Children’s Day 2019 at RTAFB Don Muang

Text:	Chakrit Samithinan
Pictures:	Chakrit Samithinan

Tradition in Thailand has it that the Royal Thai Air Force and the Royal Thai Army are having an Open House event specifically for Children and their parents on the second Saturday of January. This report deals with the Children’s Day activities held at the RTAF’s Don Muang air base.

The writer had a chance to visit the rehearsal of the planned flying activities and the arrival of aircrafts from other bases scheduled on Friday. However, after two F-16 and one F-5 started their dogfight rehearsal, it became soon apparent that the visibility was greatly impaired by heavy smog hanging over the Don Muang International Airport. The aircrafts were only visible when they were very close to the spectators and the planned dogfight between the said three aircrafts had to be abandoned as the pilots could hardly see each other in the sky. As a consequence, all further rehearsals were cancelled and the invited press representatives and photographers were concentrating their interest on the incoming aircrafts from other parts of Thailand. The organizers were however confident that on Saturday, the visibility would be improved and the event could take place as planned.

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Basler BT-67 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Airbus A319 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

North American T-28D Trojan (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

The Pilots (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Airbus A340 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

The day began with people waiting at the gates already before 6 am even though the gates would only open at 7 am. The interest in this event is very great, not only among parents with children but among all aviation enthusiasts in Thailand und among many visitors from countries such as UK, Holland, Singapore and Taiwan. The reason for such far-reaching interest is that the RTAF’s Children’s Day is the only regular yearly military aviation event in Thailand where the public is being invited. The aircrafts in the static display were the same as in previous years with the addition of a new Korean Aerospace T-50 TH Golden Eagle Light Ground Attack aircraft being publicly shown for the first time.

General Dynamics F-16A Falcon (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

General Dynamics F-16B Falcon (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

General Dynamics F-16A Falcon (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

The flying program follows every year the same pattern, i.e. it is held in three parts with fairly long intermissions to give the civilian airliners a chance to land and take off. The smog from the previous day was somewhat reduced so the flying activities could take place. Opening the show was an F-16 from Korat with a fast pass and a low flying F-5 with special tail markings celebrating 40 years of service with the RTAF, followed by three AU-23 Peacemakers (Pilatus Porter) streaming smoke in the colors of the national flag. Thereafter, the F-5 with special markings teamed up with two F-16s from Korat air base to demonstrate a dogfight and to stage mock attacks on the airfield with explosions being triggered on the ground. This was followed by a demonstration of the Eurocopter EC 725 putting soldiers on the ground.

General Dynamics F-16A Falcon (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Northrop F-5T Tigris (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Fairchild AU-23A Peacemaker (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Basler BT-67 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Eurocopter EC725 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Aero Aero L-39ZA Albatros (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Pilatus PC-9 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

PAC CT-4E (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Bell 214EP (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

As every year, the highlight of the show was the 15 minutes demonstration by the JAS 39 Gripen from Wing 7 in Surat Thani. Unfortunately, there was no demonstration by the newly acquired KAI T-50 TH Golden Eagle but it was at least prominently displayed in the static exhibition. Concluding the morning program was a group of four PC-9 aircrafts from the Flying Training School in Kamphaeng Saen.

Dassault Alpha Jet A (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Saab 340 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Saab 340AEW (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

KAI K-50Th Golden Eagle (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Saab JAS-39 Gripen (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

-	last update 20. January 2019	Written 20. January 2019	-	-
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