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From whichever position you see it, this run is crazy cool.

With all the Dutch and Norwegian F-35 Weapon Instructor Course sorties and regular 322 Squadron flights from Leeuwarden Air Base in recent weeks, we would almost forget that there are also Dutch and Norwegian detachments in the United States.

Last week, Arizona aviation friend Harvey Brugger captured F-35A Lightning II F-007 (FMS 17-5306) during a stunning light and cloud situation whilst landing at Luke AFB (AZ).

F-007 is part of the Netherlands F-35 Training Detachment (Nederlands Opleidingsdetachement F-35/NODF-35), part of the 308th Fighter Squadron Emerald Knights.

Terrific looking Talon!

On 14 October 2021, Escadron de Chasse 2/5 "Île-de-France", part of the French Air Force (Armée de l'air et de l'Espace), celebrated its 80th anniversary at Base Aérienne 115 Orange-Caritat, in the southern part of France.

For this special occasion, EC-2/5 Mirage-2000C 120/115-KC was painted in special colours to mark this event. EC 2/5 carries on the traditions of a fighter squadron created by Charles de Gaulle on 20 October 1941, as 340 (Free French) Squadron of the Royal Air Force.

Japan's coloured Eagles

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has its own Tactical Adversary unit, the Komatsu based Hiko Kyodogun or Aggressor Group. The unit was established at Nyutabaru in March 1983 as Aggressor Squadron (Hiko Kyodotai) and operated the Mitsubishi T-2 in the adversary role. These T-2s were already painted in a non standard livery, but not as extravagant as the colour schemes of their replacement, the F-15 Eagle.

Throughout the years many variations were seen and the unit now operates nine F-15DJ dual-seat Eagles, all sporting a different pattern. The unit often operates from other bases, training the local units in air-to-air combat skills.

Current fleet: F-15DJ 92-8070, 12-8076, 32-8082, 32-8083, 72-8090, 82-8093, 92-8094, 92-8095, 92-8096 and support T-4 96-5623. See the Scramble database for the serial to colour tie-up.

On 15 January 2022, the exceptionally coloured US Navy EA-18G Growler 166896/NL-510 from VAQ-138 visited a snow-covered Misawa Air Base (Japan).

Normally based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (WA), VAQ-138, named Yellow Jackets, is an expeditionary EA-18G electronic attack squadron that deploys worldwide to support USAF expeditionary wings, allied/coalition task forces, Marine aircraft groups, and US Navy strike groups.

Airbus 60th anniversary markings

With a little delay, the EF2000 Eurofighter with serial 98+07 (c/n GS0029/IPA7) had its roll-out at Ingolstadt-Manching adorned with special 60th Jubileum Airbus Manching markings on Friday 14 January 2022.

Although the anniversary itself was already in May 2021, it took up to this week before Airbus could present the special marked Eurofighter. One of the predecessors of Airbus, Flugzeug-Union Süd, opened their facility at Manching in May 1961.

Flugzeug-Union Süd is a consortium of former competitors Messerschmitt, Heinkel and Dornier. At Manching, Messerschmitt was responsible for the final assemby and testing of the F-104 Starfighter.

On 19 January 2022, the brightly coloured Eurofighter took to the skies.

#ICYMI The 310th Fighter Squadron unveiled it's 80th Anniversary Flagship. Isn't it a beauty!?
Shoutout to the Airmen of the 56th EMS Corrosion Control Unit who worked long hours painting this heritage jet.