Whiskey Four

History

The “Whiskey Four” aerobatic display team was formed in 1956 at the RNLAF’s Woensdrecht Air Base. All four pilots were instructors from the Flight Training school located there and they flew Gloster Meteors fighters.
In 1958, they transitioned to Lockheed T-33A “T-bird” aircraft. At that time, the team's planes carried no special colors and simply used the standard RNLAF silver and orange paint scheme. With the arrival of T-33, the team leader, Capt. Wierikx, also experimented with the use of white smoke, but it proved to be very thin.
In 1960, a new leader, Capt. Nic de Vrij, grew the reputation of the team throughout the Netherlands.
In 1962, the team officially received its name "Whiskey Four" from a combination of the Flight Training School’s call-sign “Whiskey” and from the number of the pilots in the team. It was in this year that the team visited foreign countries for the first time with displays in England and Scotland.
In 1963, Capt. "Mustache" van Dommelen became the team’s new leader.
In 1964, their participation both in a TV show and in airshows in Belgium and Italy, further raised the profile of the team throughout Europe. This same year “Whiskey Four” finally improved the white smoke generation but still had trouble with blue and red smoke that the team also wanted to use.
On June 8, 1965 during an airshow at the Woensdrecht Air Base, two of the team’s planes collided killing pilots Liem and Sommer.
In 1966, the team was re-formed and received a new special color scheme in white and green designed by one of the team’s pilots, Bennie Drenth. Later that year, the team had to be disbanded in order to use all the T-33’s for pilot training.
In 1967, No. 314 Sqn at Welschap AFB, in Eindhoven continued the tradition of “Whiskey 4”, by re-creating the team again. This squadron flew F-84F Thunderstreak fighters, so this new “Whiskey 4” team flew these aircraft painted in a white and green color scheme similar to their predecessors. Unfortunately after only a few months, one of the team's pilots, Lt. Schuur, crashed and died during practice flight and soon after this crash, the “Whisky 4” demonstration team was permanently disbanded.

Gallery

Lockheed T-33 T-bird (1956-66)

F-84F Thunderstreak (1967)

Dash Four

History

The “Dash Four” were a Royal Netherlands Air Force aerobatic display team.
In December 1955, an aerobatic team flying with F-84F Thunderstreak fighters was established from Soesterberg air base. On January 4, 1956, the team performed its first training flight and then on July 14, they flew their first public display at Leeuwarden. Two weeks later, the team's planes were painted in white, red and blue colors, while the fuselage was left in unpainted metal; a paint scheme which was very similar to the USAF “Thunderbirds” paint scheme. Later this Dutch team received the name of “Dash Four”.
The following year, the team's planes were left totally unpainted but were equipped with white smoke generators.
On July 5, 1958 after incredible displays at the aerobatic teams championship at Soesterberg, the “Dash Four” were invited to display at the “World Congress of Flight” exhibition in Las Vegas, USA from 12 to 19 April 1959. By this time the team's own aircraft were again painted with blue and red accent colors.
On 22 March 1959, only team's pilots left for the USA, as it had been arranged for them to borrow USAF aircraft for their exhibition displays. The team first began training at Luke AFB, but, after 3 April, they moved to Nellis AFB. On April 9, during a practice flight, two of the “Dash Four’s” borrowed aircraft collided, causing one pilot to eject and forcing the other to land his Thunderstreak with heavy damage. But finally on 12 and 15 April, the “Dash Four” performed with USAF F-84F's painted with orange stripes over bare metal.
On 6 May, the team's pilots returned to Netherlands and then on June 19, 1959, the “Dash Four” performed for the last time at Parents Day at Volkel airbase, using their own standard F-84F Thunderstreak fighters.

Gallery

F-84F Thunderstreak

Red Checkers Schedule

March
25 - Auckland Waterfront, New Zealand
25 - Mt Maunganui, New Zealand
26 - Rotorua Waterfront, New Zealand
27 - Gisborne Waterfront, New Zealand
27 - Taupo Waterfront, New Zealand
28 - New Plymouth, New Zealand
31 - Air Force Air Show Ohakea, New Zealand
April
02 - Wellington, New Zealand
02 - Kaikoura, New Zealand
03 - Timaru, New Zealand
04 - Dunedin, New Zealand
06-09 - Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow, Wanaka, New Zealand