / the 36th Attack Helicopter Regiment in Fritzlar) and the NHIndustries NH90 TTH (Transporthubschrauberregiment 30 “Tauberfranken” / the 30th Transport Helicopter Regiment in Niederstetten).
The foreign participants included the Italian EF-2000s (the aforementioned 36º Stormo in Gioia del Colle), a Czech Air Force detachment with the Saab JAS-39D Gripen and the Aero L-159 ALCA (21. základna taktického letectva “Zvolenská” / the 21st Tactical Air Force Base in Čáslav), as well as the Mil Mi-171 rotorcraft (22. základna vrtulníkového letectva “Biskajská” / the 22nd Helicopter Base in Náměšť nad Oslavou).
In addition, personnel from Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine (Fighter Squadron 3/30 Lorraine) of the French Air and Space Force and the 313th Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force participated in the event, although without their aircraft.
The Mini Tiger Meet 2025 was accompanied by its usual additional events, such as Family Day, the Tiger Reunion, and Spotter Hour.
The first two of these events took place on Thursday, 3 July, and provided a great opportunity for current and former personnel from NATO Tiger squadrons to celebrate their shared spirit and maintain relationships.
Traditionally, this was also the day on which the Bavarian Tigers unveiled their new “Tiger livery”, designed for the upcoming NATO Tiger Meet event. In 2025, it was the Eurofighter EF-2000 “30+74” that received the special colour scheme, dubbed the “Castle Tiger”.
The livery made a direct reference to the aforementioned Neuburger Schlossfest, with glowing yellow eyes staring out from a medieval-style helmet, placed on the tail and foreplanes. As in previous years, the design was created by the Hamm Werbung advertising company.
Thursday’s celebrations were enriched by several aviation displays, including a German EF-2000 performance by “Noble”, flypasts by a Luftwaffe Airbus A400M Atlas and a Mc Donnel Douglas A-4N Skyhawk operated by Top Aces, as well as displays performed by Mini Tiger Meet participants. In addition, a group of classic aircraft from Fliegendes Museum Luftraum Süd joined the event.
Friday, 4 July, was the day when aviation enthusiasts had the opportunity to visit Neuburg Air Force Base and take part in the traditional Spotter Hour.
Traditionally, the event was not only the perfect opportunity to photograph the newly unveiled “Castle Tiger”, but was also packed with a wide variety of flight operations. The programme included helicopter displays, departures of the aforementioned classic aeroplanes and some Mini Tiger Meet participants, as well as take-offs and landings of various military jets.
The Bavarian Tigers and their Italian colleagues demonstrated a full-scale operation involving several Eurofighter EF-2000 jets. This includes afterburner take-offs, a mixed-formation flypast, and several spectacular landings.
Two notable flying displays were performed by the H145M and the NH90 rotorcraft. The former was particularly impressive, being conducted at low altitude directly in front of the spotters’ line.
Among the highlights of the day was the departure of a Panavia Tornado IDS from TaktLwG 33, notable for its special livery commemorating the 50th anniversary of the type’s first flight. Later in the day, attendees also witnessed a flypast and landing by another Tornado, this time it was the aircraft assigned to TaktLwG 51 “Immelmann” in Schleswig, featuring the classic German service paint scheme.
Other aircraft that departed Neuburg during the Spotter Hour included the above-mentioned C-130J Super Hercules and the JAS-39D. Regrettably, the EC665 Tiger and two other Czech aircraft had left the base on Thursday.
Departure of aircraft from Fliegendes Museum Luftraum Süd was just another noteworthy moment of the day. The classic formation included the Pilatus P2-05 and P2-06, the Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan, the Beechcraft J35 Bonanza, the North American AT-6D Harvard III, and the Nord 1002 Pingouin II. Most of these aeroplanes performed an additional low-pass over the Neuburg runway, before leaving the base and heading to their home airfield in Neresheim-Elchingen.
Another highlight of the Spotter Hour was the take-off of a rarely seen Hispano HA-200D Saeta jet trainer. Designed by Willy Messerschmitt and formerly operated by the Spanish Air Force, the aircraft is now part of the Messerschmitt Stiftung collection.
A significant portion of the event naturally focused on the “Castle Tiger”. The aircraft was presented in a static display to allow enthusiasts to photograph it from multiple angles and later participated in the flying programme.
Last but not least, visitors had the opportunity to purchase squadron souvenirs at stands set up in the spotter area. These included most of the participating units, as well as the Giraffes On Tour stand – a non-profit company that raises funds that are primarily donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children – offering a wide selection of unique patches and aviation-related items.
The Spotter Hour was yet another excellent event organised by the Bavarian Tigers for the aviation enthusiast community. As in previous years, the 2025 edition gave visitors the chance to enjoy an engaging day at Neuburg Air Base, complete with impressive flying displays, rare aircraft and plenty of photo opportunities. In addition, all spotters received a special patch, designed exactly for the event.
As with previous editions, the excellent organisation of the Spotter Hour by the base personnel deserves special mention. This applied to all aspects of the event – including information, communication, and logistics – and ensured that the day was, without any doubts, a memorable experience for all participants.
More images from the Medieval Mini Tiger Meet 2025:
