The Danish Air Force is hosting a major airshow every two years at one of its prime airbases. Unfortunately covid got here in the way as well, and so it was the first big aerial event since 2018…. With a new airshow team in place, the airshow took place at Karup airbase, home of the helicopter squadrons and the T-17 trainers.

We were already spoiled by the 28 Danish F-16s join-ups in the days prior to the show, so what else we had to look forward to? Well, not the weather for sure, as that turned out to be pretty shitty on the big arrival day.

Unfortunately low clouds and rain made us cancel a number of join-ups, but as soon as the weather was flyable, the Skyvan photoship was up in the skies! The RV8 with smoke was no stranger to the Danish sky, as it came from Billund, piloted by the former airshow boss Tom Schau. Also a ‘local’ was the chance to catch the Silver Spitfire with a Danish Air Force test pilot at the controls.

The L-29 Delfin is also on the Danish register, while the German Navy Lynx did prove they can fly in dismal weather. Always nice to catch a helicopter that’s about to go out of service. But of course it was the heavy metal that was much anticipated with two jets very high on the wish list.

The Swiss Air Force sent two F-18s, and those pilots have Swiss watches, so tack sharp on time. Very cool to see a two-seater, it’s only the second time in 15 years of flying the big projects we had that opportunity. On the other hand, the weather, boooo…

We were lucky and frustrated to have the aerial premiere of the new Belgian F-16 demojet ‘Dream Viper’ in just terrible weather. But hey, it was also the first F-16 ever to make an inverted pose behind the Skyvan…. while giving us smoke and flares!! Many many happy faces. We got a full private super dynamic airshow from ‘Vrieske’ and we can only look eagerly forward to another join up in a nice blue sky!

That other jets everybody wanted was the Polish Su-22, and it was the two-seater in tiger colours. We all had good practice is flyby photography, as the old Russian build jet cannot fly as slow as the Skyvan, but we saw only big smiles. Hopefully they remain a few more years in service. Also from Poland we got one of their F-16….in the rain, so if you think those pictures are kinda grainy, that are real raindrops.