Starfighter Squadron Exchanges - Rotations 1962-1965

Starfighter Squadron Exchanges 1962-1965

This was the first period Starfighter squadrons were participating with their F-104s in squadron exchanges in Europe.

7 till 18 September 1964

German Air Force JBG31 (2nd Staffel) flying the F-104G, based at Norvenich, rotated with the USAF 81 TFW – 92 TFS stationed at Bentwaters, UK, flying Mc Donnell Douglas F-101C Voodoos. German personnel already flew to Bentwaters September 6th to prepare the arrival of the F-104s. Sadly the weather was poor so they had to land on another Airbase. The next day they still arrived in time before the 104s came in. It was a two-way rotation. Also the Voodoo’s flew to Norvenich AB.

Official rotation start photo.
(Photo : JaboG31)

22 October till 4 November 1964

Norwegian Air Force 331 Skv at Bodo AB rotated with the USAF 417TFS, based at Ramstein AB Germany flying the F-100D Super Sabre. No further details are known.

1964

German Air Force JBG33 from Buchel AFB rotated with the Italian 154 gruppo based at Ghedi. It was a 1 or 2-way rotation. Sadly the participating aircraft are unknown.

16 till 25 March 1965

German Air Force JBG31 (2nd Staffel) flying the F-104G, based at Norvenich, rotated with the with the USAF 78th TFS at Woodbridge flying the Mc Donnell Douglas F-101C Voodoo. At least bare metal F-104G DA+242 has been noticed during the exchange when an open house was held at Woodbridge. It was likely a two-way rotation where also the Voodoo’s flew to Norvenich AB. Together with 21 technicians also four pilots flew to the Woodbridge AFB flying missions together with the F-101s over the UK. The pilots were Oblt Peter Tau, Hptm Wolfgang Willam, Lt Klaus Forker and Oblt Horst Völter.

14 till 23 June 1965

Norwegian Air Force 331 Skv at Bodo AB rotated with the German Air Force JBG33, stationed at Buchel AB. It was some kind of 2-way rotation were the Germans stayed at Rygge AB and the Norwegians flew to Buchel.

21 June till 1 July 1965

Dutch Air Force 322sq from Leeuwarden AFB rotated with Luftwaffe JG71 (711 Staffel) based at Wittmund. It was a 2-way rotation. Participating F-104Gs known from JG71 were: JA+116, JA+236, JA+239 and JA+244. The Dutch aircraft travelling to Germany have not been identified but at least three of them were camouflaged Fokker aircraft. The Dutch aircraft arrived at Wittmundhafen on 21st June in "plumcake" formation at 12:00 PM. For ten days several missions were flown during days and nights together with the Germans. Mainly they flew low-level navigation trips, straight-and-level without any high-g manouvres. Two pilots (Jan Oldenburger and Henkie van der Wilk) were getting used by the German circumstances and flew one day straight low-level to Memmingen in Southern Germany. They discovered a nice atmosphere at Memmingen and decided to stay overnight. They send a telegram to Wittmund "Temperature 34 degrees, we will depart back to Wittmund tommorrow at 08:30 local. Short afterwards the pilots were urged to come back to Wittmund as soon as possible!! They arrived back the same day at Wittmund at 05:30 PM.....

Here you see (left-right) pilots van der Wilk, Otten, Groeneveld, two Germans
and then pilot Tijl just after arrival at Wittmundhafen.

September 1965

Dutch Air Force 323sq from Leeuwarden AFB rotated with the Italian 10gruppo based at Grazzanise in the first week of September. It was a one-way rotation, only the Italians came to Leeuwarden AB that month. Participating F-104Gs known from 10gr were MM6559/4-31, MM6563/4-35 and MM6571/4-43. On the 4th of August aircraft MM6558/4-40 and MM6559/4-31 made a pre-visit to Leeuwarden.

17 till around 28 October 1965

The Dutch Air Force 306 squadron from Twenthe AFB flying the F-104G and RF-104G Starfighter rotated with the Norwegian 331Skv based at Bodo. It was likely a one-way rotation. Four Norwegian Starfighters went to Twenthe Air Base. These were: 61-2625/FN-K, 61-2633/FN-U, 62-12237/FN-A and 62-12240/FN-X. All aircraft departed October 28th, making a fuelstop at Rygge AB. Aircraft FN-K was flown by Capt Olaf Aspen. The other pilots were squadron Commander Major Magne Tobias Sörensen, Lt. Per Kristiansen and Lt. Arne Pedersen. Flighttime from Twenthe to Rygge was 1:35h and from Rygge back to Bodo was 1:40h.

1965

Royal Air Force 5 squadron based at Geilenkirchen, Germany, flying the Javelin fighter aircraft rotated with the Italian 21 gruppo based at Cameri. It was a 1 or 2 way rotation.

1965

Italian Air Force 9 Gruppo from Grosseto rotated with Starfighters from Beauvechain based 1 Wing - 350 Smaldeel. Sadly no extra information is known about the period, if it was a two way rotation and which aircraft were involved. At least the Belgium Starfighters flew to Italy.

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