The Leeuwarden F-16 Fighting Falcon Fly Out; This is the Last Time They Depart

At the Dutch airbase Leeuwarden, the RNLAF said goodbye to the F-16 Fighting Falcon on July 5th 2021. the aircraft is also nicknamed "Viper". The Fly-Out was scheduled for July 1st, but was delayed due to a crash at Leeuwarden of a Belgian Air Force F-16 during the Weapon Instructor Coarse (WIC). The Dutch F-16s finally left Leeuwarden Air Base on July 5th after a period of 42 years at this Frisian air base. The last four based F-16s from Leeuwarden would definitely leave from the northern airbase.
Leeuwarden was the first airbase of the Royal Netherlands Air Force to receive the F-16 Fighting Falcon in 1979. The 322 Squadron was the first unit to use the type within the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) and is now the first unit in the Air Force to replace the type for the F-35A Lightning II. This is a huge milestone for the Air Force, as the F-16 was the backbone of the Royal Netherlands Air Force for many years. The F-16 took part in many conflicts in Dutch service as part of an international coalition. Famous deployments were those in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.
For the "F-16 Fly-Out" the unit painted a few aircraft in the original colors of the Frisian airbase from the 1980s. A total of four aircraft were painted, three of which had the original Frisian markings of the based squadrons. These planes are; the J-509 bearing the full color badges of 322 Squadron nicknamed "Polly", the J-144 bearing the full color badges of 323 Squadron nicknamed "Diana" and finally the J-201 bearing the full color badges of the Transition and Conversion Department (Transitie & Conversie Afdeling, TCA). The fourth aircraft, the J-871, carries the dragon on the tail, which is the symbol of Leeuwarden Air Base.
When the aircraft left, they left Leeuwarden for the last time after 42 years. The fighter aircraft landed at their new home base Volkel Air Base in the south of the Netherlands. Before this landing took place, the four F-16s made a flight along almost all Dutch military airfields to say goodbye to the Leeuwarden F-16s. The last F-16 flights are planned in 2024, when Volkel will also have its "Viper Varewell" and the F-16 at the Royal Netherlands Air Force will retired from service.
Thank you for watching this video. Please click on the 'Subscribe' button and also click the 'Bell' icon to follow Runway28 and never miss a brand new aviation video!
If you liked this video or if you have a question about the subject, feel free to leave a comment below this video; I will try to answer all questions and remarks as soon as possible.
#F16 #FinalFlight #Leeuwarden #RNLAF #Friesland #pollyFlight #AviationHistory #Viper #322squadron #323squadron #TCA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The summary of this video:
00:00 - Introduction
00:18 - Leeuwarden F-16 Fly-Out Intro
01:59 - Preparation Fly-Out
03:05 - Start-up Polly Flight
07:14 - Taxi Out Polly Flight
09:59 - Departure Four Ship F-16s
10:53 - Leeuwarden Air Base F-16 Units
11:54 - Final Fly By Leeuwarden F-16s
12:16 - Endscreen Runway28
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow Runway28 on these channels:
UA-cam: ua-cam.com/users/AlexvanNoye...
Runway28: www.runway28.nl
Instagram: / alexvannoije
Facebook: / rwy28
Twitter: / anoije
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
All shots and scenes are created by and copyrighted by Runway28 Aviation Videos. Please do not use it without the permission of the original author which is the owner of this channel. Thank you for understanding and have fun watching these videos.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Camera gear used for videos:
- Nikon Z6 II System camera
- Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VRII
- Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VRII
- Nikon TC14 III extender
- Sony AX33 Camcorder
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please subscribe to follow Runway28 by clicking this link:
ua-cam.com/users/AlexvanNoye...
Kind Regards,
Runway28 Aviation Videos

[@MaistoHelix]

This was just the perfect plane at the perfect time for us Dutch, we were involved in the program from the start and build our own Fokker F-16's. We developed our own flight sofware and hardware it was an amazing Time.
The Falcon has served us well, and who knows we will keep some of them flying due to current developments.

[@AlexvanNoije]

The Fighting Falcon was indeed the most perfect plane for small air forces like ours. What the future will bring is something we will experience in the upcoming years. personally I think it will be more F-35's instead of keeping Vipers.

[@MadeiraAirport]

Fantastic crystal clear footage, really nice the preparations before the flights!!

[@AlexvanNoije]

Thanks man, the final flight of the Leeuwarden F-16s; will miss them 👍

[@MadeiraAirport]

@@AlexvanNoije You welcome!

[@ShellMartijn]

Potverdrie wat een mooie beelden! En super gaaf dat je zo dichtbij mocht staan.
Het opstijgen was wel heel mooi en stabiel gefilmd of was dat bewerkt? Complimenten in ieder geval.
Jammer dat NL afscheid van de F-16 neemt, het blijven toch mooie toestellen...

[@AlexvanNoije]

Emotioneel momentje. Alles is gestabiliseerd en vanaf statief gefilmt!!

[@ShellMartijn]

@@AlexvanNoije Emotioneel inderdaad. Ik weet nog dat de NF-5 vervangen werd door de F-16. Die rode NF-5, de K-3062, Redskins Go F16 :)
Ik heb hem destijds op Gilze-Rijen gespot. En op mijn spotter insta gezet (32ndwolfhounds, ik ben je zojuist ook gaan volgen op insta).
Tjonge wat gaat die tijd snel. En nu verdwijnt de F-16 weer... We worden oud :D
Maar mooi om op 10:38 te zien hoe de wielen ingeklapt werden. Zie je niet vaak zo.

[@AlexvanNoije]

We worden indd oud. Ook ik heb de NF-5 zien vertrekken op Gilze. Ben echter wel van de F-16 generatie en ik ga ze dan ook oprecht missen over twee jaar. Nog lekker vaak naar volkel gaan dus haha! We stonden in Friesland op een leuke plek bij de brandweer daar 😎

[@ShellMartijn]

@@AlexvanNoije Ik ben ook meer van de F-16 generatie hoor, de F-104 helaas gemist. En natuurlijk heel veel tijd doorgebracht op Soesterberg toen de F-15's daar nog vlogen. Die mis ik pas echt :)
Volkel is voor mij gelukkig wat dichterbij dus ik zal ook zeker nog eens die kant opgaan voor de F-16.
Maar je had zeker een mooi plekje daar! Altijd makkelijk als je mensen kent haha (ik keek de livestream terug en las de chat).

[@AlexvanNoije]

Soesterberg ben ik alleen in het THG tijdperk geweest helaas. Ik ben een echte Gilze spotter van oorsprong, dus voor mij is ook Volkel dichterbij en ik doe ook veel op Eindhoven en de laagvlieggebieden! Heb je ook ff toegevoegd op insta 👍

[@schizopeek]

Geweldig mooi gefilmd, prachtig!

[@AlexvanNoije]

Thanks Cor 😆

[@speckgens]

mooi gefilmd en ge-edit. Enig idee waar die 4 kisten nu zijn?

[@AlexvanNoije]

Thanks voor de mooie woorden. De toestellen staan nu op Volkel tegenwoordig

[@32tfs]

Heel mooi vastgelegd Alex 👌

[@AlexvanNoije]

Thanks buddy 💪

[@CopperAdam1]

Awesome video! Well done mate!

[@AlexvanNoije]

Thanks man!!! And you're welcome. Thanks for the support 👍

[@meertenwelleman4600]

Wat een fantastische verrassing!

[@AlexvanNoije]

Thanks Meerten 👍

[@douglas_brighty_tan127]

A Magnificent footage of the Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16AM stepping down from Leeuwarden and they are beautiful especially the special 42nd anniversary tailflash 😁😊

[@AlexvanNoije]

Will mis them in the future. Now Leeuwarden is an F35 base.

[@douglas_brighty_tan127]

@@AlexvanNoije ahh really sad though and it really is a great aircraft 😱😊

[@Grasshopper53]

Schitterende video, dankjewel !

[@AlexvanNoije]

Thanks Paul 😆

[@WINGSANDRAILS]

2:13 tot 2:22 dat is toch een van die studenten uit de USA in Top Gun Holland? programma van paar jaar geleden. Althans daar leek het op.

[@AlexvanNoije]

Zou zomaar kunnen. De jongens die hier de laatste Vipers wegvlogen waren allemaal hele ervaren vliegers!