For the first time ever the Hellenic air force hosted an official air
show on 18 September 2005. Other than the annual public days, this was a
large scale event with a huge foreign participation. When we heard about
this in April for the first time, we booked tickets right away.
In the very early morning of Friday 16 September, we took off from the
airport of Köln in Germany. German Wings brought us in less than three
hours to the new international airport of Athens. After picking up our
rental car, we drove off to Elefsis. Despite the fact that the air show
was at Tanagra, all other Greek air force bases where open to the public
as well. When we arrived at Elefsis, people were busy preparing the
static display. We were more than welcome to visit and take photographs
of the displayed aircraft. There was an old timer static with a few
favourites that we really wanted to see: a Do-28, a Dromader and an
Agcat. Furthermore an ERJ-135, EMB-145AEW and a CL415 were displayed.
En route to Tanagra we decided to make a stop at Dekelia-Tatoi as well.
But not before we got our selves into down town Athens after a
navigation error… Not really a waste of time because now we accidentally
had the opportunity to get a view of the Acropolis. Apart from the basic
pilot training, the coast guard and a crop spray squadron, the official
air force museum is located at Tatoi. An interesting collection of
aircraft of fame is preserved here for the public. Unfortunately none of
the based operational aircraft were displayed here. We were about the
last visitors to leave the base here. Off to Chalkída, the place where
we had a hotel reservation. This appeared to be a very scenic town with
a nice boulevard with several good restaurants. We did enjoy the Greek
food!
We had to get up early on Saturday. We were allowed to get on base at 8
o’ clock AM, one hour before Tanagra went open for the public. A good
moment to get some decent pictures of the static display. An eye catcher
at the beginning of the static display was an operational C-47 Dakota.
The aircraft just left the HAI factory for an overhaul. Unfortunately
most of the aircraft were surrounded by fences and ropes, which is
certainly not attractive for the pictures. But both aircrews and
security forces did their utmost best to clean up the mess around their
aircraft to provide us with good shots, good job! Two other eye catchers
on the static were a 337 Mira F-4E with anniversary markings and a tiger
striped A-7. A foreign high light was an Egyptian K-8E jet trainer. This
particular aircraft was the number 1 aircraft from the 12 which form the
Egyptian display team ‘Silver Eagles’. According to the crew they had
plans to join the 2006 Leeuwarden air show (NL) with their team!
While ‘doing’ the static display, we were informed about the fact that
the immense hangar of the Hellenic Aerospace Industries (HAI) was open
to the public as well. In there we could see the overhauls of the Mirage
2000, F-4 Phantom, A-7, T-2 Buckeye, T-6 Texan, C-130 Hercules, P-3
Orion and a variety of AB212 helicopters. Very impressive to see this
work on no less than 36 aircraft inside this single hangar! Besides,
this was a welcome shelter from the hot sun outside; temperatures had
gone up to about 30+ degrees Celcius. The only aircraft performing a
flying display were from foreign nations.
Sunday 18 September was the big day, the official air show at Tanagra.
After a security check we entered the base quite early. We chose a
position near the runway which seemed good for the pictures to us. It
was close to the runway, but far from the display centre point. The
positions near the centre point were quite distant from the runway.
The show started off with a formation fly past of the special painted F4
and A-7, accompanied by a Mirage 2000 and an F-16. After this, two local
based Mirage 2000 aircraft were scramble because two unfriendly F-16s
were invading the area. In a low level dog fight the aircraft beat the
hell out of each other, stunning!!! We assume the Mirages failed to
defend their home base. Within seconds the base was under attack of 6
Phantoms, 4 A-7s, 4 Mirage 2000s and 8 F-16s. Very very impressive,
although a nightmare for spotters and photographers. The aircraft were
either too close or too far. Throughout the international participants
the Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia (Hellenic Air Force) showed off with
formations of T-2s, T-6s, C-130s and Pumas. Also great was a CL415 fire
fighter which made a water drop on a fire spot. One of the absolute high
lights was the fly past of a 1943 build C-47 Dakota, still in
operational service!
All in all we were very pleased with the event. The atmosphere was very
relaxed.
Because this was the first time ever there was an International air show
in Greece, we really did not know what to expect.
Well, we praise the effort the Hellenic Air Force took to make this
event unforgettable.
They showed off with almost any type which is still left in their
inventory, including two operational old-timer Dakotas!
If it happens, we will certainly be back in two years for the next
edition of Archangel.
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For the first time ever the Hellenic air force hosted an official air
show on 18 September 2005. Other than the annual public days, this was a
large scale event with a huge foreign participation. When we heard about
this in April for the first time, we booked tickets right away. 
En route to Tanagra we decided to make a stop at Dekelia-Tatoi as well.
But not before we got our selves into down town Athens after a
navigation error… Not really a waste of time because now we accidentally
had the opportunity to get a view of the Acropolis. Apart from the basic
pilot training, the coast guard and a crop spray squadron, the official
air force museum is located at Tatoi. An interesting collection of
aircraft of fame is preserved here for the public. Unfortunately none of
the based operational aircraft were displayed here. We were about the
last visitors to leave the base here. Off to Chalkída, the place where
we had a hotel reservation. This appeared to be a very scenic town with
a nice boulevard with several good restaurants. We did enjoy the Greek
food!
We had to get up early on Saturday. We were allowed to get on base at 8
o’ clock AM, one hour before Tanagra went open for the public. A good
moment to get some decent pictures of the static display. An eye catcher
at the beginning of the static display was an operational C-47 Dakota.
The aircraft just left the HAI factory for an overhaul. Unfortunately
most of the aircraft were surrounded by fences and ropes, which is
certainly not attractive for the pictures. But both aircrews and
security forces did their utmost best to clean up the mess around their
aircraft to provide us with good shots, good job! Two other eye catchers
on the static were a 337 Mira F-4E with anniversary markings and a tiger
striped A-7. A foreign high light was an Egyptian K-8E jet trainer. This
particular aircraft was the number 1 aircraft from the 12 which form the
Egyptian display team ‘Silver Eagles’. According to the crew they had
plans to join the 2006 Leeuwarden air show (NL) with their team!
While ‘doing’ the static display, we were informed about the fact that
the immense hangar of the Hellenic Aerospace Industries (HAI) was open
to the public as well. In there we could see the overhauls of the Mirage
2000, F-4 Phantom, A-7, T-2 Buckeye, T-6 Texan, C-130 Hercules, P-3
Orion and a variety of AB212 helicopters. Very impressive to see this
work on no less than 36 aircraft inside this single hangar! Besides,
this was a welcome shelter from the hot sun outside; temperatures had
gone up to about 30+ degrees Celcius. The only aircraft performing a
flying display were from foreign nations.
The show started off with a formation fly past of the special painted F4
and A-7, accompanied by a Mirage 2000 and an F-16. After this, two local
based Mirage 2000 aircraft were scramble because two unfriendly F-16s
were invading the area. In a low level dog fight the aircraft beat the
hell out of each other, stunning!!! We assume the Mirages failed to
defend their home base. Within seconds the base was under attack of 6
Phantoms, 4 A-7s, 4 Mirage 2000s and 8 F-16s. Very very impressive,
although a nightmare for spotters and photographers. The aircraft were
either too close or too far. Throughout the international participants
the Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia (Hellenic Air Force) showed off with
formations of T-2s, T-6s, C-130s and Pumas. Also great was a CL415 fire
fighter which made a water drop on a fire spot. One of the absolute high
lights was the fly past of a 1943 build C-47 Dakota, still in
operational service!)
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)
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