demo team1

Squadron's Patch

front view of Galeb.

Super Galeb taxi-ing.

Capt. Velko Vlahovic.

Galeb on the tarmac.

The Finale

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Country:

Unit:

Home Base:

Status:

Team Size:

Team Strength:

Photo Credits:

Background:

Yugoslavia.

239th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 172nd Air Brigade.

Podgorica - Titograd.

Active.

Seven Soko G-4A Super Galeb.
Advanced Jet Trainer and Ground Attack.

Aircrafts drawn from Squadron.

Thanks to Captain Velko Vlahovic for providing the beautiful and rare photos of the Flying Stars. We appreciate your feedback and has taken this opportunity to update the background of the "Letece Zvezde".

Formed in 1984, flying six Soko J-1 Jastreb single - seat light attack jets, the team was given the name Letece Zvezde the following year. They converted to G-4 Super Galebs (Sea Gulls) in 1990 but the following year the team was disbanded when the former Republic of Yugoslavia dissolved into civil war. Their aircrafts were flown in action as part of the then quasi-Serbian Air Force.
Reformed in 1997, Letece Zvezde is the only other existing jet aerobatic team in the World to have flown in combat.
According to Capt. Velko Vlahovic, the team has been invited for this season to perform in ten countries of Europe. The team comprise:-
  Major Predrag Vukasinovic - team leader,
                                                                Flying Star # 1.
   Capt. 1st class Zoran Katanic - right wingman,
                                                                Flying Star # 2.
   Capt. 1st class Dragan Zlokas - left wingman,
                                                                 Flying Star # 3.
Capt. 1st class Istvan Kanas - slot pilot
                                                                Flying Star # 4.
  Capt. 1st class Sasa Ristic - left tail wingman & leader of the                                             synchro pair.
                                                                Flying Star # 5.
  Capt. 1st class Tomislav Becagovic - right tail wingman & synchro pair wingman.
                                                                  Flying Star # 6.
Capt. 1st class Alexandar Markotanovic - right now in process of training for wingman pilot.
                                                                   Flying Star # 7.
  Lieutenant Sasa Grubac - also in the same faze.
                                                                 Flying Star # 8.
Capt. Velko Vlahovic - Public Relations  Officer & narrator for
                                           the Flying Stars.
                                                                   Flying Star # 9.

Mig-29 Team

	Country:	Bulgaria.
	Unit:	36th Fighter Regiment.
	Home Base:	36th Aviation Base, Ravnetz.
	Status:	Operational.
	Team Size:	Two "Fulcrums".
	Team Strength:	Aircraft drawn from regiment component.
	Background:	First seen in action in 1996 at the Czech International Fest, Hradec Kralove, this two-ship make up Bulgaria's first post-Warsaw jet representative aerobatic team. They have made a few appearances to date and during last year's Royal IAT 97, their team leader and squadron commander, Capt Rumen Radev openly stated that he wanted to bring his MiGs to FairFord if his High Command would permit. So a first-time appearance in the UK may not be far away.

Panji Wira ( Heroes of the Flag or National Champions)

	Country:	Malaysia.
	Unit:	15 Squadron, R.M.A.F. Operational Conversion Unit ( OCU )
	Home Base:	R.M.A.F. Butterworth.
	Status:	Temporarily stood down.
	Team Size:	Five British Aerospace Hawks
	Team Strength:	Six Hawks - 1 x Hawk 108 and 5 x Hawk 208
	Background:	The Team was formed in 1996 from instructor pilots within the OCU to replace the RMAF's Pilatus PC-7 national team which was called the Taming Sari. The single Hawk 108 was intended to be the lead aircraft of the five-ship formation. Following the loss of one of the Hawk 208s on 18 June 1996, one month prior to the inauguration display, the decision was taken to stand the team down. It has been reported that Panji Wira will reform again soon.

Patrulla Aguila( Eagle Patrol )

	Country:	Spain.
	Unit:	Escuadron 793, Ala 79, Academia del Aire. 793 Squadron, 79 Wing, Air Academy
	Home Base:	San Javier Air Base, Murcia.
	Status:	Active.
	Team Size:	7 CASA C101EB Aviojets.
	Team Strength:	12 CASA C101EB Aviojets.
	Background:	Formed in July 1985, Patrulla Aguila is the Spanish Air Force's first post-Franco national aerobatic team. They made their international public debut in Belgium that same year, performing at the Kleine Brogel Open Day in September. Their UK debut came two years later at Fairford's IAT 87. Patrulla Aguila has since appeared at many airshows throughout Western Europe. Instructors from the Air Force Academy fly the team's Aviojets in addition to their normal training duties. Up until the end of 1991, Patrulla Aguila used Aviojets from Ala 79 in standard silver and dayglo training colours. Then in 1992, 12 Aviojets received a new fiery red, yellow and silver scheme for the Barcelona Olympics held that year, which the Aguilas have since continued to wear.

Russkiye Vityaze (Russian Knights)

	Country:	Russia.
	Unit:	234 Gvardeisky Proskurovskii Istrebitel Aviatsioni Polk. 234 Proskurovsky Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment.
	Home Base:	Ivan Kozhedub Centre of Demonstration in Aviation Techniques.
	Status:	Active.
	Team Size:	Four Sukhoi Su-27 'Flanker-B'
	Team Strength:	Aircraft loaned from Frontal Aviation Regiments since December 1995 accident. At least four aircrafts are permanently assigned.
	Background:	Formed in 1991, directly following the Red Arrows' visit to Moscow in 1990. Technically speaking, Russkiye Vityaze is the second permanent Russian Air Forces Demonstration team to be established. The first to be formed is the Strizhy (Swifts). In December 1995, en-route home from the LIMA 95 Display at Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia, Russkiye Vityaze lost four pilots when three of their "Flankers' flew in formation into a cloud enshrouded mountain whilst trying to land at Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. In late 1996, former team members re-visited the Red Arrows and gave their indication about reforming the team. Russkiye Vityaze re-appeared in 1997 displaying with four Su-27s in Austria and Slovakia. The team is the first front-line combat jets in service with the Russian military forces to display publicly in the USA. It is also the only jet team in the World to roll four aircrafts in formation around a longitudinal axis.

Silver Swallows

	Country:	Ireland.
	Unit:	Light Strike Squadron, 1 Support Wing.
	Home Base:	Baldonnel.
	Status:	Current status unknown.
	Team Size:	Four Fouga CM170R Super Magisters
	Team Strength:	Six Fouga CM170R Super Magisters
	Background:	Formed in 1986, principally to perform at Irish Air Corps (IAC) air displays, the Silver Swallows made their overseas debut at the RAF Brawdy Open Day on 26 July 1990. In 1997, the team made a number of appearances in the UK and Belgium to commemorate the IAC's 75th anniversary. The IAC operated a total of six jets on strength with the Light Strike Squadron from 1975 until 1999 when the last jet was retired. The Silver Swallows used four of these jets. Their final display was in 1997. The Silver Swallows won the Lockheed Martin Cannestra Trophy for the Best Display by an Overseas Performer at the Royal IAT 97.

Silwer Valke (Silver Falcons)

	Country:	South Africa.
	Unit:	85 Combat Flying School.
	Home Base:	Air Force Base Hoedspruit
	Status:	Operational.
	Team Size:	Five Aermacchi MB326GB - Atlas Impalas.
	Team Strength:	Seven Impalas (Armed Basic Trainer).
	Background:	Formed in 1967 to replace the Vampire-equipped Bumble Bees team, Silwer Valke was originally led by the SAAF test pilot who brought the Impala into service. Initially a four-ship, Silwer Valke underwent a curb on their activities in the early seventies due to oil-price rises. In 1988, a team solo was added to the quartet. The team's Impalas were given a new paint scheme for the 1995 airshow season, to commemorate the SAAF's 75th anniversary.

Strizhy (Swifts)

	Country:	Russia.
	Unit:	234 Gvardeiski Proskurovskii Istrebitel Aviatsionyi Polk. 234 Proskurovsky Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment.
	Home Base:	Ivan Kozhedub Centre of Demonstration in Aviation Techniques, Frontal Aviation Base, Kubinka, Moscow.
	Status:	Operational.
	Team Size:	Between four and six 'Fulcrums' comprising:- VPK-MAPO MiG-29A Air Defence Fighters and VPK-MAPO MiG-29UB Combat Trainers.
	Team Strength:	At least seven 'Fulcrums'
	Background:	Formed in November 1990, Strizhy gave their first full performance in France six months later before a private audience at Reims Armee de l'Air base. The team had been invited to appear as guests of the Normandie-Niemen squadron, whos free French pilots had flown Soviet fighters against the Luftwaffe over the Eastern Front in World War 2. Strizhy's first public appearance in Russia followed in August 1991 as part of the Tushino Fly-Past. Since then, the team's MiG-29s have appeared at airshows in Belgium, Finland, Germany and Malaysia, as well as at the biennial MosAero/MAKS Show staged at Zhukovskii. Strizhy has three "Firsts' to their name - first permanent Russian military jet display team to be formed, first to perform outside of the then Soviet Union and first to appear in the West (France, May 1991) although not in public

1. Asas de Portugal	8. Four MiG-21bis	15. Panji Wira	22. Team 60
2. Biele Albatrosy	9. Four MiG-29s	16. Patrulla Aguila	23. Test Pilots
3. Black Eagles	10. Iskry	17. Russkiye Vityaze	24. Thunder Tiger
4. Black Knights	11. Israeli Aero Team	18. Silver Swallows	25. Ukranian Falcons
5. Blue Diamonds	12. Letece Zvezde	19. Silver Valke	26.
6. Duha	13. Midnight Hawks	20. Strizhy	27.
7. Elang Biru	14. Mig-29 Team	21. Surya Kiran	28.

Israeli Aero Team

	Country:	Israel.
	Unit:	Flying Training Academy.
	Home Base:	Hatzerim Air Base.
	Status:	Operational since 1960s.
	Team Size:	Four IAI AMIT Tzukit ( Fouga Magister ).
	Team Strength:	Aircraft drawn from squadron component.
	Background:	The team fly exclusively for the annual Tsvah Hagana le Israel/Heyl Ha'Avir (Israel Defence Forces/Air Force - IDF/AF) Open Day, the Academy's "Wings" Day and on certain national occasions. With no known official name, the team were seen displaying in 1997 and are likely to appear again this year, whren Israel celebrates its 50th Anniversary as an independent state. The Tzukit is a re-engined and modernised version of the Fouga Magister, with the work having been carried out by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI)

Midnight Hawks

	Country:	Finland.
	Unit:	Unidentified.
	Home Base:	Unidentified.
	Status:	Operational.
	Team Size:	Four British Aerospace Hawks Mk51.
	Team Strength:	Aircrafts drawn from squadron component.
	Background:	This team fly solely for Finland's annual International Air Show. Midnight Hawks was the name given to the team in 1997; a previous identity has been Jasska Four.