| Golden Sabres Philippine Air Force Aerobatic Team | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1971 – 74 |
| Country |  Philippines |
| Branch | Philippine Air Force |
| Role | Aerobatic flight display team |
| Size | varies per season |
| Base | |
The Golden Sabres of the 9th Tactical fighter squadron were one of the Philippine Air Force's aerial demonstration teams.
Early in 1971, by virtue of the verbal orders of then Brig. Gen. Rancudo, two teams were formed to perform in the Aviation Week celebration, the "Blue Diamonds" and "Red Aces". That same year also saw the emergence of still another aerobatic team, the Golden Sabres of the 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron led by then Maj. Antonio Bautista. The Golden Sabres made its debut in early 1972 in Iba, Zambales. The celebration of Aviation Week brought the Golden Sabres to the south. Fresh and young as it was, it had the distinction of being the first aerobatic team to perform before audiences in Visayas and Mindanao like Iloilo, Mactan, Bacolod, Davao, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. [1]
In 1973, the Golden Sabres found itself short of pilots and crew because of the crisis in the south. At the same time the Red Aces primary use of the F-86 Sabre has been changed to the F-8H Crusader. The two teams merge into one with the call sign "SABRES". [2]
The Sabres Aerobatic Team is the most unusual in the air force in the sense that it is a combination of two aerobatic teams, the Red Aces of the 7TFS and the Golden Sabres of the 9TFS. The "Sabres" team lasted just a few years, until a petrol crisis forced its disbandment. [3]
The 80th Fighter Squadron is a General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, currently part of the 8th Operations Group of the 8th Fighter Wing, and stationed at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
England Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Alexandria and about 170 miles (270 km) northwest of New Orleans. Originally known as Alexandria Army Air Base, on 23 June 1955 the facility was renamed England Air Force Base in honor of Lt Col John Brooke England (1923–1954).
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility located near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 488 km northeast of Bangkok. The Laos border is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) directly east. The facility is also used as a civil airport.
The 108th Wing is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard, one of the many units stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command.
The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force.
Antonio Marfori Bautista was an F-86 Sabre pilot who served in the Philippine Air Force. He served in the aerobatic display team the Blue Diamonds and fought against rebels in the south of the country. He was killed in action in January 1974.
Torrejón Air Base is both a major Spanish Air and Space Force base and the co-located Madrid–Torrejón Airport, a secondary civilian airport for the city and metropolitan area of Madrid, east-northeast of the city center in central Spain.
The 174th Attack Wing is a unit of the New York Air National Guard, stationed at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Syracuse, New York. The 174th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.
The 104th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, stationed at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport, Westfield, Massachusetts. When activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.
Cesar Basa Air Base, or simply Basa Air Base (ICAO: RPUF), is an airbase currently operated by the Philippine Air Force. It is located at Floridablanca, Pampanga about 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is named after César Basa, one of the pioneer fighter pilots of the Philippine Air Force.
The 347th Rescue Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command, stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It was inactivated on 1 October 2006.
The 180th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Ohio Air National Guard, stationed at Toledo Air National Guard Base, Ohio. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.
The 479th Tactical Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Tactical Training, Holloman, stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 26 July 1991.
The PAF Blue Diamonds is the national aerobatic team of the Philippine Air Force (PAF). Assigned to the 5th Fighter Wing, the unit is based at Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga. Founded in 1952, the Blue Diamonds is one of oldest formal flying aerobatic teams in the world, along with United States Air Force Thunderbirds founded in 1953, the United States Navy Blue Angels formed in 1946, and the Patrouille de France of the French Air Force formed in 1931. The Blue Diamonds has been inactive since 2005.
The 119th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing located at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, New Jersey. The 119th is equipped with the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and is the oldest active flying fighter squadron in the Air National Guard.
The 138th Attack Squadron is a unit of the New York Air National Guard's 174th Attack Wing located at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, New York. The 138th is equipped with the MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
The 32nd Air Operations Squadron, nicknamed the Wolfhounds, is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 32nd Air Operations Group, based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 1 November 2005. Between 1955 and 1994, the unit was based at Soesterberg Air Base in the Netherlands, providing air defence on behalf of NATO as a fighter squadron.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Initially formed as part of the Philippine Army, the PAF is responsible for both defending the Philippine airspace, and conducting aerial operations throughout the Philippines, such as close air support operations, combat air patrols, aerial reconnaissance missions, airlift operations, helicopter tactical operations and aerial humanitarian operations. The PAF is headquartered at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay, and is headed by the Chief of the Air Force, who also serves as the branch's highest-ranking military officer.
Gaining the same praises like the "Blue Diamonds" the Philippine Air Force "Red Aces" were the 7th Tactical Squadrons Aerial Demonstration Team.
The structure of the Egyptian Air Force, sourced from scramble.nl, is described below.