If you don´t mind I will try to change that with the following set of Austrian Drakens.
#1 starting this set is the best known of all Austrian Dragons: J-35OE #08 in a knife edge pass at Twente Airshow on 20th June, 2003:
The following images were taken some 15 years ago when the Austrian Air Force deployed their J-35OE Drakens to RAF Waddington for the last time to make use of the ACMI-Range. On their outbound journey on 4th September, 2002 I was able to catch the aircraft during a refueling stop at Nörvenich Air Base, Germany. The deployment included nine jets and lasted for three weeks. Ground time was a mere 60 minutes and when the jets taxied out for take-off again I was surprised by their high taxi speed…later on I was told they can only spend TEN minutes on the ground with engine running before it overheats and they have to shut down again.
#2 Draken No.11
#3 Draken No.13 on finals at Nörvenich with the 2.Staffel badge on the tail:
#4 Draken No.9 awaiting refueling:
#5 Draken No.5 taxiing out… FAST!
#6 Draken No.20 on the ramp:
#7 Draken No.11 on finals with the 1.Staffel badge on the tail:
#8 Draken No.9 taxiing out:
#9 Draken No.14 on the ramp:
#10 … and on finals before. Note the fouth gear at the fuselage´s end! It sounds crazy to hear a Draken pilot calling „Gear rechecked-Four greens! Cleared to land!“
#11 Draken No.10 taxiing out:
#12 Draken No.11 on the ramp shortly prior to engine start:
#13 Draken No.22 taxiing out:
I hope these are of interest, at least for the seasoned Waddo-Watchers!
Thanks for looking,
Cheers, Chris
I caught up with these beautiful aircraft during the deployment at Waddington and as you say I was amazed by the speed from start-up, taxi to rolling down the runway - now I know why!! The original F-35 and what a beast it was 