TIGER MEET CAMBRAI
CAMBRAI-EPINOY AFB
FRANCIA
16Th May 2011
The idea of painting airplanes with bright and showy colors has its origins in the early twentieth century. Initially different were the reasons that led the various squadron to paint their aircraft.Il paint the aircraft with such flashy colors often had the desire to intimidate the adversary pilots and provide an easy identification among the pilots belonging to the same nation. After the end of the Second World War, at the beginning of the 50s, the way to the coloration of the aircraft no longer for the purpose of confrontation, but to commemorate important events or anniversary. The first to introduce this new way of commemoration, were the pilots of the Luftwaffe, this type of initiative was well seen by all the air forces of the various nations and immediately took hold among the various squadrons.
Lockheed Martin F-16D "Fighting Falcon" Turkey - Air Force
Thanks to this initiative, many associations born in the post-war period. The most well-known is surely the one that gathers all the squadrons linked to the image of a feline on its crest. It was founded in 1961 at the request of the French Minister of Defense, Pierre Messmer, the “Tiger Meet”.To date, the association has 24 official members and 10 active members. After the first edition organized on 19-20 July 1961 at the Royal Air Force Woodbridge air base in England 50 to date are the editions registered in the prestigious register. Every year, the exercise finds its place in a different Squadron, thus allowing all the members to organize and to benefit from the revenue deriving from the event. This year’s event, organized here in France at the Cambray air base, home of the EC 1/12 squadron equipped with the MIrage 2000C, is the fifty edition. But the Tiger meet is not just a gathering moment, but is in fact a real NATO exercise. Exercise that opens the doors on certain days, all the enthusiasts eager to capture these beautiful airplanes and their fantastic liveries.
Winner of this edition the Esquadra 301 of BA5 Monte Real of the Portuguese Air Force on General Dynamics F-16A / B MLU Fighting Falcon.
GALLLERY
