After showing the Danish flag for over four years, the specially painted F-16AM 'Dannebrog 800' recently touched down for the last time, wearing its marvellous red/white colour scheme.
Text and photos: Emiel Sloot
Did you know that the Danish national flag has existed for over 800 years? To celebrate this occasion, the Royal Danish Air Force painted one of their F-16AM aircraft in a special colour scheme in June 2019, representing the country’s national colours. According to local legend, the flag fell from the sky during a certain 13th Century battle that took place while Danish King Valdemar was on a crusade in the Baltic. This flag is called Dannebrog, meaning the ‘cloth of the Danes’.
The specially painted ‘Danneborg 800’ F-16AM E-191 was the preferred aircraft for use by the Danish F-16 Solo Demonstration pilot, Troels ‘TEO’ Vang of Eskadrille 727. Following the disbandment of Eskadrille 730 by the end of 2019, Eskadrille 727 is the Royal Danish Air Force’s only remaining fighter squadron. Skrydstrup Air Base located at Jylland is the unit's home base.
Beside being used for air demonstrations, F-16AM E-191 was also assigned for regular training missions and local exercises, however because of its highly visible appearance, it was not sent abroad for international missions, such as the Baltic Air Policing providing air defence for the Baltic countries. Nevertheless, it did perform Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties from its home base Skrydstrup. During one of these occasions, it actually intercepted a Russian Air Force Il-20 observation aircraft that cruised along the edge of Danish airspace.
E-191 is one of the oldest F-16s still in service with the Royal Danish Air Force, being delivered on 22 May 1981. Denmark was part of the four-nation European Nato countries that acquired the aircraft in 1975 while still in its development phase. SABCA at Gosselies, Belgium built 46 F-16A and 12 F-16B aircraft for Denmark, replacing the F-100F Super Sabre with Eskadrilles 727 and 730 at Skrydstrup Air Base. Thereafter, the F-104G/CF-104 Starfighters of Eskadrilles 723 and 726 at Aalborg Air Base were also replaced by F-16s. This required a follow-up order of 12 F-16As and 4 F-16Bs that were constructed by Fokker, the Netherlands as the SABCA production line had closed by that time. Several years later, Denmark would acquire seven second-hand aircraft (six F-16As and one F-16B) from the United States as attrition replacements.
During the Mid-life Update (MLU) programme, 53 F-16AM and 13 F-16BM airframes would eventually be upgraded. Of these, 33 single-seaters and 10 duals are currently still operational, solely equipping Eskadrille 727 as the other three squadrons have been disbanded over the years. Meanwhile, F-16 replacement by the Lockheed F-35A Lightning II is in full swing. Pilot conversion is carried out with the 308th Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, USA. In September 2023, deliveries to Eskadrille 727 have started. The squadron will simultaneously operate the F-16 and F-35, until the last F-16s will retire in a few years. Unfortunately, without ‘Dannebrog’ roaming the skies, as F-16AM E-191 touched down for the last time on 12 October 2023 wearing this magnificent outfit. ■
