Possible 2018 US Tour for Belgian F-16 Demo?

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Possible 2018 US Tour for Belgian F-16 Demo?

Post by RyanS » Tue Apr 17, 2018 11:22 pm

Rumors are starting on Facebook that this post by '349 Squadron' may hint at a possible US airshow tour for the Belgian F-16 demo team in 2018. I'm told the squadron will be deploying to Mountain Home AFB this summer, which sure would make for a great opportunity to visit some airshows.

https://www.facebook.com/349fsqn/photos ... 73/?type=3

The deployment patch shows the Belgian and US roundels, an F-16 and an F-15E, and "Mountain Home 2018". It's shown, however, on top of a graphic of the special (and awesome) "Dark Falcon" paint scheme that will be fully unveiled soon and the post mentions the airshow season.

Personally I'm not sure that the post is meant to convey a US tour, but I do want to see this demo jet SO BADLY. I really hope they can bring it and do some shows!
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Post by yyz64 » Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:59 am

Hmm I thought demo teams couldn't cross the pond to come to North America ,we can only send teams to Europe.
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Post by Adam » Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:21 am

yyz64 wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:59 am Hmm I thought demo teams couldn't cross the pond to come to North America ,we can only send teams to Europe.
Oh come off it, when's the last time the US sent a solo demo team to Belgium? Certainly not in the last decade, and probably much longer than that. Have a go at the RAF all you please, but why drag the Belgians or any other country into it?

While there are almost no specific dates out at the moment, all the indications suggest a normal European season is being planned. The team's own patch, which also came out yesterday, doesn't have any references to the US.
Last edited by Adam on Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by RyanS » Wed Apr 18, 2018 11:42 am

Adam wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:21 am While there are almost no specific dates out at the moment, all the indications suggest a normal European season is being planned. The team's own patch, which also came out yesterday, doesn't have any references to the US.
My hopes and dreams :cry:

Sounds from further comments that they'll only be here for a month and *may* do the Mountain Home show. I've asked them if they're bringing the Dark Falcon and no response yet.
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Post by yyz64 » Wed Apr 18, 2018 1:48 pm

Adam wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:21 am
Oh come off it, when's the last time the US sent a solo demo team to Belgium? Certainly not in the last decade, and probably much longer than that. Have a go at the RAF all you please, but why drag the Belgians or any other country into it?

While there are almost no specific dates out at the moment, all the indications suggest a normal European season is being planned. The team's own patch, which also came out yesterday, doesn't have any references to the US.
Seriously?
Every year something from North America ends up in Europe.I wasn't referencing Belgium specifically but there is N.A. participation at Europe airshows every year.
This year the F-35 and the CF-18 are coming over. Apparently the tail winds coming back across the Atlantic are too much for the reverse to happen.
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Post by Adam » Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:43 pm

yyz64 wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 1:48 pm
Adam wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:21 am
Oh come off it, when's the last time the US sent a solo demo team to Belgium? Certainly not in the last decade, and probably much longer than that. Have a go at the RAF all you please, but why drag the Belgians or any other country into it?

While there are almost no specific dates out at the moment, all the indications suggest a normal European season is being planned. The team's own patch, which also came out yesterday, doesn't have any references to the US.
Seriously?
Every year something from North America ends up in Europe.I wasn't referencing Belgium specifically but there is N.A. participation at Europe airshows every year.
This year the F-35 and the CF-18 are coming over. Apparently the tail winds coming back across the Atlantic are too much for the reverse to happen.

Correction: every year something from North America ends up in England. Not Europe, not even the United Kingdom, but specifically England, and only England. Indeed, I'm fairly confident in saying England is the only country in Europe that a North American military jet demo has visited in the last five years or so, as far as I can remember. Why would you complain other countries aren’t returning the favour, when they haven’t received a favour in the first place?

If the Red Arrows or RAF Typhoon did a US tour – and I sincerely hope they do – then it wouldn’t be fair for us Brits to expect, say, the Mexicans, to send a load of planes to the UK in return. Same thing here! The RAF needs to pull its finger out and get something over to the US, but Belgium doesn’t owe the American airshow circuit anything.

I'm not saying I want them to avoid going to the US, that would be absurd. But even so, it's not really fair to complain if they don't.
Last edited by Adam on Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Adam » Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:46 pm

RyanS wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 11:42 am
Adam wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:21 am While there are almost no specific dates out at the moment, all the indications suggest a normal European season is being planned. The team's own patch, which also came out yesterday, doesn't have any references to the US.
My hopes and dreams :cry:

Sounds from further comments that they'll only be here for a month and *may* do the Mountain Home show. I've asked them if they're bringing the Dark Falcon and no response yet.
Well there may be hope yet, then! None of the shows they've informally indicated they may attending have airshows around that time, as far as I can see. The Belgian F-16 is my favourite of the F-16 solos - truly a class act. Fingers crossed for you.
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Post by yyz64 » Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:55 pm

Adam wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:21 am

but Belgium doesn’t owe the American airshow circuit anything.
Not sure why you keep bringing up Belgium ,whatever go back to the RIAT thread it sounds like you think you would be a better organizer of it .
People in North America would kill to have a show like that .
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Post by Adam » Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:13 pm

What do you mean, why am I bringing the Belgians in to it? Because this thread is about the Belgians! Seems only logical to me... Just for the record, I do not think I can do a better job than DBH and on no planet does me saying other shows in Europe are better than RIAT mean I'd consider myself a suitable RIAT organiser.
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Post by RyanS » Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:21 pm

yyz64 wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:55 pm
Adam wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 4:21 am

but Belgium doesn’t owe the American airshow circuit anything.
Not sure why you keep bringing up Belgium ,whatever go back to the RIAT thread it sounds like you think you would be a better organizer of it .
People in North America would kill to have a show like that .
Probably because Belgium is where the Belgian F-16 demo team comes from.

I agree with Adam, it is easy to grumble about things going to Europe but you can't exactly hold a UK appearance against the French, Belgians, whoever. The unfortunate reality is that the US' image as a global power is served by sending assets elsewhere, but there is little incentive for other countries to deploy here.
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