18 September 2021 – Rivolto del Friuli AB
The 2020 it will be remembered in history as the year of the pandemic that shook the world.
Among the many canceled events, certainly one of those that displeased the airplane enthusiast community the most, it was the air show to celebrate the 60 Years of Frecce Tricolori.
The aftermath of COVID 19 we still hear them today and, Consequently, all the events of the PAN scheduled in Italy for the 2021 they have been erased.
All… except one.
In fact, the Frecce Tricolori celebrated their 60th birthday at the Rivolto del Friuli airport on the weekend of 18 and 19 September along with approx 20.000 people in 2 days.
These lucky ones are the ones who managed to win an entry pass, strictly limited to limit the gatherings and the consequent risks.
And so here I am, at the gate of the Rivolto del Friuli base, home from 60 years of the National Aerobatic Team.
The accreditation procedures are very fast and in a few minutes I can access the base by car to go to the parking lot which is on the opposite side of the track from the gate.
After checking the credit, validation of the Green pass and inspection of the photographic backpack can access the event. The "enclosure" for photographers is next to the grandstand, where today the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella will sit and right in front of the lineup of the MB 339 Frecce Tricolori. I have the time to go and photograph the static exhibition and I take advantage of it.
Only aircraft from the Italian Air Force are exhibited: virtually the entire front line of fighter planes and helicopters. In addition, the Gulfstream G 550 CAEW, which is always a beautiful sight.
All planes (excluding the F 35A) they are very close to the barriers and for shooting I am forced to mount the wide angle.
The tour begins with the sky still overcast and ends with flashes of sun and blue. We prepare for the flight schedule and so I hurry to my post.
The HH139 of the 15th Wing waves the Tricolor on the runway axis while the notes of the Mameli Hymn play: is the signal for the start of the morning performances.
Some foreign acrobatic teams have come to bring greetings and best wishes to the Frecce Tricolori and they do it with their vaulting: the Orlik, are PZL Orlik, from Poland, i Midnight Hawk, su BAe Hawk, from Finland, the Eagle Patrol, your HOUSE C 101, from Spain and the Patrouille Suisse, su Northrop F 5E Tiger II, from Switzerland they alternate in the sky and with their fumes they draw acrobatics in the Friuli sky.
After the foreign acrobatic patrols it is the turn of the "Team Legend", formed by aircraft that have made the history of Italian military training, accompanied by the present trainers of the Armed Force: FIAT G 46, North American T 6 Texan, These 208 e SF 260, MB 326E and K in training with MB 339A and C and T 346 they cheered the audience first with a couple of passages in formation and then with solo passages. Their walkway on the siding was covered by the afterburners from 2 Typhoon of the 51st which scrambled to simulate the escort to an impersonated slow mover, Once again, da un HH 139 of the 15th Wing. It's always impressive to see Typhoons in formation with a helicopter, a little more than 200 km/h, with the very high muzzle but nailed in the wing without losing even a foot of altitude.
Their landing precedes the take-off of the KC 767 Tanker and di 2 AMX preparing for the tactical event.
The performance of the C 27J and the T 346 of the Experimental Flight Department are, always eats, superlative. The massive twin-engine transport aircraft is spun like a small single-engine aerobatic aircraft in the skilled hands of the AM demonstrators while the twin-engine trainer shows off its power and agility qualities that denote performance worthy of a dogfighter rather than a trainer.
There is no need to say something about the performance of the Typhhon. The 4th Generation fighter of the Air Force always turns out to be a beast of great breed, certainly one of the best in the world.
After the sequence of the Experimental Department it is the turn of the tactical event.
It starts with the take-off of 2 HH 101 Caesar, immediately followed by the thunderous short take-off of the F 35B, at the first presentation to the general public.
I 2 large helicopters circling in the field sky while in the sky they alternate F 35, Tornado, AMX e Typhoon. AM has really done things big and the simulation is very real. Please note that all participating assets were loaded with simulated armament: LGB bombs in the hold of the F. 35 and under the wings of the Typhoon, Ventilated JDAMs on the Tornado. The AMXs carried a Reccelite pod on the ventral pylon and in some passages they released flares at low altitude to simulate defense against infrared guided anti-aircraft missiles.
The carousel lasted about 20 minutes of intense minutes and ended with the F 35B which first stopped in flight in front of the stands and then made a very short landing.
The passage of the KC 767 in training with F 35A, Tornado, AMX, Typhoon, G 550 CAEW, C 27J and C 130J sealed the end of the event.
Meanwhile i 10 Frecce Tricolori pilots carried on their ponies and the characteristic hiss of the MB Vipers 339 began to fill the air.
The time to let the F 35B and AMX pass and also the planes of the Frecce Tricolori can set off towards the runway head.
Commander Gaetano Farina is standing in front of the grandstand, headset on the head, ready to lead the evolutions of the largest Acrobatic Team in the world from the ground.
The performance was one of the most beautiful and perfect I have ever witnessed: the Frecce Tricolori are back. And they came back to stay! It's true that they never went away: in the year of COVID they traveled the length and breadth of the peninsula to spread their tricolor embrace and restore hope to all Italians, but seeing them circling in their home is always an incomparable spectacle
The landing in 2 formations marks the conclusion of this splendid and exciting day.
We hope it bodes well for a future of return to normal and free of limitations.
To you photos
