Designer

I started designing special painted aircraft during my active duty time as a pilot in Fighter Bomber Wing 31 "Boelcke", now TaktLwG 31 "B". The first project was a painted fin on a Tornado aircraft for our 40th squadron anniversary back in 1997, pretty basic and finished in a weekend.

There were multiple Tornado projects for different occasions like wing anniversaries or years for Tornado in service or milestones in flying hours. After my active time, which ended in 2006, I still designed many aircraft for my wing and later on for the Airforce HQ.

After the Tornado was phased out I switched to Eurofighter "Typhoons". The first Typhoon project was still painted in airbrush technique as all Tornadoes before, but this era ended when it was suddenly changed to wrapping for all future projects.

More about the making of such a special paint job.

Professional Career

I graduated from basic flying training in Sheppard Air force Base in class 89/01.
Basic European Traing on Alpha Jet in FBW 49 in Fürstenfeldbruck followed by Tornado basic traing at RAF Cottesmore.
After that I stayed my whole career in 2.nd Sqadron Fighter Bomber Wing 31 "Boelcke" at Nörvenich.
During that time I accumulated very close to 3000 flying hours on the Tornado aircraft and finished several courses like Tactical Leadership Programmes at Florennes, Flight instructor course at Jever , technicial verification flight license and last but not least Fighter Weapons Instructor course at Holloman AFB. I also served nine years as solo display pilot for our wing.


Projects

(not in chronological order)

Eagle Star 1.0

This Typhoon was "painted" for an Israel visit and exercise Blue Flag in 2021

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Air Defender

For the exercise "Air Defender" in 2023 this Airbus A 400 M "Atlas" got a special tail.

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Air Ambassador

This Typhoon was wrapped for the first deployment into the Pacific Region 2022.

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Sword of Boelcke

This Typhoon got his special "paint" as soon as FBW was assigned to NATO also in the reconnaissance role

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Eagle Star 2.0

This renewed design was realized in 2023 for the 75th anniversary of the state of Israel and for the exercise Blue Flag in the same year.

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Pride of Boelcke

This Tornado aircraft got the special paint for the occasion 25 years of Tornado and 50 years of FBW 31 in 2008.

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Blue Lighning

Made for the 20th Tornado and 45th FBW 31 anniversary in 2003.It now serves as a gate guard at the main gate of FBW31 "B" at Nörvenich.

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Black Thunder

This dark paint job was realized for achieving 125000 flying hours with the Tornado aircraft in the year 2000.

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Spirit of Oswald Boelcke

This Typhoon was the first "wrapped" aircraft of FBW 31 in 100th anniversary of Oswald Boelcke's death.

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40 years ALMA Squadron

That was the first very basic try for a special paint job for the 40th squadron anniversary of 2.31 in 1997.

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End of an era

This camouflage paint job was done for the occasion of the flyout of the Tornado aircraft at Fighter Bomber Wing 31 "B" on 30.06.2006.

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Spirit of Oswald Boelcke

This blue paint job was done for the occasion of the 40th anniversary of FighterBomber Wing 31 "Boelcke" in 1998.

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55 years Fighter Bomber Wing 31 "B"

This one and only painted Typhoon of FBW31 "B" was presented for the 55th anniversary in 2013. The other sidecovers the cooperation with JG 71 in Wittmund during this time.

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To be continued

The next one is already in the pipeline.
A Eurofighter, a A400M or something completely different, who knows.

OtherAreas

Beside doing full projects like those before I also do different things.

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