Fliegerstaffel 13

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Fliegerstaffel 13
13ème Escadrille
Squadriglia d'aviazione 13
J-3052.jpg
F-5E J-3052 with squadron emblem Fliegerstaffel 13
Active1925-2000
CountrySwitzerland
Branch Swiss Air Force
RoleFighter squadron
Garrison/HQ Payerne Air Base

Fliegerstaffel 13 (No 13 squadron) of the Swiss Air Force was equipped with Northrop F-5 flown by militia pilots when disbanded in 2000. Their home base at the dissolution was Payerne Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 13 wore a shield-shaped insignia with a blue outer edge, showing an eagle with wings spread out and open claws ready to capture its prey, against a white background, with the red number 13 in front of the upper wing. The old emblem was round with an orange background and black border. It showed the stylized side view of a black wasp looking in the direction of the viewer; over its head was the number 13.

Squadron (aviation) military aviation unit size

A squadron in air force, army aviation, or naval aviation is a unit comprising a number of military aircraft and their aircrews, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force. Land based squadrons equipped with heavier type aircraft such as long-range bombers, cargo aircraft, or air refueling tankers have around 12 aircraft as a typical authorization, while most land-based fighter equipped units have an authorized number of 18 to 24 aircraft.

Swiss Air Force Air component of the Swiss Armed Forces

The Swiss Air Force is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914 as part of the army and in October 1936 as an independent service.

Northrop F-5 Lightweight low cost fighter aircraft based on Northrop T-38 Talon trainer

The Northrop F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter and the F-5E and F-5F Tiger II are part of a supersonic light fighter family, initially designed in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. Being smaller and simpler than contemporaries such as the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, the F-5 cost less to both procure and operate, making it a popular export aircraft. The F-5 started life as a privately funded light fighter program by Northrop in the 1950s. The design team wrapped a small, highly aerodynamic fighter around two compact and high-thrust General Electric J85 engines, focusing on performance and low cost of maintenance. Though primarily designed for the day air superiority role, the aircraft is also a capable ground-attack platform. The F-5A entered service in the early 1960s. During the Cold War, over 800 were produced through 1972 for U.S. allies. Though the United States Air Force (USAF) had no need for a light fighter, it did procure approximately 1,200 Northrop T-38 Talon trainer aircraft, which were directly based on the F-5A.

Contents

History

The unit was founded in 1925 under the designation Fliegerkompanie 13 equipped with Fokker C.V at Ambri Airport.

Fokker C.V

The Fokker C.V was a Dutch light reconnaissance and bomber biplane aircraft manufactured by Fokker. It was designed by Anthony Fokker and the series manufacture began in 1924 at Fokker in Amsterdam.

Ambri Airport airport in Ticino, Switzerland

Ambri Airport is a Swiss general aviation airport. It located near the village of Ambrì, in the municipality of Quinto, canton of Ticino. Ambri serves the surrounding area and is home to a gliding school, a helicopter base and has sufficiency for VFR flying.

In 1940, the unit changed to the Morane D-3800 and Morane D-3801 aircraft. In 1945, during a reorganization, the flying staff of the Fliegerkompanie 13 was transferred to the newly created Fliegerstaffel 13.

From 1955 until 1983, the squadron used its first jet aircraft, the De Havilland D.H. 112 Venom, operating from the aircraft cavern.

de Havilland Venom fighter aircraft family

The de Havilland DH 112 Venom is a British post-war single-engined jet aircraft developed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. Much of its design was derived from the de Havilland Vampire, the firm's first jet-powered combat aircraft.

Aircraft cavern, a calque of the German word Flugzeugkaverne, is an underground hangar amongst others used by the Swiss Air Force.

In 1984 the Fliegerstaffel 13 started to fly the F-5 Tiger. At the same time, Meiringen Air Base became their new war time base, thus flight operations there would be carried out out of an aircraft cavern.

Meiringen Air Base

Meiringen air base, also known as the Unterbach military airfield, is a Swiss military airbase located near the hamlet of Unterbach and the town of Meiringen, in the canton of Bern. It is one of three main airbases of the Swiss Air Force.

In 1995, Fliegerstaffel 13 changed to the new home base, Payerne Air Base with the F-5E.

Payerne Air Base airport in Canton of Vaud, Switzerland

Payerne Airport is a military airfield of the Swiss Air Force north of Payerne in Switzerland, located approximately halfway between Lausanne and Bern.

In 2000 the Fliegerstaffel 13 was disbanded.

Airplanes

Related Research Articles

Fliegerstaffel 1

Fliegerstaffel 1 was a professional military pilots squadron, therefore belonging to the Überwachungsgeschwader of the Swiss Air Force until its last service in 2003. At that point, it was equipped with Northrop F-5 and used the military airfield of Turtmann as a designated war base. Fliegerstaffel 1 carried a stylized Vogel Rokh as its coat of arms, a red background and a white figure 1 completed their emblem.

Fliegerstaffel 2

Fliegerstaffel 2 was using Hawker Hunter aircraft for the Swiss Air Force at the time of disbandment. Its pilots origined from French-speaking Switzerland and its home was the military airfield of Turtmann then. As a coat of arms, Fliegerstaffel 2 used a white bird taken from the one of Gruyère District on a red background surrounded by a motto saying "En Avant, Advienne Que Pourra". 2ème Escadrille .

Fliegerstaffel 3 of the Swiss Air Force belonged to the Überwachungsgeschwader, thus professional military pilots were grouped in the unit. Their home base on disbandment was Sion and the aircraft flown were the Mirage III RS. Fliegerstaffel 3 carried the AMIR badge as their coat of arms. This badge shows a falcon head drawn in black lines on white ground, the neck of which is filled with blue color. The beak rises above the round badge, above the head of the falcon is the red number 3. Except for the number 3, the badge is identical to the AMIR badge of Fliegerstaffel 10 and Fliegerstaffel 4.

Fliegerstaffel 4

The Fliegerstaffel 4 of the Swiss Air Force, and belonged to the Überwachungsgeschwader with professional military pilots. Their home base at the dissolution was the Payerne Air Base and the Fliegerstaffel 4 was equipped with Mirage IIIRS. The Fliegerstaffel 4 carried as the coat of arms the AMIR badge. This badge shows on a white ground a falcon head drawn with black lines, the neck of which is filled with blue color. The beak rises above the round badge, above the head of the falcon is the red number 4. Except for the number 4, the badge is identical to the AMIR badge of the Fliegerstaffel 10 and the Fliegerstaffel 3.

Fliegerstaffel 5

Fliegerstaffel 5 was a unit of the Swiss Air Force. It belonged to the Überwachungsgeschwader with professional military pilots. It was equipped with the Hawker Hunter. Its home base was Interlaken Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 5 carried as a coat of arms a black lynx with yellow eyes, which stretched its right paw with claws. From his mouth came red flames, which went into the background. The badge was round and had a white base. Under the lynx was written in black 5éme escadrille. Later, the badge was changed into a shield-shaped coat-of-arms with a stylized lynx head, often mistaken as a dragon head.

Fliegerstaffel 6

The Fliegerstaffel 6 of the Swiss Air Force is a militia squadron equipped with Northrop F-5E and is together with the Fliegerstaffel 18 part of the Fliegergeschwader 14. The home base of the Fliegerstaffel 6 is Payerne Air Base. As coat of arms, the Fliegerstaffel 6 carried since 1940 a marching duck, with a proudly swollen breast carrying a halberd. The "Jusqu'au bout" motto means until the bitter end. Before this badge, it was first a six-pointed star with a witch on her flying broom.

Fliegerstaffel 7

Fliegerstaffel 7 was a Swiss Air Force squadron equipped with Hawker Hunter aircraft until 1994. Their home base at the time was the Meiringen Air Base. As a coat of arms, Fliegerstaffel 7 carried a jumping yellow Trout named "Jaqueline" on a dark blue background. The badge itself was a isosceles triangle with a black border that stood on top.

Fliegerstaffel 8

Fliegerstaffel 8 «Vandalos» is a Swiss Air Force militia squadron, equipped with Northrop F-5E and forms Fliegergeschwader 13 with Fliegerstaffel 11. The home base of the unit is Meiringen Air Base. As coat of arms, the Fliegerstaffel 8 carries as a red sawfish, floating through the lower opening of a black number 8 on a white ground. The sawfish is called Vandalo .

The Fliegerstaffel 9 of the Swiss Air Force was in its end equipped with de Havilland Venom Combat Aircraft. Their home base at the dissolution was the Sion Airport. The Fliegerstaffel 9 carried as coat of arms the side view of a red witch riding on a red broom. On a rectangular dark blue background. The witch and the broom were drawn without curves. Beneath the witch stands a flight of fliers with white writing. In the upper right corner is a white square 9.

Fliegerstaffel 10

Fliegerstaffel 10 was a Swiss Air Force unit consisting of professional military pilots, belonging to the Überwachungsgeschwader. Their home base at the dissolution was the Military Airfield at Buochs, where ist was equipped with Mirage IIIRS. Fliegerstaffel 10 carried as their coat of arms the AMIR badge. This badge shows on a white ground a falcon head drawn with black lines, the neck of which is filled with blue color. The beak rises above the round badge, above the head of the falcon is a number 10 in red. Except for the number 10, the badge is identical to the AMIR badge of the Fliegerstaffel 3 and the Fliegerstaffel 4.

Fliegerstaffel 11 (Tigers) of the Swiss Air Force is a Berufsfliegerkorps squadron equipped with F/A-18 combat jets and, together with Fliegerstaffel 8, is part of Fliegergeschwader 13. The home base of Fliegerstaffel 11 is Meiringen Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 11 is a full member of the NATO Tiger Association and carries a coat of arms depicting a Tiger head on a black background and the wordmark Staffel 11 below the tiger head as its crest.

Zielflugstaffel 12

Zielflugstaffel 12, former known as Fliegerstaffel 12 of the Swiss Air Force is a militia squadron equipped with Northrop F-5E and Pilatus PC-9 and part of the Flugplatzkommando 7. The home base of the unit is Militärflugplatz Emmen. As coat of arms, the Zielflugstaffel carries a badge with a yellow and black target pattern, a bullseye and the writing “ Zfl St 12”.

Fliegerstaffel 15

The late Fliegerstaffel 15 of the Swiss Air Force was active until 1994 and equipped with Hawker Hunter aircraft. The home base of their last service was the airfield at St. Stephan. The Fliegerstaffel 15 carried as their coat of arms a paper aircraft on a blue ground with a red "15". The old badge of the FlSt15 was a black bird of prey with white background and two red circles.

Fliegerstaffel 16

The Fliegerstaffel 16 of the Swiss Air Force was last equipped with Northrop F-5 F aircraft. Their home base was Sion Airport. The Fliegerstaffel 16 had a shield-shaped coat of arms showing the side view of a black dragon with a red eye, red claws, and a red firebeam in front of the white digit 16 and a dark blue background. The old badge was the same, but in round design.

Fliegerstaffel 17

Fliegerstaffel 17 "Falcons" of the Swiss Air Force is a Berufsfliegerkorps squadron of professional pilots flying McDonnell Douglas F/A-18. Together with Fliegerstaffel 6 it forms Fliegergeschwader 11. The home base of the squadron is Payerne Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 17 features a red falcon on a white ground with the black number 17 as its coat of arms.

Fliegerstaffel 18

Fliegerstaffel 18 «Panthers» of the Swiss Air Force is a Berufsfliegerkorps squadron equipped with McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 and forms Fliegergeschwader 14 together with Fliegerstaffel 19. The home base of the Fliegerstaffel 18 is Payerne Air Base. The Fliegerstaffel 18 carries a Black Panther against a green backdrop as its coat of arms.

Fliegerstaffel 19

Fliegerstaffel 19 of the Swiss Air Force is a militia squadron equipped with Northrop F-5E and forms together with Fliegerstaffel 18 Fliegergeschwader 14. The home base of the fliegerstaffel 19 is Sion Airport. The "Fliegerstaffel 19" carries as a coat of arms a stylized swan on a blue background.

Fliegerstaffel 20

Fliegerstaffel 20 was a Swiss Air Force squadron equipped with Hawker Hunter aircraft. Their home base at the dissolution was the military airfield at Mollis. The squadron carried as its coat of arms a black Bison on a yellow background. The writing “Fl St 20” below the Bison appeared during in the squadron's history.

Fliegerstaffel 21

Fliegerstaffel 21 was a Swiss Air Force squadron equipped with Hawker Hunter aircraft at the dissolution in 1994. Their home base was at the Raron Military Airfield. As a coat of arms, Fliegerstaffel 21 carried a white beaver, firing two guns while riding a red shark. On the shark is the black digit 21.

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