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The Beech D-18S in service with the RLS was succeeded by the HFB-320 Hansa. Although the first RLS Hansa PH-HFA was delivered on 10 January 1969, the Hansajet with its typical forward-swept wing was already well known at the airport in the second part of 1968 as Eelde was used in the testprogram of this new aircraft. Due to their noise the three HFB-320 Hansa Jets had a short live in RLS-service. In 1976 they were already phased out and PH-HFA and PH-HFB were sold. Just HFB-320 PH-HFC in remained in service as it was the RLD a calibration aircraft until 1985. HFB-320 PH-HFA was photographed in RLS service in August 1973. Registration PH-HFA was cancelled on 23 November 1976 and the aircraft was sold in the USA.

In 1950 the Rijksluchtvaartdienst purchased eight SAAB 91A Safir aircrafts for the Rijksluchtvaartschool. In 1959, the SAAB 91A was replaced in service with the RLS by the SAAB 91D with a smaller but more powerful engine and more space. The RLS operated 23 SAAB 91D aircraft over the years. A total of 323 Safirs were built, including 120 under licence by de Schelde in Dordrecht. SAAB 91D Safir PH-RLC was registered from 16 October 1959 until 21 October 1980. The aircraft was stored until it was sold in Sweden, where the SAAB 91D Safir was registered SE-IRN with Skånesafir on 11 April 1985. SAAB 91D Safir PH-RLC was photographed 30 May 1970.

The three-seat prototype of the FN-333 designed and built by Nardi S.A. flew first December 4, 1952. The development was very slow till SIAI-Marchetti acquired an exclusive manufacturing licence for the FN-333 in March 1959. They called the aircraft "Riviera". SIAI-Marchetti placed a slightly enlarged four-seat variant in production which had flown in prototype form on 8 December 1954. The first of ten pre-production Rivieras was flown in February 1962. Riviera SE-CWN was photographed 17 September 1970. The SE-CWN was registered I-SIAU before. On 20 June 1973 the FN-333 was registered in Norway as LN-BEG. After the aircraft was withdrawn from use the registration LN-BEG was cancelled on 30 June 1989.

Philips Vliegdienst was a regular visitor of the airport. Next to their own Fokker F-27 Friendship; Beech Baron, Queen Air & King Air; DH-104 Dove; DH-114 Heron; Dassault Falcon 10, 20 and 50; AB206 Jet Ranger and G-1159 Gulfstream II they came in with the aircraft of Vliegsyndicaat Welschap and Vliegsyndicaat Twenthe. Fokker F-27 Friendship PH-LIP made its first flight on 26 March 1962 and was registered with Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV on 4 April 1962. Registration PH-LIP was cancelled on 15 April 1975. The Friendship was transferred to WDL and registered D-BAKA on 28 June 1975. Fokker F-27 Friendship PH-LIP was photographed at Eelde in 1970.

On 24 may 1971 was the arrival the arrival of the second prototype of the Mil Mi-12 at Eelde a sensation. The Mil Mi-12 (V-12) is the largest helicopter of the world. On route to Paris-Le Bourget it came in for a fuel, escorted by Mil Mi-8V CCCP-11097. The Mil Mi-12 (V-12) was powered by four 6500shp Soloviev D-25VF turbines giving the helicopter a maximum speed of 260km/h, with a 35400kg load or 120 pax and 500km range. The Mil Mi-12, known as V-12 in the Soviet Union flew first in 1968. Two V12 prototypes were built. Both prototypes had the same registration! This registration CCCP-21142 is in Cyrillic and means SSSR-21142. The first prototype was damaged in a heavy landing, but was repaired. The Mil Mi-12 did not enter production. The picture of the Mil Mi-12 prototype on the cover of the Airlife publication "Vintage Russian" is taken at Eelde by Jack Wolbrink.

In 1962 the "Staat der Nederlanden" ordered seven Paris II jet trainers for use with the Rijksluchtvaartschool. The two-engined MS-760B flew first on 12 December 1960. The original design, the side-by-side 2-seater MS.755 Fleuret already flew first on 29 January 1953. The 4-seat MS.760-01 prototype of the Paris flew first 29 July 1954. The PH-MSW (ex. F-BJZV) was registered on 2 June 1964. Registration PH-MSW was cancelled on 14 September 1973. After being retired with the RLS the PH-MSW was sold in the USA and registered N5879 on 17 October 1973. A detailed history of the RLS is at the site of Douwe Pelleboer.

In the second part of 1968, after three HFB-320 were ordered for the RLS, the Hansajet became well known at Groningen-Eelde. Hamburger Flugzeugbau directed a number of brand-new HFB-320 Hansa jets to Groningen Airport Eelde for test flying and training. Hansajet D-CIRU made its first flight on 20 December 1969. The D-CIRU was reregistered N5602 after the Berlin based Modern Air Transport ordered a HFB-320QC on 20 March 1970. Hansa N5602 stayed at Eelde from 25 March until 4 April 1970 for test flying and crew training. The N5602 was photographed on 25 March 1970. On 4 April 1970, HFB-320 N5602 was delivered to Modern Air Transport at Berlin-Tegel.

OY-BCO Aérospatiale (Nord Aviation) 262A-27 c/n 33

Cimber Air of Denmark was a regular visitor of Eelde airfield in the seventies. On 11 April 1970, Nord 262A OY-BCO and OY-BKR came in for fuel. Originally known as the MH262 Super Broussard, the Nord 262 was designed by the former Avions Max Holste. The prototype, the MH250 with piston engines, flew first 20 May 1959, followed by the MH260 with enlarged fuselage and turboprops on 29 July 1960. Ten MH260 with its rectangular section fuselage were built. The pressurised Nord 262 made its first flight on 24 December 1962.

Transavia operated both the Sud SE.210 Caravelle III and the Caravelle IVR. The Transavia Caravelles were regular visitors on holiday charters or when they brought the audience for the television show "Zevensprong". Aérospatiale SE-210 Caravelle 6R c/n 87 was registered PH-TRY with Transavia Holland N.V. on 1 May 1970. The aircraft was operated before as N1002U by United Airlines. The Caravelle IVR PH-TRY was photographed at the Eelde tarmac on 30 May 1970. Registration PH-TRY was cancelled on 7 July 1976 and the Caravelle entered the US-register again, this time as N777VV. The aircraft was withdrawn from use in 1977 at Tucson, Arizona and was noted in 2002 in use as a fire trainer.

On 29 August 1966, NLM (B.V. Nederlandse Luchtvaart Maatschappij) started regular services out of Amsterdam to 5 regional airports in Holland, including the service Amsterdam-Groningen. The first NLM aircraft were Fokker F-27-300M Troopship PH-KFA and PH-KFB, aircraft of the RNethAF, owned by Staat de Nederlanden and leased to KLM for the period 12 May 1966 until 3 May 1972. On 1 December 1967, F-27-266 PH-SAD was transferred from Schreiner Airways to KLM to operate on the NLM-routes. On 29 June 1968, the Friendship was transferred to the NLM. The number of flights at the AMS-GRQ service increased over the years from 2 up to 5 times a day with a growing number of passengers. After KLM reduced the number of flights to 2 times a day, the number of passengers went down dramatically and finally the NLM-service AMS-GRQ succeeded.

All photos on this site are copyrighted by international copyright laws, and remain the property of the relevant photographer. Prior permission should always be sought directly from the photographer for any other means than private viewing. If no photographer is mentioned the photos on these pages are made by Jack Wolbrink.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to insure the correctness of data. However, I disclaim any responsibility in case of any errors or omissions. I am not responsible for the content of the linked websites.

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