MauldinFan
Well-Known Member
CWU 36/P jacket. This was apparently pieced together from patches from the 313 sq at Volkel. The guy I got this from even had a real nameplate made for me from their stocks. Apparently, they going through some changes due to the transitions with the F35, so the F16 patches are on their way out. He said he's also sending me some of their captain insignia if I want to put it on the shoulders later.
I was in the Netherlands in 1988 (when I was 18) during their 75th anniversary. I've always had an affinity for the "KLU" (Koninklijke Luchtmacht) since that time (I only managed to get onto their base at Woensdrecht as the USAF had a Ground Launched Cruise Missile alert facility at the time, but hey never got the nukes as the INF treaty killed the whole thing that spring). I'll never forget being buzzed by a flight of two of their falcons while heading out to Vlissingen to cross the North Sea (back when you had to take a ferry; I'm told they have a tunnel there now). They loved to fly as low as they could. I saw them at various distances several times during the month I was there, always beating up the polders at low altitude.
I'm not sure about the story here, as the only reference I have for how their pilots were dressed is from a book they put out for the 75th anniversary and I think their flight gear was behind the US at that point. I have no idea if the KLU wears these or not, but I really like it. It fits loosely as modern flight jackets do and I love the nameplate.
FYI, 313 sq is the unit that had the capability to hang nukes under their F-16s.
Here's a photo of a KLU F-16 with a 'silver bullet' sitting next to it in one of their alert hangars...
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