Greek Hellenic Air Force HAF Patch F 16 Demo Team Zeus 2018 Display b

Greek Hellenic Air Force HAF Patch F 16 Demo Team Zeus Swirl Solo Fighting Falcon Aerobatic Display Demonstration 2018 Fully embroidered merrowed edge 99mm three and seven eighth inches diameter.

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To celebrate 80 years since its establishment and more than 40 years since the last HAF fighter aircraft performed precision aerial demonstrations the Hellenic Air Force HAF decided to create a fighter display team for 2010. Its newest fighter aircraft the F 16 Block 52 Fighting Falcon with pilots and personnel from 340 and 343 Squadrons of 115 Combat Wing Souda AB were chosen to form the display team to provide solo demonstrations.

The HAF F 16 Demo Team Zeus was formed at Hill Air Force Base Utah United States in December 2009 following an agreement with the USAF to provide a 28 day training program by the USAF Viper West F 16 Demo Team. The Viper West instructor team comprised Flying Instructor RAF Squadron Leader David Graham Flight Safety Officer Captain Steve Masek and Ground Crew Instructor and Narrator Chief Master Sergeant Kerry Clark. The Hellenic Air Force trainees were 340 Squadrons Captain Emmanuel Karahalios and 343 Squadrons Captain Dimitrios Kontoulis and a number of ground crew support personnel.

Instruction began on 4 January 2010 at Hill AFB and concluded successfully on 1 February 2010 and the Team returned to Souda AB. Further intensive training continued through the spring and summer leading to the Hellenic Air Force F 16 Demo Team first official appearance at the Tanagra Air Show 114 Combat Wing on 7 November 2010. Since then the Team have provided solo F 16 displays across Greece and the rest of Europe during the show season and on national holidays.

The F 16 Demo Team adopted the callsign Zeus for demonstration flights representing the father of the Olympian Gods of the Ancient Greek Mythology. The Team is based at Souda Air Base 115 Combat Wing and operates with two pilots and support personnel drawn from the Wings 340 and 343 MIRAs.

Initially the Teams F 16 carried out displays in its original Aegean Grey Scheme to demonstrate its combat readiness but more sophisticated paint schemes have been applied to compete with other national air force display teams and winning Best Livery Award at the Royal International Air Tattoo RIAT RAF Fairford 2015 emblazoned with a tail fin design of the Greek god complete with lightning bolts.

The Team have trained to be able to perform three different air show display programs to allow flexibility in dealing with local weather condition.

The Team showcases the capacity of the Greek Air Force to the public demonstrating HAF’s airpower and its pilots professionalism and skills and acts as an ambassador for Greece.

Captain Sotirios Stralis 340 Mira and Captain Georgios Androulakis of 343 Mira were pilots for the 2015 Season.

The 2018 season pilots were 343 Squadrons Major Loukas Theocharopoulos and 340 Squadrons Captain Georgios Papadakis based at 115 Combat Wing Souda AB.

This patch dates from 2018.