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  Air Power 2024
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Text:

Chakrit Samithinan

Pictures:

Chakrit Samithinan & Saichol Krai-amat


 

 

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner OE-LPM (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner OE-LPM (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Two years after the last Airpower event, Airpower 24 was held at the Hinterstoisser air base in Zeltweg from 6th to 7th September 2024. The flying display, which is said to be the largest in Europe, saw 49 solo performers and teams in action.

   

The Horsemen (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

The Horsemen (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

The Horsemen and the F-35A Lightning II (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

USAF/ANG F-35A Lightning II (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

USAF / ANG F-35A Lightning II (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Looking at this year’s attractions, it became clear that there were only few new acts, and there was a remarkable absence of most of the major European display teams. The Frecce Tricolori, who never missed the Airpower, were unavailable due to the fact that they only returned from their North America tour a few days before this year’s event. Apparently, there was not sufficient time for them to prepare for the trip to Austria. Also the Red Arrows were unavailable since they were on a Canadian Tour at the time. This meant that the Patrouille Suisse was the main attraction with the other two teams in attendance being the Patrulla Aguila and the Krila Oluje (Wings of Storm) from Croatia.

   

Red Bull flight (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Red Bull flight of North American P-51D Mustang OE-EFB, Vought F4U-4 Corsair OE-EAS and Lockheed P-38L Lightning N25Y  (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

North American T-28B Trojan OE-EEM and North American B-25J Mitchell N6123C (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

North American B-25J Mitchell N6123C  (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

Messerschmitt B0-105 D-HSDM & D-HTDM (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

Dassault Alpha Jet OE-FAS & OE-FRB (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Bell AH-1F Cobra N11FX (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Team Blanix (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

Czech Flying Bulls Aerobatics Team (Picture courtesy toi

   

Czech Flying Bulls Aerobatics Team and Czeck Gripen Fighter (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Czech Flying Bulls Aerobatics Team and Czeck Gripen Fighter (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

PZL W3 Sokhol (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

Czech Gripen Fighter (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Czech Gripen Fighter (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

We should however not forget the importance Red Bull is playing at each Airpower since they participated with altogether 27 aircrafts and as usual put on great shows. New to Airpower were the F-35A expertly flown by Captain Melanie “MACH”” Kluesner who took over the demo job from another expert lady pilot, i.e. Captain Kristin “BEO” Wolfe, and the “Horsemen” team consisting of 3 Mustangs P-51. This allowed the organizers to include in the program a rare heritage flight of the 3 P-51s together with the F-35A Lightning II.

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Austrian Typhoon (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Austrian Typhoon (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Austrian Typhoon (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

   

Austrian Eurofighter Typhoon (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Austrian Eurofighter Typhoon (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

Spanish Casa C-101 Aviojet Patrulla Aguila (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Spanish Casa C-101 Aviojet Patrulla Aguila (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Spanish Casa C-101 Aviojet Patrulla Aguila (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

Finnish Air Force Mc Donnell Douglas FA-18C Hornet  (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Finnish Air Force Mc Donnell Douglas FA-18C Hornet  (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Finnish Air Force Mc Donnell Douglas FA-18C Hornet  (Picture courtesy Saichol

Finnish Air Force Mc Donnell Douglas FA-18C Hornet  (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

Finnish Air Force Mc Donnell Douglas FA-18C Hornet  (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

Another interesting combination of aircrafts were the 4 aircrafts of the Flying Bull Aerobatic Team which flew in an interesting vertical formation with the Czech JAS-39 Gripen. As expected, the Austrian Air Force once again showed their well-known air police action by two special paint Eurofighters who forced an intruder, played by an Austrian C-130 Hercules, to land at the airbase. Thereafter the same two Eurofighters showed a very lively air combat simulation which was loudly applauded by the local spectators. Among the solo performers, the F/A-18C of the Finnish Air Force was clearly the most outstanding act which was supported by lots of flares. Needless to say, the F-35 demo was also very good and above all new to the Austrian public. Incidentally, Captain Kluesner piloted one of 4 F-35A Lightnings of the 158th Fighter Wing from the Vermont Air National Guard based in Burlington VT which happened to be at the Hinterstoisser air base for the second year running in order to carry out  exercises with the Austrian- and Swiss Air Forces. 

   

German Air Force Airbus A400M (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

German Air Force Airbus A400M (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

German Air Force Airbus A400M (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

German Air Force Airbus A400M (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

German Messerschmitt m2262(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

German Eurofighter Typhoon (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

German Eurofighter Typhoon ((Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

German Airbus NH.90 (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

German Eurocopter Tigre (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

German Eurocopter Tigre (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

This year, the organizers were not as lucky as in 2022 because on the Friday, the rain which was predicted to cease at 09.00 hours but continued until 13.30 hours which dampened the spirit of the author but not necessarily of the Austrian public with close to 100’000 people having visited the show on that day.

For Saturday, the weather forecast was again good with slightly cloudy skies but in fact, there was a solid cloud base for most of the morning and the sun only made an occasional appearance in the afternoon. More importantly however, it was no longer raining which, according to official figures, encouraged a total of 150’000 people to attend the show.

   
Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan) Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan) Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan) Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   
Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan) Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan) Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan) Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   
Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan) Swiss Northrop F-5E Tiger Patroullie Suisse (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Swiss F-18C Hornet (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Hungarian Gripen C (Picture courtesy Toi

Hungarian Gripen C  (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Each year, the Austria Air Force is responsible for the organization of this gigantic event and they are doing an excellent job in every respect. This year, the organization was particularly outstanding since the traffic problems of the past years did not repeat themselves to the same extent. Also at the airshow site, the organisation was near perfect and considering that every visitor can enter the site free of charge, the facilities offered to the visitors were absolutely outstanding. There was a small static display of aircrafts at the site but due to the vast number of people milling around that area, no real attention was given by the author to the displayed aircrafts.

   

Krila Oluje Pilatus PC-9 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Krila Oluje Pilatus PC-9 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Krila Oluje Pilatus PC-9 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Krila Oluje Pilatus PC-9 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Greece General Dynamics F-16C Viper (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

Greece General Dynamics F-16C Viper (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Italian Alenia C-27J Spartan (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)

Italian Alenia M-346 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Italian Alenia M-346 (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

Italian Alenia M-346 (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)


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last update 3. November 2024

Written 1. November 2024

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