BODØ, Norway – On Saturday, 3 November the plane spotter community was invited to get close to NATO’s air operations during exercise Trident Juncture 2018 at Bodø Air Base, Norway. More than 50 registered participants had a chance to capture the take-off and landing of the morning and afternoon fighter waves, including an Italian KC-767 and Canadian CC-150 tanker.

Like the NATO aircraft and crews, the spotters enthusiastically defied the day’s challenging weather conditions, from blue skies and sunshine to hefty hail showers. "I’m very glad, that we were able to deliver such a visible proof of NATO’s Air Power capabilities to a highly interested audience”, stated Colonel Lina Kongshavn, Deputy Chief of NATO’s Air Detachment at Bodø Air Base.

The day’s take-offs were highlighted by a series of low passes of different aircrafts, formation fly pasts and taxing operations of a historical F-104 "Starfighter”, operated by a team of volunteers of former Norwegian F-104 pilots and technicians. Six hours and numerous photos later, the spotters left the observation hill next to the runway, which the base shares with the city’s commercial airport. The event was topped off for the participants with the opportunity to visit the Norwegian Aviation Museum next to the base free of charge.

 

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office