Simply Planes uses cookies, click here to learn how to change your cookie settings and/or read more about cookies

 

NATO Tiger Meet

 

NATO Tiger Association - Hard to be humble

NATO Tiger Association - Hard to be humble. Photo by Bob Franklin

 

For many years NATO has organised a meet of flying units which all have one thing in common. Over the years the Tiger Meet has evolved from a social get to together to a real flying exercise, in which the capabilities of the various participating types were put to good use. The tradition is for participating units to have at least one of their aircraft painted with a tiger inspired paint scheme.

 

NATO Tiger Meet Association website

 

NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France

 

German Air Force - Panavia Tornado ECR 4644 (cn 871/GS277/4344) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France

The 50th anniversary of the NATO Tiger Meet was held at Cambrai in France, but the first Tiger Meet was held in the UK. The two tiger squadrons in existence at the time were 74 Squadron based at RAF Coltishall and the 79th F.B.S. based at RAF Woodbridge. So between the two tiger units there was plenty of banter.

The first NATO Tiger Meet was held on the 19th July 1961 at Woodbridge and the first logo of the tigers head was born. Nato countries got involved over the years with fantastic paint schemes on aircraft, including such types as F-104 Starfighters from Canada and Italy, Phantoms from the UK, Germany and the USA, F1 Mirages from Spain, F-16s from Belgium and the Netherlands and Lightnings from the RAF. Also of note, the RAF had a display team which flew the Lightning and the aircraft were drawn from No. 74 Squadron's Lightnings which was called the Tiger Squadron. The NATO Tiger Meet is so popular that air forces throughout the world still attend with some remarkable paint schemes on their aircraft.

 

Review by Bob Franklin

 

 

 

 

French Air Force (Armée de l'Air (ALA), literally Army of the Air) - Dassault Mirage 2000-5F 44/118-EQ (cn 208) - 50th anniversary Tiger Meet paint scheme at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
Spanish Air Force (SPAF) (Ejército del Aire; literally, Army of the Air) - McDonnell Douglas EF-18A Hornet C15-41/15-28 (cn 0681/A548) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
F-16 line up at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
Czech Air Force - Saab JAS-39C Gripen 9235/35 (cn 39-235) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
French Air Force (Armée de l'Air (ALA), literally Army of the Air) - Dassault Mirage 2000-5F 44/118-EQ (cn 208) - 50th anniversary Tiger Meet paint scheme at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
North American F-86A Sabre 8178/FU-178 151-43547/G-SABR in Tiger Meet paint scheme at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
German Air Force - Tornado pair at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
German Air Force - Panavia Tornado IDS 4551/45+51 (cn 628/GS199/4251) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
Four-ship formation flight at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
German Air Force - Panavia Tornado ECR 4629 (cn 833/GS262/4329) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
Pilot waving to the crowd at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France
Czech Air Force - Saab JAS-39C Gripen 9235/35 (cn 39-235) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2011 at Cambrai, France

Images courtesy of Bob Franklin

 

 

NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base

 

McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18A Hornet C15-24 Spanish Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base

The NATO Tiger Meet 2009 was held at Kleine Brogel in Belgium.

Aircraft taking part in the day's missions taxied in a way which enabled the waiting photographers to get some excellent shots. The organisers had taken into consideration what the photographers wanted and parked the specially painted tiger aircraft where they were accessible instead of in the shelter area.

This event must almost be unique, with such hardware being on display and operating all from the same airfield. With such a mix and match of aircraft from some of the world's finest air forces this event has become something of an icon.

 

NATO Tiger Association - Hard to be humble
Panavia Tornado IDS 45-06 - Tiger Eye of the German Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak FU-66/RA-T of 27 Squadron at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Short Tucano T1 (S.312) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter FX-52 at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
SIAI Marchetti/Aermacchi SF.260D ST-48 of the Belgian Defence Air Component at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Tiger Meet formation flight at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Hawker Hunter F6A S4/U/3361 G-KAXF (N-294) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Saab JAS 39C Gripen (Griffin) 9237 Czech Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Dassault Rafale B 118-EB French Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
AgustaWestland AW109 (A109) H30 of the Belgian Defence Air Component at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet E E82 E82/314-LW at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Northrop F-5E Tiger II L1088/1184 J-3088 at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Mil Mi-35 Hind E 7360 and Mi-24V Hind D 7354 of 221.lbvr of the Czech Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Mil Mi-35 Hind E 7360 of 221.lbvr of the Czech Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon pair at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcon J-015 F-16 solo display team RNLAF at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18A Hornet C15-24 of the Spanish Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Waving pilot at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Dassault Rafale B 118-EB of the French Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet Swiss Air Force three-ship formation at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Dassault Mirage F1CE(M) C14-38/14-20 of the Spanish Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Lockheed C-130H Hercules CH-05 of the Belgian Air Force (Component) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcon 6H-87 FA-87, 31 Squadron of the Belgian Air Force (Component) at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Panavia Tornado IDS 45-22 of the German Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Dassault Mirage 2000C 346 91/103-YR EC 01.012 of the French Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18C Hornet 1352/SFC012 J-5012 of the Swiss Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcon and SIAI Marchetti/Aermacchi SF.260D ST-48 at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Agusta-Bell AB.212 AM MM81148 of the Italian Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base
Dassault Mirage 2000C 120/103-KC EC 02.012 of the French Air Force at the NATO Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel Air Base

Images courtesy of Bob Franklin