Nightshoot at Soesterberg

The Netherlands air force F-16 test bed J-066 has now been transferred to the military museum. To mark this occasion the museum organized a night shoot for this particular aircraft.

Special "Orange Jumper RNLAF Flight Test" markings

22 December 2021 saw the final test flight of the sole test Fighting Falcon of the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force). The J-066, named Orange Jumper, only recently moved from Leeuwarden air base to Volkel air base, is marked with a Volkel tail fin and the colours of the province of Brabant on the stabilizors. The Orange Jumper is seen here with eight live (yellow painted rings on the weapons) Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) underneath the wings, two training AIM-120s on the fintips as well as an ALQ pod underneath the fuselage. In the back ground two Vipers of 312sq are RTB.

22 December 2021 saw the final test flight - and possibly the final flight - of the sole test Fighting Falcon of the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force). The J-066, named Orange Jumper, only recently moved from Leeuwarden air base to Volkel air base, is marked with a Volkel tail fin and the colours of the province of Brabant on the stabilizers. The Orange Jumper is seen here with eight live (yellow painted rings on the weapons) Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) underneath the wings, as well as two training AIM-120s on the fintips as well as an ALQ pod underneath the fuselage.

22 December 2021 saw the final test flight - and possibly the final flight - of the sole test Fighting Falcon of the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force). The J-066, named Orange Jumper, only recently moved from Leeuwarden air base to Volkel air base, is marked with a Volkel tail fin and the colours of the province of Brabant on the stabilizors. The Orange Jumper is seen here with eight live (yellow painted rings on the weapons) Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) underneath the wings, as well as two training AIM-120s on the fintips as well as an ALQ pod underneath the fuselage.

This F-16BM was in use as a testbed. The orange badge has a kangaroo and the texts "Orange Jumper" and "F-16 Flight Test". The orange tail band carries the text "AFB. Leeuwarden", revealing its homebase.

Note the non-standard pitot tube

311 Squadron. Kodachrome 64.

For a short period of time, the Royal Netherland Air Force test aircraft had a blue badge with an orange kangaroo on its tail. The blue disc soon disappeared and made way for a larger kangaroo.

Complete with orange kangaroo tail logo, the "Orange Jumper" is the permanent F-16 test aircraft of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, seen here returning from static display at the Luchtmachtdagen at Gilze-Rijen.

Test aircraft as can be seen from the non-standard pitot. Assigned to Kantoor Testvliegen (test unit) at Leeuwarden

Test aircraft as can be seen from the non-standard pitot. Assigned to Kantoor Testvliegen (test unit) at Leeuwarden

Built as an F-16B and assigned USAF serial 87-0066 but taken on charge Jun-1989 by the Netherlands AF as J-066, by 1998 converted to F-16BM. On the fin It carries the kangaroo badge of Kantoor Testvliegen where it is used for MLU (=Mid Life Update) testing.

Royal Netherlands Air Force Flight Test Center