Gilze-Rijen Aviation Society 40th anniversary

By Dino van Doorn | GMAP.NL Team | September 2026

GRAS Celebrates 40th Anniversary at Gilze-Rijen Air Base

Gilze-Rijen, 9 September 2026 – The Gilze-Rijen Aviation Society (GRAS) celebrated its 40th anniversary with a special gathering at Gilze-Rijen Air Base. Members, former members, and invited guests came together to mark four decades of aviation enthusiasm and spotting history.

The celebration was made even more memorable by the arrival of a variety of visiting aircraft and helicopters, many of which attended specifically for the occasion. The diverse line-up provided excellent photographic opportunities and highlighted the strong ties between the aviation community and the air base.

Founded in 1986, GRAS has grown into one of the Netherlands’ best-known spotting associations, supporting aviation photography and documenting military aviation activities for forty years. The anniversary event offered a chance to look back on the club’s rich history while also looking ahead to the future.

The combination of friendly reunions, aviation memories, and an impressive range of visiting aircraft made the 40th anniversary a fitting tribute to one of the country’s most respected aviation societies.

TYPE	SERIAL	CODE	UNIT	REMARK
CH-47D	D-473		298 Sqn	Grizzly91
CH-47F	D-482		298 Sqn	Grizzly41 / Grizzly43
CH-47F	D-601		298 Sqn	Grizzly42 / Grizzly44
AS.532U2	S-444		300 Sqn	Wolfhound79 / Wolfhound63
AS.532U2	S-447		300 Sqn	Wildcat70
AH-64E (Lb)	Q-49		301 Sqn	Apache5; Box 12
DA-62MPP	D-IBMT		KMAR	Charly02
A400M	CT-04		20 Sm / 15 W	BAF672; 4x p/d
L-39NG	0556	6	CLV LOM Pardubice	CEF850; arr.
L-410UVP-E20	2601		242 tsl / 24 zDL	CEF137; f/s
A330MRTT	069	F-UJCR	ERVTS 02.031	FAF4135; 2x l/a
EMB.121AN	083	ZE	EAT 00.319	CTM1732; t/g
EMB.121AA	084	YH	EAT 00.319	CTM1731; t/g
Mirage 2000D	625	3-XG	EC 01.003	FAF7261B; f/s
Mirage 2000D	675	3-JI	EC 03.003	FAF7261A; f/s
PC-21	05	709-FG	EAC 00.315	FAF6526; dep.
PC-21	06	709-FH	EAC 00.315	FAF6525; dep.
A321-251NX	15+10		FBS BMVg	GAF701; l/a; anniversary markings
A350-941CJ	10+01		FBS BMVg	GAF901; l/a
BD-700-1A11	14+03		FBS BMVg	GAF629; 2x l/a
CH-53GA	84+70		HSG 64	GAF676; arr.; anniversary c/s
EF2000	31+18		TaktLwG 73	GAFS73; 3x p/d; special c/s
Tornado IDS T	44+72		TaktLwG 33	GAFE15; 2x p/d
Tornado ECR	46+24		TaktLwG 51	GAFM51; f/s
H135T3	D-HABR		IHAz	GAM911; f/s
NH90-TTH	79+19		IHAz	GAM7919; f/s
M-345	MM55237	61-205	214° Gr / 61° St	IAM6161; dep.
M-345	MM55254	61-214	214° Gr / 61° St	IAM6160; dep.; tiger markings
E-3A	LX-N90442		NAEW&CF	NATO41; 5x p/d
F-35A	F-048		312 Sqn	Anvil01; 2x l/a
F-35A	F-049		312 Sqn	Anvil02; 2x l/a; no markings
DHC-8-102MPA	C-FCGE	038	ISR Support Europe	NCG01; 2x p/d; Kustwacht
F-16CM	91-0342	SP	480 FS / 52 FW	USAF01; 4x l/a
F-16CM	96-0083	SP	480 FS / 52 FW	USAF02; 4x l/a
C-12Y	84-00488		E Co / 1-214 AVN	Duke10; f/s

TYPE

SERIAL

CODE

UNIT

REMARK

CH-47D

D-473

298 Sqn

Grizzly91

CH-47F

D-482

298 Sqn

Grizzly41 / Grizzly43

CH-47F

D-601

298 Sqn

Grizzly42 / Grizzly44

AS.532U2

S-444

300 Sqn

Wolfhound79 / Wolfhound63

AS.532U2

S-447

300 Sqn

Wildcat70

AH-64E (Lb)

Q-49

301 Sqn

Apache5; Box 12

DA-62MPP

D-IBMT

KMAR

Charly02

A400M

CT-04

20 Sm / 15 W

BAF672; 4x p/d

L-39NG

0556

CLV LOM Pardubice

CEF850; arr.

L-410UVP-E20

2601

242 tsl / 24 zDL

CEF137; f/s

A330MRTT

069

F-UJCR

ERVTS 02.031

FAF4135; 2x l/a

EMB.121AN

083

EAT 00.319

CTM1732; t/g

EMB.121AA

084

EAT 00.319

CTM1731; t/g

Mirage 2000D

625

3-XG

EC 01.003

FAF7261B; f/s

Mirage 2000D

675

3-JI

EC 03.003

FAF7261A; f/s

PC-21

709-FG

EAC 00.315

FAF6526; dep.

PC-21

709-FH

EAC 00.315

FAF6525; dep.

A321-251NX

15+10

FBS BMVg

GAF701; l/a; anniversary markings

A350-941CJ

10+01

FBS BMVg

GAF901; l/a

BD-700-1A11

14+03

FBS BMVg

GAF629; 2x l/a

CH-53GA

84+70

HSG 64

GAF676; arr.; anniversary c/s

EF2000

31+18

TaktLwG 73

GAFS73; 3x p/d; special c/s

Tornado IDS T

44+72

TaktLwG 33

GAFE15; 2x p/d

Tornado ECR

46+24

TaktLwG 51

GAFM51; f/s

H135T3

D-HABR

IHAz

GAM911; f/s

NH90-TTH

79+19

IHAz

GAM7919; f/s

M-345

MM55237

61-205

214° Gr / 61° St

IAM6161; dep.

M-345

MM55254

61-214

214° Gr / 61° St

IAM6160; dep.; tiger markings

E-3A

LX-N90442

NAEW&CF

NATO41; 5x p/d

F-35A

F-048

312 Sqn

Anvil01; 2x l/a

F-35A

F-049

312 Sqn

Anvil02; 2x l/a; no markings

DHC-8-102MPA

C-FCGE

038

ISR Support Europe

NCG01; 2x p/d; Kustwacht

F-16CM

91-0342

480 FS / 52 FW

USAF01; 4x l/a

F-16CM

96-0083

480 FS / 52 FW

USAF02; 4x l/a

C-12Y

84-00488

E Co / 1-214 AVN

Duke10; f/s

Gilze-Rijen Aviation Society 40th anniversary

By Dino van Doorn | GMAP.NL Team | September 2026

GRAS Celebrates 40th Anniversary at Gilze-Rijen Air Base

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