LH Aviation Photography

04/05/2025

On April 17th, 2025 Douglas R4D-6S Skytrain “Ready 4 Duty” (registration N151ZE) departed its homebase at Dallas/Fort Worth for the “Navy to Victory” tour in Europe. On April 28th the crew and aircraft arrived at Duxford in the United Kingdom.

Yesterday, May 3rd, the aircraft arrived at Eindhoven airport for 3-day visit to the Netherlands. “Ready 4 Duty” will be touring the United Kingdom and mainland over the next few months and will be visiting several major aviation events. In total they were scheduled to visit 7 countries and attend at 30 events including this years Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford.

“Ready 4 Duty” was build in 1943 as a United States Army Air Force C-47B-10-DK (43-49147) but delivered to the US Navy as BuNo 50783 as s R4D-6S, the Naval version of the C47B.
In 1980 it joined the Commemorative (formerly Confederate) Air Force/American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum at Midland, Texas. Later it moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth Wing of the CAF, an American non-profit organization based in Dallas, Texas, that preserves and shows historical aircraft at airshows, primarily in the U.S. and Canada.

I was able to photograph it while landing at Eindhoven on May 3rd.
For more info on the tour you can visit their website or their Facebook-page (link in the first comment).

https://www.dfwwing.com/

24/04/2025

In December 2024, 312th ‘Scorpions’ Fighter Squadron at Luke AFB, Arizona started receiving the Belgian Air Force Lockheed-Martin F35A Lightning IIs and virtually immediately started with the conversion of the first pilots and instructors.

So far 8 aircraft have been delivered and the number of training sorties are increasing rapidly.

Earlier this week I was offered the opportunity to pay the squadron a visit during a 3-day press trip to Luke AFB.

Here is already a quick selection of the material I brought home from this, later a more extensive report will be made with an update on how the conversion is organized.

I want to thank the team at DG Stratcom for the invitation and their support during the trip and the pilots and staff of 312th FS for their hospitality that I enjoyed during this visit.

23/03/2025

Since September 2012 former Belgian Air Force Mirage 5BR BR23 (c/n 323) was mounted on a pole near the Leclerc supermarket at Saint-Brice Courcelles in France.

Unfortunately the well-known Vietnam style Belgian Air Force camouflage markings had been replaced with a fake Armée de l’Air light blue livery, bearing the code ‘112-SR’ as a tribute to nearby BA112 Reims-Champagne.

In October 2023 these colors were overpainted with this psychedelic (let’s call it ‘Tomorrowland’) phantasy color scheme…. Hopefully in a few years the aircraft gets another new, more appropriate ‘uniform’.

I photographed it on May 17th, 2024 while being on my way to last years La Ferté-Alais airshow.

08/03/2025

Brussels is the capital of Europe and houses the HQ of NATO, so I think we can safely say that spotterwise we are in a luxury position and that on a very regular basis we get several (semi)military visitors to Brussels Airport when there is some kind of European or NATO meeting.

Last Thursday, the European heads of state met to discuss the ongoing issues in Europe and agree a significant spend in defense spending. For me the ideal occasion to spend some time at one of the Brussels Airport wellknown spotter locations and this was the harvest of the day!

9A-CRO - Canadair CL604 Challenger – Croatian Government
273 – Dassault Falcon 7X – 112PM-352MMYP – Greek Air Force
102005 – Gulfstream Tp102D – 74 Sqn –Swedish Air Force
08 bl – Alenia C27J Spartan – Transporto Esk – Lithuanian Air Force
15+04 – Airbus A321-231 – FBS BMVg – Luftwaffe (German Air Force)
UR-ABA – Airbus A319-1115X(CJ) – Ukrainian Government
68/F-RAFA – Dassault Falcon 7X – ET00.060 – French Air & Space Force
C-215 – Canadair CL604 Challenger – Esk721 – Danish Air Force
605 – Airbus A319-112 – MH101.Sz.D.Repülöd – Hungarian Air Force
OM-BYB – Fokker F100 – Slovak Government
3085 – Airbus A319-115CJ – 241.dlt – Czech Air Force
0112 – Boeing 737-800BBJ2 – 1.BLTr – Polish Air Force
MM62209 - Airbus A319-115ACJ - 306°Gruppo - Italian Air Force

I often get the remark that ‘in Belgium not a lot of foreign military aircraft can be spotted’, well I would say ‘not bad for a Thursday morning’ !

02/03/2025

On March 1st, 2025 the military quarters at Lombardsijde organized its annual Open Door to give the public the chance to have a look at the activities at the base and to provide an insight to potential candidates for a military career in the Belgian Armed Forces.

Although a Belgian Army facility some ‘aviation’ assets could be seen. In the course of 2025 the Integrator platoon, part of the ISTAR-battalion (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance & Target Acquisition) based at Heverlee, will make the move to a brand-new facility at Lombardsijde. The platoon is equipped with the Boeing-Insitu X300 Integrator drone of which one example was on display during the Open Door. The drones were acquired in collaboration with the Netherlands (lead nation) and Luxemburg. For this reason the devices wear the Netherlands Air Force roundel instead of a Belgian one. Two systems (each consisting of 2 drones) were delivered in 2022.

Lombardsijde is also an active shooting range and for the exercises with the larger caliber arms target drones are used. For many years the Ultima 14/255 was in use and this was replaced by the Aerther Aeronautics PNS-1 for a very brief period. The PNS-1 in its turn was replaced by the Styx from the same Greek manufacturer. The Styx has a smaller turning circle which makes it better suited for use in the Lombardsijde exercise zone. For the training of the Styx-pilots at least one Aether Aeronautics SIFI training drone is in use.

In the afternoon the Lombardsijde ground forces performed a tactical demo for which the Belgian Air Force provided a NH90NFH from nearly Koksijde airbase to act as a Medevac helicopter.

For me the visit to Lombardsijde was a nice and sunny start for hopefully a good 2025 airshow season.

25/01/2025

A night at the Dakota Museum !

In the evening of Saturday January 18th, 2025 the Dakota Museum at Brussels-Melsbroek airbase organized its first ever nightshoot for a group of aviation enthusiasts and photographers.

During 2024 the museums’ outside collection got a complete make-over. The aircraft were repainted when necessary and underwent a serious cleaning. Also the area where the aircraft are positioned was cleaned.

Currently the museum has a collection consisting of a Douglas C47 Dakota, Fairchild C119G Flying Boxcar and Percival Pembroke. Front fuselages of a Lockheed C130H Hercules and a Boeing 727 complete the collection.

In one of the buildings a large display can be visited telling the story of 15th Wing and its aircraft since it creation to the present days. Feeling thirsty or hungry, no problem, after a visit you can have a drink or snack in the museum bar.

If you want more details on how and when the museum can be visited, please visit their website https://dakota15wing.be/ or their page.

I want to thank all involved in making this photoshoot happen, in particular the people from Dakota and off course the command of 15th Wing to give the authorization.

31/12/2024

01/12/2024

A know a normal update is long overdue, but I'm working on a few topics from last summer.

For time being I want to share the following event with that is organised by a group of friends.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0LVaN19SHGV5NCJALddyBr1n14moJfT8bhsHTLwrxXeZG5CYKZ7mnwzwXfrqM9RrGl&id=100064283125389

06/07/2024

Yesterday I was offered the opportunity to participate in sunset/night photoshoot at Genk-Zwartberg airfield. For the first time I worked with a group of a re-enactors to put the aircraft in the right historic perspective.

Aircraft visible in the pictures are Bristol Blenheim I L6739/YP-Q (G-BPIV) and Supermarine Spitfire XVI (OO-XVI).

Over the following two days both aircraft and many others will be present at the Black Mountain Open Day at Genk-Zwartberg airfield, Belgium.

Many thanks to the following people and organizations: Aircraft Restoration Company, The Irvin Squadron , Kris Christiaens Aviation Photography, Aeroclub Limburgse Vleugels, Kristof Kwanten

20/05/2024

Yesterday, I returned back from my annual pelgrimage to the Temps des Hélices airshow at La Ferté-Alais in France. On Saturday the weather conditions were not ideal, sun in de morning and clouds and a bit of rain in the afternoon, (almost) traditionally they had to cut short the show after a heavy thunderstorm approached the airfield.

As a photographer these conditions can be rather challenging, but sometimes the end result is rather unusual.

I have no knowledge of Douglas C47 Dakotas ever being used as a 'Hurricane Hunter', but a very nice effort was made by C47B F-AZOX (c/n 33352) at La Ferté. With a bit of sun in the back I managed the photograph the aircraft against the cloud of the approaching thunderstorm in which a small 'hurricane' developed....

More on this event to follow later...

12/05/2024

Curtiss P40E takes to the air in Belgium

Curtiss P40E Warhawk OO-WHK made a first public appearance with its Belgian registration during the annual Stampe Fly-In at Antwerp-Deurne airport.

The aircraft (c/n 16786) was build for the USAAF as 41-13570, but entered service with the Soviet Air Force as ’51 white’ on January 23rd, 1942. In June 1942 it was shot down and ditched in a fresh water lake near Murmansk and abandoned. 55 years later the intact airframe and engine was lifted from the lake by a Russian Kamov Ka-25 helicopter.

Between 1998-1999 it was at Frontline Aviation, at Sandown, Isle of Weight. In 2000 it left for the US where a first attempt was made to restore it to airworthiness. In September 2015 it was shipped to Pioneer Aero Ltd at Ardmore, New Zealand where a second restoration began for a new Italian owner.
During the restoration the aircraft was converted to a two-seater with dual controls.

On May 14th, 2021 it was allocated the New Zealand registration ZK-MOM for the test flying program and on November 11th, 2021 the P40E made first successful test flight in New Zealand. On August 11th, 2022 the New Zealand registration was cancelled and the aircraft was disassembled and shipped to FAST Aero at Brasschaat, Belgium for some finishing touches before going to its new owner.

The aircraft was registered F-AYKH on September 23rd, 2023 and was first shown to the public the next day at the Flying Festival at Brasschaat. Over the winter work continued on the aircraft and on March 6th, 2024 a first local test flight was made as F-AYKH, but apparently the Italian owner, Claudio Coltri, had changed it mind and the aircraft was offered for sale and was acquired by a new Belgian owner.

The French registration was cancelled on April 30th, 2024 and it received the Belgian registration OO-WHK that was reserved a few days earlier on April 26th.

28/04/2024

Last operational Belgian Air Force Lockheed F104G Starfighter, FX99 (c/n 9172), has been painstakingly restored by its current owner at Bilzen, Belgium.

FX99 was build by SABCA and delivered to the Belgian Air Force on April 2nd, 1965 but remained in storage for almost two years and finally entered service with the 10th Fighter Bomber Wing at Kleine Brogel on April 12th, 1967. On September 26th, 1983 the aircraft made the last official F104G flight within the Belgian Air Force when it was ferried by Kapt.vl. Aerts (31 ‘Tiger’ Squadron) from Kleine Brogel to Koksijde for storage, for this occasion the aircraft received a special cartoon marking depicting a ‘Tiger F104G…. Bye F104’.

In 1987 the aircraft was part of a batch of TF104G/F104Gs that was sold to Radcomm Enterprice who stripped them of all useable parts and abandoned the remains at Koksijde, but FX99 was one of a handful that was shipped to the US in november 1990 for preservation. It was first noted at Bangor, Maine in 1991, but in 1995 the aircraft had been acquired by International Vintage Aircraft at Markham airport, Ontario (Canada) were it later became part of the Canadian Air Sea Land Museum, where it was slowly rotting away.

In 2021 two Belgian enthusiasts managed to acquire the aircraft and dismantle and pack it into two containers during the summer period and shipped it back to Belgium. In October 2021 FX99 arrived on their premises at Houthalen-Helchteren and they started to reassemble the aircraft, but for various reasons they had to abandon the project and it was offered for sale.

In August 2022, it was acquired and transported by Luc Degens from nearby Bilzen with the plan to restore it and display it next to his Antonov An2TPS (c/n 1G 185-05, ex SP-FIX) behind his aviation themed B&B ‘Air Bil-Zenn’. Over the period 2022-2023 the owner has painstakingly repaired all the damage that FX99 suffered during its travels and recreated the paint scheme it wore during its last flight in 1983.

The end result is really magnificent and FX99 can be considered the best restored F104G in the country at the moment.