30 Jahre KHR 26
The Kampfhubschrauberregiment (KHR) 26 was founded in 1979 and received its first Bo 105 helicopters one year later, the same type which they are still flying today. The Open Doors Day at Roth (Franken/Northern Bavaria) was fully focused on the German Army Aviation with nearly every type of their inventory also present for the flight demonstrations:
Where? Roth, Bavaria
When? 05/07/2009
Inaugural Flight
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Bo-105, UH-1D and CH-53, all of them in solo displays as well as in the combination of a combined air operation simulating a current scenario during which a checkpoint was installed along a road, resulting in vehicle controls and the attempt of a bad guy to escape.
Heeresflieger Mission Demo
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The three helicopter types mentioned above sound quite outdated and obviously these helicopters must already be quite outworn as there is no other explanation for the constant hints of the speaker that new types should be made available to the Heeresflieger (Army Aviation) as fast as possible. The replacements would be the Tiger helicopter for the Bo-105 as well as the NH90 for the UH-1D, which were also presented in solo displays during the day.
Solo Displays: Bo-105
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CH-53G
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Bell UH-1D
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Tiger UHT
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NH90
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Additionally to the displays in the morning and the afternoon a large and nice static display was shown at Roth. Photos of it were only possible in the morning, as the ropes to close the helicopters off were useless and the crowed used the possibility really well to approach the helicopters very close. The US Army even allowed the people to sit inside the Apache. This type was a real highlight, as it appears only very rarely public shows, though the special coloured Hungarian Hind was surely the public's favourite – with everyone guessing what kind of animal the 'deer' on the fuselage might be...
Static Display: Bo-105s
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Foreign guests: US Army AH-64 & UH-60, Hungarian Mi-24 Hind, AUstrian Bell 207
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EC135, UH-1D, French Gazelle, civil Mi-2
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As a final conclusion I can only say "Thumbs up" to the Heeresflieger in Roth for organizing such a nice event here in Germany!
