The Swiss Air Force F-5E Tiger II J-3089 featured the Swiss Air Force aerobatic team Patrouille Suisse paint scheme.
A Swiss Air Force F-5E Tiger II jet crashed on May 26, 2021 near Melchsee-Frutt in the central canton of Obwalden, the Swiss defence ministry said.
The pilot ejected from the aircraft and was unhurt.
The F-5 was serial J-3089 and featured the Swiss Air Force aerobatic team Patrouille Suisse paint scheme.
The aircraft was taking part in a training flight along with other two fighter jets when, as the photos in this post shows, an engine fire apparently occurred. The pilot managed to eject before the plane went down.
In June 2019 the Swiss Air Force ended the evaluation for the five types of combat aircraft shortlisted (Eurofighter Typhoon, the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Dassault Rafale, the Lockheed Martin F-35A and the Saab Gripen E) under the Air2030 program to replace its ageing fleet of F-5 fighter jets, as well as the F/A-18C/D fighters.
As we have previously reported Saab has withdrawn from Air2030 program just days before the company’s Gripen E was due to arrive in the country for flight evaluations.
Hence the remaining lineup of contenders are the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Airbus Eurofighter Typhoon, the Dassault Rafale and the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II.
For more interesting news and info about Patrouille Suisse and other display teams check out Aerobatic Display Teams website.
Photo credit: 20 minuten
