Hellenic Air Force Open Day 2003 at Tanagra Air Base, Part 3

From ACIG.org

Europe & Cold War Database
Hellenic Air Force Open Day 2003 at Tanagra Air Base, Part 3
By Nicholas Tselepidis (photographs by George Dedes)
Dec 30, 2003, 18:41

The third part of the report focuses mainly on the retired F.1CGs and the Mirage 2000 EGMs photographed one month before the Open Day Celebrations. 114PM is responsible for providing the air defense of the Athens area, sending detachments to Skyros on QRA duty and keeping a full training syllabus for its personnel which takes part in national and NATO LIVEX's. The unit will start receiving the first of 15 (plus three) new built Mirage 2000-5 MkII's (-9's) in June 2004 and the first of the EGM's upgraded to the same standard in June 2005.

RF-4E "7529" was delivered from Luftwaffe in 1993. Right after the Open Day it was scheduled to undergo SLEP in the EAV hangar which can be seen behind to the right.

After undergoing their SLEP, some former Luftwaffe RF-4E's have received the "Vietnam" style camouflage, while others retained their German colours with the only difference being the darker blue on the roundels. It remains to be seen what scheme "7529" will wear...

A closer look for all the modellers out there who can take an idea of what 10+ years of weathering actually look like...

Mirage F.1CG "115" wearing the Special 342 Mira "Sparta" colours, was the last F.1CG to fly in June 2003.

Another shot of the fin of "115" inside the 331 Mira Hangar, while being stored.

Talos, "129" wearing the 334 Mira (Squadron) colours inside the 331 Squadron Hangar, on Sunday November 9th.

The same hangar one month earlier. All F.1CG's are kept in flyable condition and are looking for a new owner.

A closer look to the tail of "129" with the figure of the Mythical Hero:Talos. The first "Robot" that protected the island of Crete from invaders.

"136" and "105" inside the hangar.

"121" wearing the very effective "Ghost" scheme.

A closer look to the cockpit reveals the details and also the weathering.

A shot of the tail of "121". Barely visible under the AMD_BA sign at the bottom of the rudder is the 114MSB Paintshop_2001 "signature".

"133" and "105" photographed in early October.

Also in early October, "210" is about to get ready for a training mission. "240" is to the right.

"220" on the background still wears the "subdued" Squadron badge on the fin. As we can see on the "210" that has been painted recently, this is gone...

The sky in the background blends in with the Mirage's camouflage, which was used in the last F-5's before these were retired in 2001, and is also applied to the 4 CSAR AS.532 AL Cougars.

The same aircraft without the protective covers and RBF's.

A shot of the EGM's cockpit.

The tail of "210" shows the details of the camouflage and the antennae.

"224" inside the HAS armed with 4 AAM's (edited) on QRA duty.

A Canadair flies over Tanagra coming from the South, as the Mirages are getting ready to take off...

The Greek Mirage fleet is about to get a boost with the new -5 Mk.II's and it will certainly be interesting to see the way things will develop in the next couple of years. Its not an understatement to say that the Mirages have a special place to the hearts of those who serve them and certainly are an exceptional aircraft and a dangerous weapon system in the hands of those who know how to use it and: "Always remember to stand guard" (Iliad S, 297-99) as is the base motto...